Forum Discussion

SpeakEasy's avatar
SpeakEasy
Explorer
Oct 18, 2018

Winterizing: Dodged a Bullet

We had our first snowfall and freeze last night. It's a bit early for that! Here's the rub: I have responsibility for winterizing two travel trailers and a boat. Our schedule has been crazy busy the past few weeks, and I've been totally unable to get to it. I was stuck in North Carolina for the past week, and started to see weather forecasts that looked troublesome back at home. But I couldn't get home to do anything about it.

My travel trailer is stored in my driveway at home. I got home last night and put a space heater in it to keep the water lines from freezing.

But my boat and my mom's trailer are 45-minutes away, and I couldn't get to them. Fortunately, they are next to a lake, and the lake generally moderates the temperatures a bit.

Every time I woke up in the night I checked on the temperatures. The lowest I saw here at home was 31 F. But it's OK, since I had my space heater going.

At the lake, using weather.com, it looks like the lowest it went was 33F.

So, I'm thinking I'm probably OK.

I'll be going down there tomorrow to take care of business. Tonight is not supposed to be as cold.

Wow.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

-Speak
Seeking Advice
  • SpeakEasy's avatar
    SpeakEasy
    Explorer
    Oct 19, 2018
    old guy wrote:
    why do you guys wait until the last minute to winterize? I knew in Sept when the last time I was going out and I have been winterized almost a month now


    Well, I do pretty much everything at the last minute. It's a way of life. I'll probably wait until the last minute to die. At least I hope I will :)

    -Speak
  • All_I_could_aff's avatar
    All_I_could_aff
    Explorer
    Oct 19, 2018
    I have one last trip with my youngest daughter and our dog this weekend before winterizing.
    Trailer will still go out at some point over the winter for a guys trip, but we will be using the beautiful, open year round, 72 degree state park bathrooms and showers at Swartswood.
  • mike-s's avatar
    mike-s
    Explorer
    Oct 19, 2018
    Either everything is good or is isn't. Nothing you can do about it now, except take care of winterizing everything before the next freeze. You're probably fine, though - water has a high heat capacity, so it takes a while. If it's just below freezing for a few hours overnight, pipes usually don't freeze. It takes more time or lower temps to cause problems.
  • old_guy's avatar
    old_guy
    Explorer
    Oct 19, 2018
    why do you guys wait until the last minute to winterize? I knew in Sept when the last time I was going out and I have been winterized almost a month now
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Oct 18, 2018
    Woke up to ice on the windshield this AM.. Recording thermometer says 37 on one can't find the other just now. FOund it it says 33 And I have to wash and wax and do 3 doctor's appointments this week... Oh the joy. At least I'm done with REPAIR work. Got inverter REMOTE installed. got steps fixed (They sometimes do not retract so they took out two of the Michigan State Trees (Highway barrles) and got bent up a bit. I almost got 'em right hooking a cable to them and the car and pulling 'em back forward but overdid it a bit. A few "Taps" with my 12 pound hammer and they are good as new) OH the joy.. Got one more possible repair but it .. Very low priority.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Oct 18, 2018
    BarneyS wrote:
    In my opinion, that bullet didn't even come close to you. Rest easy my friend! :)
    Barney

    I agree. But, when bullets are flying you keep your head down. Mother Nature isn't always a good shot. :)
  • colliehauler's avatar
    colliehauler
    Explorer III
    Oct 18, 2018
    I have zero issue when the temperature dipped into the mid twenties from a warmer day. It would take low twenties for several hours to cause problems is what I've found. Just got back from up North and had several nights it got below freezing, as low as 26. The water on the patio table had zero ice in it. It's when it stays cold day and night is when you run into issues.
  • BarneyS's avatar
    BarneyS
    Explorer III
    Oct 18, 2018
    In my opinion, that bullet didn't even come close to you. Rest easy my friend! :)
    Barney
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Oct 18, 2018
    Should be no problem. Even at 30 degrees or below it takes time for the water to cool down enough to start freezing when the lines are enclosed inside walls, floors, or compartments after the daytime highs have been well above freezing.

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