Community Forums

BobsledJim · 09-30-2020, 08:32 AM

We live in northern Ohio and are new to RVing. We will be spending January and February in Florida and I'm looking for recommendations on winterizing for the return to Ohio from Florida. There's a good chance the temperatures will be below freezing on our return to Ohio and I'm wondering about the best way to winterize for the return. Should I winterize at the RV park prior to returning, or make the trip home and do it when we get home? If I winterize after returning home, I run the risk of things freezing before getting it winterized again. If I do it in Florida before leaving, we won't be able to use anything that requires water on the 2 or 3 day trip home. That being the case, where do we stop for the night(s) on the way home where there are facilities? I'm hoping some of you experienced RVers can share your thoughts and recommendations.
Thanks so much!
Jim

Sportech · 09-30-2020, 08:47 AM

You didn't mention what your equipment is but in my DP motorhome I leave the heat on (and the water heater on too), put a 100 watt light bulb in the basement water bay and have not had a problem with temps in the teens. This assumes that you're plugged in or you can run the generator all night. I did have a freeze up one time while traveling when we left Charlotte when it was warm and by the time we arrived in central OH we had no water flow. I had forgotten to have the rear heater on and there was no heat to the water bay. A ceramic heater in the bay and got it unfrozen.

Bobb.25 · 09-30-2020, 08:52 AM

Well Jim, I suppose the you will have figured out how to travel while winterized for your trip down in late December. When I have had to do that, I make sure that there is no liquid that could freeze in a basement compartment ( beer ). And I keep several jugs of water in the shower for flushing and morning coffee. The first stop will be up north, where you will probably stay winterized ( Ky, or Tn.) The second stop will be prob. far enough south that you can safely dewinterize with campground water. The best bet for going back would be to wait until it warms up in the northland. Otherwise if it were me, I would winterize at the snowbird spot so that if there were a problem I would have resources to solve it.
Good Luck,
Bob

PetesMH · 09-30-2020, 05:08 PM

Freezing is freezing. It wouldn’t worry about a short drive in the high 20s but there’s no time to waste if it’s going to be consistently below freezing. We came home To Indiana from Florida in early March last year and I actually winterized at an interstate rest stop on the way home. I’ve done it enough that I can do it in about 20 minutes with 2 gallons of the pink stuff for about $8. No big deal.

BobsledJim · 10-01-2020, 02:49 PM

Thanks to Sportec, Bob.25 and Petes MH for the replies. I think I'll winterize at the RV Park just before we leave for our return trip and deal with not having any water / facilities on the trip home.
In the future I think we'll be staying in Florida from October to April and not have to deal with winterizing!