Winterizing....when you want to travel

[Flyhigh96]

Any suggestions to this newbie on how to prevent lines from freezing if I don't want to winterize with antifreeze as we plan to use the MH periodically during the entire year. We live in W. Colorado, so it does get below freezing but usually not so bitter cold, like below zero...and plan to travel to Utah, and other cold states.

Would placing a couple of space heaters in the coach, one in the bath, one in the kitchen, then leave the doors and cupboard doors open to the fresh water and the kitchen and bath lines? Or would the toilet and shower drains freeze and fresh water lines still freeze as they are below the floor level of the coach?

What to others do that want to use their MH at times, but don't want to continually use antifreeze, and then clean everything out to travel,..??

[jarata]

You can blow the water out with air do a search on it

[znt1186]

I use a space heater inside with cabinet doors open. Also have one in the basement to keep plumbing from freezing. Set the furnace temp to around 40-45 incase the space heaters are not enough. Live in WNC and temps can get to below freezing to zero for short periods in January and February. We also go out a few times in winter. If it looks like it will be really cold for a long period, I will blow out the water lines with compressed air and put some antifreeze in the drain traps. Refrigerator icemaker is something to be aware of. You may need some additional insulation around the solenoid if you don't winterize.

[DGBPokes]

For temporary situations, in addition to space heaters, open cabinets, and furnace at 45. I add 100 w. Light bulbs on trouble lights. 1 in the washer, 1 in the driver side wet bay and one in the street side wet bay. If the furnace isn’t blowing air, the basement isn’t getting any warm air.

[keger]

If you have some small compartments to keep warm you could use a 25 watt lamp with one of those work lights. Don't use a LED light you'll need to use a incandescent lamp. All you really need is to keep the temperature just above freezing. If you get a work light they usually have a hanger built in so you could hang it on the water line. This might save you some money. Space heaters are expensive and use a lot of electricity. With no water pressure in your system you might want to open all your faucet's that way should some water want to freeze there's room to expand.

[Dave-Oh]

I have a similar issue - upcoming trip - don't want to winterize yet but the evenings are starting to be in the 30's at night and I'm not ready to blow out the lines or fill them with antifreeze yet.

1. water tank is full - acting as a heart sink for now.
2. 100 watt bulb in the water bay on an outlet that activates at 35 and shuts off at 45 degrees - bulb is pointed at the water tank wall.
3. 400 watt oil-filled heater in bathroom with door to vanity/pipes open should come on at about 40 degrees - bathroom door propped open 45 degrees
4. 1500 watt oil-filled heater mid-coach - adjusting to come on around 45 - 50 degrees
5. I also have a 250 watt ceramic heater/fan between the driver/passenger seats pointing toward the back - will turn on low to keep air stirring if the inside temp gets below 40 degrees with the other heaters running,
6. I also am turning on the water heater (electric only) while waiting for our last trip - that should keep the water system from freezing until then.

I monitor the water bay and inside the coach from the house with remote thermometer sensors from the base station inside the house (system costs about 40 bucks on Amazon and seems to work well

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've also added the silver bubble-wrap sort of insulation in all the windows and windshield.

As soon as our last trip in 2 weeks, I'll empty all the tanks, add antifreeze, and continue to monitor, but won't have to be as vigilant as it will be winterized - next big trip won't be till April.

[phranc]

I might consider winterizing the washer with RV antifreeze . Then turn valves off and throw the breaker so it can't be used .. Unhook the water line to the ice maker , drain and turn off valve . Then if you blow out lines you can set up to go fairly quickly and not use washer and ice maker on shorter trips . Oh yes , drain fresh water and water heater . Easy to fill at house or your first warm RV park

[Chowboy]

Not everyone has a compressor but you probably have a small shop vac. After draining using the system H and C drains suck the traps, suck the lines, I do it from the drain valves opening each H and C individually. We have a rear kitchen so I start there and work fwd. Deal with the HW tank however you care to. I usually drain then by-pass and for good measure run 1 1/2 gallon of pink through the system and add the remainder to the drains. Don't forget the outside shower. If you decide to go camping it only takes a few minutes with the garden hose to the supply to flush all the pink and be ready to go. If you don't want to travel with water in the system, open the drains, the faucets and suck down with the shop vac. wwyp

[ThePowells]

Welcome to the forum!

Last winter we had 140+ straight hours below freezing with lows at or just below zero for three days. I did not blow out or clear our lines. The only antifreeze was in the tanks just as insurance for the gate valves.

All that was done....
Pulled in slide,
opened cabinet door near water heater,
1500 watt oil filled heater at hall opening set at 60 (lowest setting),
set coach furnace to lowest setting,
removed drawer under fridge to allow air circulation for lines under drawer including low point drains,
opened bathroom door and cabinet door under sink,
removed drawer closest to outside shower valves and removed that hose,
filled up water tank,
placed very heavy blanket over pass thru from cab to coach.

I used an infra red thermometer to check temps. Last morning (0630) of the really cold ones the spare tire wheel was -11, skin at door 5 above, wall inside (same place) 32, end of kitchen countertop 43, water lines under fridge about 40 as was lines under bathroom sink, and the connections to the outside shower were 32, but were above freezing the evening before. I bought a thermo-cube and light for the wet bay but their was not enough space to use it.

[ThePowells]

One thing I forgot,
The full water tank under the bed stayed above 50 degrees the entire time.


Also, if you scroll through some of the other forums, this same question is running in several of them and you may pick up something a little different.