When do I need anti-freeze?

[bodomalo]

We store our Motorhome in Dallas for about 8-10 months.

I will drain all water lines and tanks and the water heater.
Do I need to put anti-freeze into the lines then?
There should be plenty of time during the summer to dry out all lines and pipes.

Regards
Bodo

[bodomalo]

A quick question - Is there any station / service where I can use an air compressor for an hour or so? Like a car wash station?

I do not have one, and seriously I have no place to buy one and store it in my RV.

[prstlk]

Just a quick reminder if you go the air route, watch your air pressure. 80 psi will crack fittings and split lines. The older rigs are most vulnerable

[Goldencrazy]

I put anti-freeze in when I got to WI on April 2. It took me 20 minutes to do it all and 8 bucks. It pushed water out of the line at every faucet. I then could rest for April and May. So much easier than finding a leak at a joint.

[wa8yxm]

If you drain all lines and the water heater, Then blow them out with compressed air.. I like to do that step like 10 times pausing between blows.. You need NEVER put antifreeze in the lines.. Just toilets, and drain traps.

And you can do those any time

Advantage to dry method:

If you put antifreeze in the lines.. You have to get rid of it and flush it all out come next season

If you only use it in toilets and traps... Well,,,, those Flush naturally don't you know. You will flush 'em out when you sanitize next season but no special effort needed and even if you don't get it all out.. Who cares.

[the_vfox]

I never put antifreeze in my Rig(s). I have had five of them.
I blow out the lines and call it a day. I live in the great frozen north and have never had a problem with it. I do put antifreeze in the P traps for the sinks and shower. I fill the toilet to quarter with it also.

[pconroy328]

When the temperatures drop below 0* C. 😉

Seriously, I lived in Dallas too and it does drop below freezing. If I wasn't around to rush over and fire up the furnace on short notice, then, yes, I'd winterize the RV - by adding RV antifreeze.

My two cents.

[BB_TX]

If you blow out ALL the water lines, drain the water heater, drain the fresh water tank, drain all the waste water tanks, put antifreeze in all drains, you should be OK for the Dallas area. Did I say ALL lines? All lines that can contain water including fresh water lines, clothes washer lines if you have one, dishwasher lines if you have one, ice maker if you have one, black tank flush if you have one, etc. must be drained if you are not going to pump antifreeze thru the lines.

I live near Dallas. Although we do get temps sometimes in the low teens, prolonged temps below 20 are rare. But that is enough to bust a water line if water is still in it.

[downtheroad]

What do you mean when you say, "drain all the water lines?"
Just draining the lines will not get all the water out and I doubt that all the water will, "dry out," by itself.
My opinion: you are asking for trouble.

Be safe, take the time to either completely BLOW out the system with compressed air or pump anti-freeze through the system....and then you can sleep at night without worrying about it.

[2oldman]

How cold does D get?

Winterize with air pressure
Blowout lines discussion 2010
Blow or antifreeze 2010
Blow etc Sep 2014