Question about winterizing

[RJL]

I blew out the lines on my 2010 Damon Challenger, added RV anti-freeze to all drains and toilets the other day. I'm wondering if you guys leave the low point drains open and the plug out of the water heater or button everything back up.

Thanks

Bob

[usersmanual]

just me wrote:
I have heard of to many stories that "they blow out there lines" and still had broken pipes, in the spring, because of the low spots. Just push some pink stuff through them to remove the water that might still be there.
Don't for get the out side shower!!!!

same ole story if you don't know what or how your doing then seek help;; anyone that's adept at blowing out RV lines wont have a worry in the world when it comes to broken pipes

[Mile_High]

Dale.Traveling wrote:

Mile High wrote:
Wow, I'm surprised they hold air over the winter. Impressive!

Well I don't know how much pressure is remaining just that when I open a faucet in the spring and get a surge of air the system should be OK to refill. 40 psi is about what normal water pressure so it's not like I'm doing a 150 psi fire hose burst test.

Thats still pretty impressive. I left pressure on my home sprinkler manifold this week when winterizing. I'm curious how it does.

[RJL]

just me wrote:

Don't for get the out side shower!!!!

I did forget the outside shower. Thank you very much! Off today, gonna blow it out.

[Dale_Traveling]

Mile High wrote:
Wow, I'm surprised they hold air over the winter. Impressive!

Well I don't know how much pressure is remaining just that when I open a faucet in the spring and get a surge of air the system should be OK to refill. 40 psi is about what normal water pressure so it's not like I'm doing a 150 psi fire hose burst test.

[Mile_High]

Wow, I'm surprised they hold air over the winter. Impressive!

[Dale_Traveling]

Being in southeastern Virginia my winters are pretty mild and a blow out has worked well for me. After draining and the blow out I'll close off the drain lines, replug the water heater and leave the entire potable water system pressurized with 40 psi of air. In the spring if the lines are still pressurized I know all the piping and such is fully intact and not leaking.

[just_me]

I have heard of to many stories that "they blow out there lines" and still had broken pipes, in the spring, because of the low spots. Just push some pink stuff through them to remove the water that might still be there.
Don't for get the out side shower!!!!

[Romer1]

After blowing everything out, I leave all drains, faucets and water heater open/out. Just pink stuff in the traps and fill toilet bowl.

[Mile_High]

I wonder if insects are attracted to the pink stuff? I've never had a problem, but curious.

[RJL]

Thank you all for the quick replies.

Bob

[J-Rooster]

Bob, yes I do! When I drain the hot water tank I leave the plastic plug right under the tank where it screws in. I also poor just a little of the pink stuff down the drain so it can sit in the P-Traps. Good Question

[Jim]

I leave all faucets OPEN after blowing out. Drape the shower heads lower than the water source, also open, pour pink stuff into all drains (one gallon total).

After draining the water heater tank, I loosely put the plug back in, even though I know that the aluminum tank can handle freezing the tiny amount of leftover water easily. Just habit.

On the freshwater tank, I open the gravity drains while I'm winterizing and close when I'm done. I do remove and drain the water pump, the plastic connectors are only finger tight. Takes just a minute. Then I leave it in the water bay. And I close up any openings in the water and waste bays.

All the holding tanks, since what little liquid remaining is spread all over the bottom when empty, really not a worry. Even if that small amount of water freezes, it won't damage the tanks. Also, they're vented to the roof. The holding tank valves are left closed over the winter.

I spent three winters in Fairbanks, Alaska with it's -40F days and -55F nights for weeks and weeks, without problems using the blowout method. Coldest I heard of while I was there was -70F for several nights.

In spring, back living in the RV within a hour of hooking up.

[ScottG]

I never use pink stuff after having it turn to a nasty goo one year - blowing out works better for me since I dont have to get the pink stuff out next spring. I would button everything back up so tiny critters dont get in.

[siggyd777]

Close the water heater up when empty, but DO NOT close the low point drains & fresh tank drain unless you have RV antifreeze in the lines.
Your lines are not perfectly empty after blowing them out and water can accumulate at the low drain valves and bust the valve or the lines.
Just my humble opinion.
Siggy