Winter YUK!!!!!! What do you do to get ready?

[woodworker414]

:( Well, just in case I got the C ready for winter. It seems winter comes faster every year.YUK!!!!! Oh well that means that spring is on its way. Ye Ha
How do you get your C ready for winter? I hook up an air line to the city water and blow every thing out real good. Drain the water heater, run the water pump to make sure there isn't any water in it, then dump RV antifreeze down the drains. Haul anything that will freeze to the shop till the next time. I keep the C plugged in so that the coach battey will stay charged. I will get the C out at least once a month and go for a ride for at least an hour. My owners manual for the generator says to run the genset at least every 7 days, another reason to get into the C. And look out the window and dream of the road.
Bill

[Texas TC]

Looks like you got it covered. I did the same with mine yesterday because we are going to have a freeze tonight (a month earlier this year than normal). We are leaving for Florida in two weeks so I will have to go through the winter prep all over again when we get back just before Thanksgiving. Plus, the freeze is only going to be one night and we will be back in the 80's this weekend. I use my coach all year around and get to winterize it at least three to four times each winter. It is a pain but much better than getting freeze damage.

[Georunner]

One thing that I do to protect my Super Nova after blowing out the water, is I use a small sump pump and pump the pink stuff thru the system to each faucet and the toilet. It only takes about 1 and 1/2 gallons to do this if you have the hot water heater bypass, and here in the foothills of Colorado 20 below can happen any time in the winter. I also put a small space heater in the coach and set it as low as it will go. This typically keeps the coach above freezing except on the very coldest nights. Like Texas TC, I use my rig all year round and have to winterize several times so developing a routine helps.

[RJ82much]

Here's one that a lot of people forget: Your fridge icemaker! At the outside compartment for the unit, I shut off the supply valve & disconnect the small line to the icemaker to allow it to drain. I'm not sure how effective that is. However, I do re-open the supply valve (with the icemaker hose disconnected) & run until I get red antifreeze.

Of course, don't forget the flush sprayer for the toilet - run that till you see red. Another item I've always forgotten in the past is the flush lines that go into your waste tanks. This year I ran red stuff into them.

A final area I've always wondered about (& taken no action) is the hot & cold water lines leading to the washing machine hookup. We don't have a clothes washer, but the plumbing is there. If water has entered these lines, freezing could burst them regardless. Does anyone do anything with these?

Regarding the idea of a small heater for the winter months, what do you do to provide some heat into your storage compartments? (& therefore any waste lines that might have some water in them). I keep a small heater in our unit also, but rarely use it. I want to rewire the furnace fan thermostat so that I can run just the blower to circulate the space-heated air.

[Georunner]

I guess I keep a small heater in my rig just to ease my mind some. I would prefer the interior not get really cold. I keep the cabinet doors and bathroom door open, but I don't think it does much good, just peace of mind. I also don't worry much about the big tanks getting heat. I make sure the lines have antifreeze so they won't freeze. A plumber once told me not to worry about the p traps, that if they do freeze they will not break. I put some pick stuff in them anyway. I don't have the washer problem, but I think I would somehow check those lines to see it they get water in them, just in case.

[woodworker414]

I make a practice to make sure every water outlet has dry air coming out of it. Like most I don't want to have to deal with broken water lines. If I have to do this many through the winter that is ok, that means the C is moving and that is GOOD.
Bill