Winterizing Your RV Water System

Today we continue our checklist for winterizing your RV.

4. Prepping the water system is the biggest and most important job when winterizing your RV.

- Drain the fresh water tank first. Then drain and clean the gray and black holding tanks. Give the termination values a lubricating shot of WD 40.

- Disconnect the outside water source. Remove or by-pass inline or under-the-sink water filters and install a water heater by-pass.

- To drain the water lines, open the petcock, all faucets and valves inside and out; flush the toilet. Turn on the electric water pump to finish draining the system. Close all faucets and drains.

- Open the drain plug and drain the hot water tank. (Do not do empty the hot water heater when the tank is hot or pressurized.) Leave the drain plug until spring.

- Attach a blow-out plug to the water intake, connect to an air compressor and blow out remaining water until only air comes out of the faucets. Close the petcock and all faucets and valves.

- Install a water pump converter kit and start pumping RV antifreeze into the system. Beginning with the kitchen hot water faucet, open each faucet one at a time and pump until the antifreeze turns pink. Close the faucet before opening the next one.

- Pour a minimum of 2 pints of antifreeze into every drain and toilet. Leave antifreeze in water lines until spring.

To be continued