Cincinnati Ohio - When is it usually safe to dewinterize?

[charles_cincy]

Newbie here, hopefully our hybrid made it through the winter.

Trying to figure out when I can plan on dewinterizing it.

I know the last frost is around mid-may. So, for sure I can de-winterize then. But a trailer I don't think I need to worry about frost with a trailer like we do with flowers. Besides, we're itching to get out earlier.

For instance, our kids spring break is April 3-12th. Considering a long weekend 9-12th.

From this site:
https://weatherspark.com/#!graphs;a=OH/Monroe

It appears that Mean Low for April 1 is 40...for April 9th, it's 41. Also on April 9th, 32 is at the 10th percentile...so 90% chance that I should be ok.

But I love to hear from the voices of experience in the Northern Cincinnati area.

Thanks!
Charles

[ashnic]

Fairborn here..0 this morning..not pulling out for a few more weeks..

[Rangerman40]

I live in Dayton and am headed to Florida the first of April so I will hopefully be dewinterizing a couple days before.

[IndyCamp]

I'm just up the road from you in Indy and we are camping Easter weekend (4/2-4/6) so the camper will be de-winterized a few days before that.

It's supposed to start warming up here, with temps getting into the 50's next week.

Remember: in like a lion, out like a lamb. 😉

[hawkeye-08]

Just finished dewinterizing this afternoon, filled with fresh water, headed out in morning. tonight is our big concern, supposed to be warmer as we get into weekend. I will probably drain fresh water and hot water tank when we get home. also, open low point drains, might even blow lines out, depends on when we are going out again.

[w8eh]

I've un-winterized the last week of March to go camping several times here. But usually not until early April. There is always a chance of cold here in SW Ohio in the spring. If it doesn't get too far below 32 or doesn't stay there too long, you shouldn't have any problem. I usually empty the water tank and dump the holding tanks to lower the chance of those freezing up. Then if it was to get too cold you can turn on some heat inside like another poster said.

[ifd22]

We normally go to whinton woods the second or third week of April every year. In ten years I've Never had a problem leaving it de winterized after that.

[fireman41]

This year maybe june possible july.

[bhh]

Welcome from a fellow Cincinnatian. As you know a couple of weeks ago, we set six all-time low temperature records in 7 days. So bets are off. Just don't listen to Tim Hedrick or Steve Raleigh, they seem to want to out-panic each other. Or as my S.O. puts it, "they never underestimate the weather."

Another variable is how your water lines run. Mine run under the TT in PEX so opening the cabinets and heating the interior won't help much.

[rbtglove]

I ggenerally dewinterize in early Apr in Dayton, then if its gets into low 20s I use a radiator type space heater. If you don't have a covered underbelly this might not be a good idea but have had 5 RVs and never had a freeze problem.

[midnightsadie]

this years a shear guess, there buryed in snow and baby its cold out there.

[Rosscoe40]

As long as it's not below 32 (day and night) 2 or 3 days consecutively you should be fine. I de-winterized April 5th last year here in Cincy and it got down to 12 at night a few days later and the TT was fine. I plan on camping the last weekend in March, I'm sure it will be sunny and warm......right?

[charles_cincy]

True...I realize that there are no guarantees!

The space heater idea is a good one. I could probably make that happen if need be.

Charles

Dragonfly wrote:
There is ALWAYS a chance of extreme weather here in SW Ohio. ( I have photographs of snow on flowering Redbud trees in late April. ) As long as you can plug in I have dewinterized in early April, even late March. If there is a cold snap just plug in an electric space heater and open the cabinet doors under the sink(s). That has even helped me through a few days gap between trips in mid winter when I didn't want to winterize, then dewinterize a few days later.

Finally, if you are traveling in cold weather you can still use the toilet. Keep the camper winterized and carry a large water jug/dispenser. Just add some to the toilet. Flush (with the water pump off so you don't pump in anti-freeze) and replace the bowl water. A touch of antifreeze in the tank usually isn't needed but may be wise if it is really cold.

[Dragonfly]

There is ALWAYS a chance of extreme weather here in SW Ohio. ( I have photographs of snow on flowering Redbud trees in late April. ) As long as you can plug in I have dewinterized in early April, even late March. If there is a cold snap just plug in an electric space heater and open the cabinet doors under the sink(s). That has even helped me through a few days gap between trips in mid winter when I didn't want to winterize, then dewinterize a few days later.

Finally, if you are traveling in cold weather you can still use the toilet. Keep the camper winterized and carry a large water jug/dispenser. Just add some to the toilet. Flush (with the water pump off so you don't pump in anti-freeze) and replace the bowl water. A touch of antifreeze in the tank usually isn't needed but may be wise if it is really cold.

[DutchmenSport]

State parks in Indiana turn their water back on the first week in April. I'd say by April 1 you should be pretty safe... but .... with the weird weather we're having .... who knows? To be safe, watch for a consistency when the night time temperatures stay above freezing 2 or 3 nights in a row. By then, you are pretty safe.