What to take out of the RV to avoid freezing?

[jamescook]

Hi,
I do not typically winterize our RV, because we like to use it all year long. At least, we like to have it prepared for some short trips, whenever there's an opportunity.

But sometimes, there is no opportunity for several weeks. If it happens to freeze, eventually everything in the RV reaches temperaturs below 32°F.

What do I have to take out and bring it to a frost-save place? My Nespresso machine is one thing, I take out first. But what else? What about the fully equipped bathroom? What about electronic stuff?

Peter

[Matt_Colie]

The one that gets me - about every third or fifth year - is bottles of spray cleaner, window or what ever.. Nothing really bad happens because the bottles are plastic and they just stretch, but the spray pump will be toast in the spring. So, now you are left with a bottle of sprayless stuff.

You can either bring them in, or empty the pumps. But, as said, I seem to miss doing that on occasion.

Matt

[Itching2go]

jamescook wrote:

2oldman wrote:
I assume the OP knows about water lines.

Right,
what I always do, at the last stop (dumping station) on our way home,
is switching of the waterpump, open all faucets and all drainvalves. When I reach home, even the last drop of water should have left the RV, due to the constant movement while driving.

Here are some examples of things, where I'm not sure:
Nespresso capsules, li-ion-batteries, spices, flour, salt, sugar, oil, antibiotics, painkillers, hairspray, moist toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste

Peter

Beyond winterizing the lines, we take everything out that has a liquid/paste base (Nespreso capsules, oil, hairspray, shampoo, and toothpaste from your list above.) Also any liquid cleaning supplies and of course, any liquid in containers (beer, soda, etc). We also take any pills or other drugs out as I'm uncertain as to whether freezing temperatures might effect them. As for electronics, batteries, flashlights and the like along with clothing, sheets & blankets, pillows, towels, shoes, etc., we leave them in place and have never had a problem. Dry food items we bring in, but that's to avoid attracting rodents and other pests.

All items go into a storage container or two that get stowed in a warm storage area in our house (spare bedroom in our case) so when we un-winterize in the spring, we don't have to remember all of the 'little things' that need to be restocked.

[Crabbypatty]

I blow out the water lines with an air compressor then pump rv antifreeze, the pink stuff through the lines. I disconnect the water pump feed line and shove it in the antifreeze bottle. Takes a little more than a gallon. I do not fill the water heater as it has bypass valves and the drain is on the bottom so there is no chance that can freeze. It doesnt take very long.

[Michael_in_MN]

Remove the beer. It freezes & breaks the bottles, leaving a shelf full of round 'beer-cicles'

[Oaklevel]

Anything liquid or with liquids I would take out......We take out all foods mainly not so much freezing as mice....... I would not count on all the water being out from just driving home (holding tank will probably have some & low spots)

[time2roll]

Remove all water that would cause damage from expansion.

[jamescook]

pianotuna wrote:
I don't know what Nespresso capsules are

It's coffee for our espresso machine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nespresso#Capsules

[pianotuna]

Hi James,

LI batteries are fine down to about -45 c

hairspray I'd take out

I don't know what Nespresso capsules are--so I'd take them out, as well as the antibiotics.

I've never seen moist toilet paper. Try one package and see?

The other items I leave in my RV

[jamescook]

2oldman wrote:
I assume the OP knows about water lines.

Right,
what I always do, at the last stop (dumping station) on our way home,
is switching of the waterpump, open all faucets and all drainvalves. When I reach home, even the last drop of water should have left the RV, due to the constant movement while driving.

Here are some examples of things, where I'm not sure:
Nespresso capsules, li-ion-batteries, spices, flour, salt, sugar, oil, antibiotics, painkillers, hairspray, moist toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste

Peter

[2oldman]

I assume the OP knows about water lines.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I'd be more concerned about the fresh water lines than the removable items. The P traps also need to be protected.

If you wish to save the trouble of totally removing items, they could be put in a plastic tub. That way if they froze and burst there would not be much of a clean up problem.

[2oldman]

pop cans

[BurbMan]

Also drain or winterize the plumbing and drains

[SWD]

Anything that is a liquid or a paste. TV can handle your low temps quite comfortably, otherwise winterise the rv like others do.