Everyone should be able to winterize their RV. This will keep it in good condition over the winter, and it’s also a good time to do some maintenance.
How to Winterize an RV for the Winter
If you own a motorhome or trailer, you should understand how to winterize an RV. Even if you live in a warm climate, you never know when you might need to relocate or store your vehicle in a colder climate. Winterizing your RV will keep it in good condition until you are ready to use it again, and it is also a good time to perform general checkups and RV maintenance.
Although getting your RV ready for winter may appear difficult, it is not as difficult as it appears. There are a few things you need to do, but you probably already have the majority of the supplies! The main thing you need to do is simply follow a checklist to ensure that everything is clean, dry, and ready for the winter.
The eight steps to winterizing an RV are listed below. There are numerous smaller steps you can take, but these are the most important, especially if you intend to store your RV outside. If you choose an indoor storage solution, you won’t have to follow all of the steps outlined below, but it’s still a good idea to keep them in mind.
1. Drain the water
One of the most important aspects of winterizing your RV is removing all water from the tanks and pipes. If the vehicle is exposed to freezing temperatures while still having water in the pipes, disaster can occur! Burst pipes, cracked holding tanks, and severe water damage can occur in improperly drained RVs. The damage may be permanent by the time you’re ready to take your RV out of storage.
As a result, it’s critical to drain all of the water from your RV. To begin, empty the holding tanks (fresh water, grey water, and black water included). Dump them all out and give them a thorough cleaning.
After the tanks have been emptied, use an air compressor to flush out any remaining liquid in the pipes. This step is optional if you intend to use antifreeze later.
Finally, remove all sources of water from inside the RV. This includes standing water in your refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, toilet, and other appliances. Although these are unlikely to cause serious damage to the RV, it would be bad if they froze and broke something inside the appliance.
2. Use antifreeze
You may not need to use antifreeze in the plumbing if you are confident that your RV has been completely drained. However, it’s always a good idea to apply some just in case. Antifreeze strengthens your RV against temperature fluctuations, and it’s simple to add and remove as needed.
You must bypass the water heater if you want to spread antifreeze throughout your entire plumbing system. This is possible with a special kit. Simply disconnect the water lines, install the kit, and reconnect. You can now apply the antifreeze!
Fill a 2-3 gallon bucket with pink antifreeze and place one end of the water line in it. Turn on the freshwater pump to allow the antifreeze to enter the RV plumbing system. Run the faucets until antifreeze drips out. Turn off the pump and pour a few cups of antifreeze into the RV’s drains and toilets.
Finally, return to the water heater and empty it. If there was any remaining water inside, it should be drained. Seal it up after wiping it down to ensure there is no standing water. Your plumbing system should be able to withstand freezing temperatures now!
3. Get ready for humidity
Following that, you must protect your RV from moisture buildup. This can result in mould, water damage, and general annoyance. Nobody wants to come home to a stinking, mouldy RV at the end of the season!
Dry out any areas where there may be standing water. Using a disinfectant wipe or spray will also help to prevent the growth of bacteria and mould. You could run a dehumidifier if you’re storing an RV in your garage or a storage facility, but this isn’t always an option. Place desiccants around high-moisture areas instead. Windows, vents, closets, and storage cabinets are all examples of this.
4. Store the battery
If you don’t intend to use the RV for several months, remove the battery and store it over the winter. This keeps it in good condition and protects it from temperature fluctuations.
Remove the battery from your RV and wrap it in several layers of protection, such as blankets, towels, or plastic sheeting. Ensure that it remains clean and dry while in storage. You can bring it inside or store it in a temperature-controlled area such as a basement, garage, shed, or closet. It should be fine until spring as long as it is not exposed to the elements.
5. Make use of RV blocks
RV tires go through a lot, so don’t overlook them when winterizing an RV. During the winter, it can be difficult for tires to support the full weight of an RV. This is especially true because tires deteriorate as they freeze and thaw.
RV blocks will help distribute weight and keep your tires in good shape for the coming season. Place blocks along the base of your vehicle and use protective layers to cover the tires. These covers will provide some insulation for the tires.
6. Empty and clean the interior
It’s now time to do some winter cleaning! Most likely, you won’t set foot in the RV until spring or summer. As a result, you should use this time to thoroughly clean the interior and remove any items you don’t want to keep.
Take out all of your food, clothing, cleaning supplies, and so on. If anything edible is left behind in your RV, pests will be drawn to it, so keep that in mind as you work. Clean out the refrigerator and cabinets, using a disinfectant spray on everything as you go.
Excess weight will also lighten the RV and make it easier on the tires, so don’t be too picky when taking things out!
7. Protect the exterior
The exterior of the RV will be exposed to the harshest winter conditions, so it requires additional protection. Most of your issues will be solved by a high-quality RV cover, which is designed to withstand wind, water, freezing temperatures, debris, and anything else that could damage your vehicle.
In addition, you should cover all of your RV’s vents as well as the tires. Some exterior RV covers come with tire covers, but this is not always the case.
8. Include skirting
Finally, if you keep your camper outside during the winter, RV skirting can be useful. Skirting protects the vehicle’s underbelly while also keeping everything clean, dry, and warm. You can either buy custom skirting or make your own. Skirting can be made from cardboard, styrofoam, vinyl, plastic, hay bales, or even piles of dirt or snow.
