How to Winterize your RV

With autumn quickly approaching, storing your RV for the winter is just around the corner. If this is your first season with an RV, winterizing your camper is a great way to protect your investment. Saskatchewan winters can come with their own set of challenges, which is why Sherwood RV is here to help you prepare. We've created a list of steps on everything you need to do to store and protect your RV properly, so you're more than prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws your way this winter. 

What you'll need

There are a few essential items you'll need before you can begin. These can be found at most RV dealers or auto stores. Be sure to add them to your shopping list:

• Non-toxic RV Antifreeze: Needed for potable water tanks and lines
• A flexible cleaning wand: For cleaning out your holding tanks
• Basic hand tools: For any repairs, but necessary for drain plugs
• Water heater bypass kit: If your RV didn't come with one, this keeps antifreeze from entering your heater
• Water pump converter kit/tubing: Used to connect to your water pump

Once you have these items, you're ready to start the winterizing process.

1. Winterize your water system

We start by winterizing the water system. The last thing you want to deal with is frozen and cracked pipes in your RV. Ensuring your water system is properly looked after is a sure way to prevent this from happening. It's also important to note that every RV manufacturer is different and has a different set of guidelines to follow in the owner's manual. Units equipped with more water access points will take a bit longer. But generally speaking, all RVs follow the same basic steps. 

First, remove and bypass your inline water filters. You will be pouring antifreeze later, so to avoid any damage to your water filters, it is best to remove them or use a bypass tube in some harder-to-reach areas.

Drain the holding tanks

Next, you will want to remove all water from your system, starting with the freshwater tank, followed by your grey and black water holding tanks. After they are drained, flush them out to avoid any risk of lines freezing. If your RV isn't fitted with a tank flushing system, your black tank flexible cleaning wand will come in handy here. This isn't the most pleasant of jobs, so be sure to wear protective equipment. Look for an RV-approved dumping site to discard your waste. This is followed by lubricating your termination valves. WD-40 is a great option. 

Drain your water heater & water lines

Make sure to shut off your water heater, followed by draining and flushing all pipes. To ensure all your water is drained properly, open your faucets during this process. Be sure your water heater has had a chance to cool before you begin.

Turn on all your hot and cold faucets, flush your toilet, and open all valves. All remaining water should drain out of your system. Your RV also has two low-point drain lines, which can help remove any remaining moisture. This requires the use of your water pump, so be sure to shut it off once the water stops flowing. 

Once all the water is removed, close all drains and make sure they are recapped. All faucets, taps and valves need to be closed off. 

Add antifreeze

Open your water heater bypass kit to ensure that your water heater doesn't fill up with antifreeze. Not completing this step will waste antifreeze and can cause severe damage to the water heater. 

Next, we use our water pump converter kit. The purpose of this step is to introduce antifreeze into your water system. Another option is to disconnect the inlet side of the water pump and use tubing instead. Put the other end of the tubing into the antifreeze container. Once you've chosen a method, turn on your water pump. Doing so will pump your non-toxic RV antifreeze into the water system. 

Time to turn on your faucets. Slowly work your way through the RV, one by one. Once you see the antifreeze you can close that faucet and move on to the next one. Don't forget to flush your toilet as well. This flushes antifreeze into the holding tank and ensures all lines are getting antifreeze too. Throughout this step, make sure you see a constant supply of antifreeze to the pump. Having a pump run dry and cause damage to your RV. 

After pouring the antifreeze, you can turn off the water pump. Be sure to relieve the line pressure by opening a faucet. Go to the exterior of your RV, where you'll see your water inlet. Using a small screwdriver, remove the screen on the inlet and apply pressure to the value until you see antifreeze seep out. Once you see the antifreeze, you can replace the screen. 

To avoid any cracking or freezing, pour antifreeze down all drains (toilets, showers, sinks, etc.) then flush your toilet once more. 

To be safe, double-check to ensure the electric heating element on your heater is completely turned off. Your water system is now completely winterized!

2. Remove all batteries

Cold weather isn't kind of batteries, so it's important to remove them from your RV. Start by turning off your RV's disconnect and breaker switches. Remove all batteries and label them clearly, so when its time to replace them, it's easy to see where they belong. Always store batteries in a warm and dry place and away from concrete, which drains the power. 

3. Service all locks and hinges

Check to see if your locks and hinges need any maintenance. It may not seem necessary, but regular upkeep can prevent your hinges from rusting and causing greater long-term problems. Applying oil and lubricants to them is a great way to keep them in shape. 

4. Use a dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are a great option for help minimize moisture damage in your RV. If storing your RV near a power source, routinely running a dehumidifier throughout the winter can help reduce mould and mildew build-up. Leaving moisture-absorbing materials inside the RV is also a great option. 

You're finished! All your hard work has paid off so you can kick back and relax knowing your RV is safely stored for another Saskatchewan winter. 

If you would rather leave it up to the professionals, give Sherwood RV a call, and one of our certified service technicians will gladly do all the work for you! We are pleased to offer different service packages to help ensure your RV is ready for winter.