How to blow out lines to winterize
Hello. I have always paid to winterized my RV but would really like to learn how to do it myself without just pouring antifreeze down the toilet and sinks. I would really like to use air on the lin...
Forum Discussion
I feel confident that the cheapest, easiest way to test plumbing for leaks is with air pressure. If there were never any water in the plumbing system, there would be no need to winterize at the factory.
I don’t buy the statements “all” manufacturers winterize with anti-freeze at the factory. The one RV I bought new, I took delivery in February and I saw no evidence of anti-freeze from the factory. Those of you who claim to have seen this in every RV at RV shows, do you turn on the tap of every RV and check to see what comes out? And if you did, how do you know that it came from the factory that way vs. the dealer pumping it full of anti-freeze?
On the Safari motorhome forum recently there was a thread about winterizing and it was stated that the Safari tech support instructions were to use the low-point drains, followed by blowing out with air. Nearly all the Safari owners responding stated that they used the drain and blow method. One fellow said he had used only the low-point drains and gravity and had no problems after many winters up north.
On my Safari, there is no water heater bypass. Had the designers seen a need for anti-freeze, I’m sure they would have installed one – Safari did not skimp on details in their coaches. Clearly, they did not expect the owner to pump an extra 10 gallons of pink stuff to fill the water heater tank.
Wayne
I don’t buy the statements “all” manufacturers winterize with anti-freeze at the factory. The one RV I bought new, I took delivery in February and I saw no evidence of anti-freeze from the factory. Those of you who claim to have seen this in every RV at RV shows, do you turn on the tap of every RV and check to see what comes out? And if you did, how do you know that it came from the factory that way vs. the dealer pumping it full of anti-freeze?
On the Safari motorhome forum recently there was a thread about winterizing and it was stated that the Safari tech support instructions were to use the low-point drains, followed by blowing out with air. Nearly all the Safari owners responding stated that they used the drain and blow method. One fellow said he had used only the low-point drains and gravity and had no problems after many winters up north.
On my Safari, there is no water heater bypass. Had the designers seen a need for anti-freeze, I’m sure they would have installed one – Safari did not skimp on details in their coaches. Clearly, they did not expect the owner to pump an extra 10 gallons of pink stuff to fill the water heater tank.
Wayne
