It's been another wonderful summer in Michigan, and while some are still holding out for a few more nice weekends, many are beginning the process of putting the toys away in preparation for the winter months. We cover a high number of Recreational Vehicles with our agency, and want to help you take care of them. Here are the steps to properly winterize your RV courtesy of RV 101®, https://rvonlinetraining.com/.
Step 1: If you have any inline water filters, remove and bypass before starting. Drain the fresh-water holding tank. Drain and flush the gray- and black-water holding tanks. If the RV doesn’t have a built-in flushing system, clean the black tank out with a wand. Drain the water heater. Open the pressure relief valve and remove the drain plug.
CAUTION: Never drain the water heater when it’s hot or under pressure. With no water hooked up to the RV and the water pump off, open a hot-water faucet to remove any pressure on the system. Allow the tank to cool before draining.
Step 2: Open all hot and cold faucets; don’t forget the toilet valve and outside shower. Locate and open the low point water drain lines. Use the water pump to help force most of the water out of the system, but turn it off as soon as the system is drained, to prevent damaging the pump. Recap all drains and close all faucets.
Step 3: Bypass the water heater. If you do not have a bypass kit installed, the water heater will fill up with RV antifreeze before it goes through the water lines, wasting 6 or 10 gallons of antifreeze.
Step 4: Install a water pump converter kit, or disconnect the inlet side of the water pump (the line coming from the fresh-water holding tank) and connect tubing from the water pump inlet into a 1-gallon jug of RV antifreeze.
Step 5: Turn the water pump on and pressurize the system. Starting with the closest faucet to the pump, slowly open the hot and then cold valves until the red-colored RV antifreeze appears. Replace the antifreeze container as required. Repeat on all faucets from the closest to the farthest away. Don’t forget the outside shower.
Step 6: Flush the toilet until antifreeze appears. Pour a cupful of antifreeze down each drain. Pour some RV antifreeze in the toilet and flush it into the holding tank to prevent any water in the tank from freezing. If your water heater has an electric heating element, turn it off. This will protect the element if the unit is plugged in while in storage. Make sure all faucets are closed.
Step 7: Consult your owner’s manuals for winterizing ice makers and washing machines.
The RV is winterized. Now, next spring, when it’s time to head out with the RV, you won’t have any unpleasant, not to mention costly, surprises waiting for you.
Happy Camping!!!