Rain was in the forecast in a big way, with us receiving seven inches within two days and more coming. Then the outlook beyond the rain changed as well. Three days early in the next week were predicted to be below freezing:

When I saw the overnight temperatures getting down into the upper 20’s I got that queasy feeling. Should I throw caution to the wind and just blow the lines out with compressed air? While many in Texas do take that approach, I have steered away from it.

Now I blow the lines out and follow it up with pumping antifreeze through the lines. For the eight dollars in antifreeze, and the added ten minutes of work, it is just a safer route to go. I see way too many folks that end up with problems related to ice, particularly with their toilet valve. While it seems like compressed air would result in empty lines, that just isn’t the case. The lines probably have a residual layer of water in them that they compressed air flows over. The lines may be clear enough to prevent a problem. However, the toilet flush valve and perhaps plastic plumbing elbows could be a problem. I’ll spend the extra money on antifreeze to avoid those issues.

So, two days ago before the torrential rains hit, I made a store run. I stopped first at Tractor Supply and filled up the travel trailers propane tanks. Our last trip to Daingerfield State Park plus the nine day trip to Dodge City, Kansas (with the cold nights, and the cooking) ran one tank empty and the other about two thirds down. Tractor supply tends to have the least expensive propane in our area. It has always been cheaper to have my tanks filled than to exchange them.

After that stop it was on to get the RV antifreeze. I picked up a couple gallons and headed home.

If you want to read about the winterizing process you can click here. It really isn’t very complicated but you need to think through every part of the process so you don’t miss something. After you have done it once, you will wonder why you ever paid anyone to do it for you. I blow my lines out first. Next I run antifreeze through the system, and the whole process is done in less than an hour.

Many folks down here are fine just blowing the lines out, and I have done it that way before too. Even though it is Texas, you just can’t underestimate the volatility of the weather. You could get lucky just blowing the lines out or perhaps it will be a mistake to do so. The weather here is hit or miss. Rain, Ice, and freezing weather all come into play in the winter months.

There have been many times where we had to cancel a trip due to last minute weather changes. Most of the cancellations were due to rain and an inability to hook up the trailer. We used to pull straight through on our pad, but that required driving through the back yard. Since we had so many times where the backyard was inaccessible (due to rain), we now just back int our spot.

We do have a scheduled trip for New Years. I am curious how that weather will play out.

After we winterized the trailer, we enjoyed what remained of our last decent day. That night the rains came, and they came hard. The yard was under water, and the forecast continues to show freezing temperatures ahead.

No matter the weather, the cover shields the trailer. If you haven’t winterized your travel trailer it might just be time to do so. Stay Safe!

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So, you might ask, why the change? Well last year we got the big Texas freeze, and I had wondered during much of the winter if my winterizing job cleared all the water out of the lines. In particular the toilet, for some reason, is very hard to purge. In the past I have probably spent at least fifteen minutes fighting to get all the water removed. When springtime came, many folks had leaking or broken toilets, probably for that exact same reason. I had no issues; so maybe I’m just that good, or maybe I just got lucky. I think it’s luck personally and a lot of overkill blowing the lines out.

So, here is where the new process gives me piece of mind. I get the lines as dry as possible with the first pass with compressed air. Next I follow that up with filling the lines with RV antifreeze. Lastly, I blow the lines out clear again. This last step actually adds more antifreeze to the traps which is fine. Blowing the lines out also means I hopefully can quickly clean the lines next spring. Then not have antifreeze residue foaming out of the faucets for days.

I doubt that we will have another winter like 2020. But let’s face it no one wants to spend their first trip fixing plumbing issues. Also, given how parts shortages (particularly with RV toilets) are affecting the ability to make repairs; adding a little extra protection could be the safest and smartest thing to do right now.

Whichever way you decide to winterize, take your time and do it right. If you don’t want to do it yourself, seek out an RV facility (or a knowledgeable friend) to do the job.

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Winterizing your travel trailer doesn’t need to be intimidating. In fact it is a relatively straight forward process for anyone with basic mechanical skills.   Knowing how to winterize a travel trailer will not only save you a lot of time, but money too.  The cost, depending on which process you follow will probably be under $10.00.  If you decide you would rather have a dealership perform this service it will probably cost you at least $125.00.

I have been winterizing my own travel trailers since 1990, and have never had an issue.  Dealerships will tell you that they offer a warranty on their work. So if they perform the routine and you have a problem in the spring, they will cover any damage that results from not having winterized it correctly.  I have no idea if they really would cover any damage, or if they would try to somehow blame the owner. Regardless, there is no shame in having a dealership winterize your unit; you need to do what allows you to sleep at night.

Today we will step through the process of how to winterize a travel trailer.  Please remember that every travel trailer is different due to different features and setups.  This article is not meant to be the Bible on your travel trailer.  You need to be familiar with your specific travel trailer model and consult your owner’s manual when in doubt. Think of the following list as a generic version of what you will need to complete to avoid the off-season temperatures.  ALWAYS consult your own travel trailer owners manual for detailed information on winterization.  Each manual should cover the procedure.

Once you learn how to winterize a travel trailer, you can easily apply the same process to any new RV, with only minor adjustments. So make notes and create your own check list as you winterize, then you will have a great document you can use each year.

There are two different processes for winterizing a travel trailer. One process is to fill all the water lines, and P-traps (drains) on the travel trailer with RV Antifreeze.  The second process is to blow out all the water lines with compressed air and then add RV Antifreeze to the P-traps.  You should decide on which process to use based on your climate.  If we were still living in Wisconsin, I would fill all my lines with antifreeze.  Here in Texas, I blow my lines out.  I’m sure there are people in the northern states that feel perfectly comfortable blowing their lines out.  I don’t think I could feel comfortable doing that.

So what are you going to need? It depends on the process.  If you are blowing out your air lines you will need the following:

1. Air Compressor that can deliver 40 PSI.
2. Blow out plug (see picture below).
3. Wrench for removing the water heater drain plug and any low point drain plugs.
4. Screw Driver (probably an RV square head #2 screw driver) for removing any panels to access the water heater by-pass
5. 1 Gallon of RV Antifreeze (to pour down each drain and in toilet bowl).

If you are running antifreeze through the water lines instead of blowing them out; you will need:

1. Wrench for removing the water heater drain plug and any low point drain plugs.
2. Screw Driver (probably an RV square head screw driver) for removing any panels to access the water heater by-pass.
3. 3 Gallons of RV Antifreeze (to run through the water lines and pour down each drain and in toilet bowl).

How to Winterize a travel trailer:  The Process:

Step-1)  Make sure the Black Tank and the Grey Tank(s) have been emptied and rinsed out.  Pour your preferred tank treatment into the black and grey holding tanks.

Step-2)  Verify before you start,  that the propane and electric is turned off to the hot water heater.

Step-3)  Drain the water heater and leave the drain plug out.  Never drain the hot water heater when it is full of hot water or under pressure.  Make sure you open the pressure relief valve when you drain the water heater so that it drains completely.

Step 4)  Next rinse the hot water tank and allow it to drain.  You can buy a wand for rinsing your water tank on-line for a few dollars.  Insert the wand into the tank where you removed the drain plug.   Rinsing the water tank is not only a good idea before you store your RV but during the camping season. Stale water left in the heater can release foul odors that are tough to get rid of.

Step 5)  Open the low point drains on your trailer.  The purpose of opening these drains is to empty the water lines.  Keep in mind, this will not completely empty the lines.

Step 6)  Open the drain valve on your fresh water tank and allow the tank to drain completely.

Step-7)  Open all your faucets in the trailer to aid in draining the water lines in step 2.  This would include any outdoor shower that you may have.  If you don’t open your faucets there will be a certain amount of vacuum holding water in the lines.

Step-8)  Next, turn your water pump on for a few seconds in order to push any water out of the pump into the water lines.

Step-9)  Once you feel all the water has drained out of the water lines you can close all of your faucets, water heater relief valve, and the low point drains.

Step-10)  Now turn the valves on your hot water heater so that it is in the winter mode (also known as by-passing the water heater).  You are going to do this so that RV antifreeze does not enter the hot water heater.  In the picture below I could only capture two of the valves in the picture.  The bottom right of the picture shows the cold water line into the heater in the closed (winter) position.  The Valve in the middle of the picture is open to allow water to bypass the heater.  Likewise there is a valve on the top on the hot water line coming out of the heater that is also closed.   If you are blowing out your lines with compressed air you will need to do this so that air is pushed through the water lines.

Keep  in mind every water heater is plumbed differently.  In almost all of our travel trailers, due to different floor plans,  the water heater has been located in a different place.  Also,  the by-pass handles have not always been set up exactly the same.  The concept of bypassing is always the same; prevent water from coming into the hot water tank. If you are unsure of how to by-pass your water heater consult your owner’s manual.  Here is an illustration of by-passing the water heater; the oblong black circles represent the water valves.  The illustration may better illustrate the process than the picture above.

Step-11)   Connect your blow plug and set your compressor so that it does not exceed 40 PSI.  If you are using RV antifreeze; this is the step where you will insert the draw tube located by your water pump into the jug of RV antifreeze, and turn on your water pump.  If you are blowing your lines out with compressed air, you may want to turn the water pump on for just a few seconds (check your owner’s manual).   Also, if you use a compressor you will probably want to use an air filter on your line.

Step-12)  Now go to the faucet furthest away from the water pump;  open the hot water faucet until antifreeze comes out; then close it and repeat with the cold water faucet.   Note: If using antifreeze you may need to switch over to a new gallon at some point during this process.  If you are using compressed air you will do the same thing and just close the faucet when only air comes out of the line.  Now progress through the trailer and follow the same process for any water fixture:

• Toilet
• Bathroom Shower
• Bathroom Sink
• Kitchen Sink
• Outside Shower
• Black Tank Rinse Port (if you have one)

Step-13)  If you are using compressed air and have finished the above steps, you can turn off your compressor and open the low point drains again.  Now turn the compressor back on to push any remaining water out of the lines.  This step is not necessary if you have winterized with RV Antifreeze as it will result in antifreeze draining out of the water lines.

Step-14)  Next, regardless of which process you are using to winterize your travel trailer (compressed air or antifreeze); everyone must pour antifreeze in every sink and shower drain.  This will protect the P-Traps from cracking, so don’t be stingy with the antifreeze.  Finally put antifreeze in the toilet bowl.

Step=15)  Decide at this point if you will place any D-Con, or other pest repellant in the travel trailer.  When we were living in Wisconsin our trailer was stored outside so we placed de-con in two areas in the trailer.   Make sure that if you have pets, the poison is located in areas that they cannot access (like the under bed storage area).

Step-16)  Remove everything from your trailer; this includes all food, cleaners, paper products, etc.

Step-17)  Fully inflate, or slightly over inflated (say 5 PSI over inflated) the travel trailer tires; because you will lose air over the winter months.

Step-18)  Level your trailer.

Step-19)  Finally, remove your battery and place it on a trickle charger or at the very least disconnect it.  As a result of not putting the battery on a trickle charger you are taking a risk;  as it will probably be dead when you return.

In Conclusion

These steps should provide a basis for you to create your own checklist.  As I mentioned, knowing how to winterize a travel trailer will save you a lot of time and money.  Some RV owners have no desire to learn how to winterize a travel trailer, opting instead to have a dealership perform this task.  Ordinarily this is because they want the warranty that the dealership provides against pipes bursting.   As with everything, if you are uncomfortable winterizing your travel trailer, seek out an RV service to perform the procedure.  Every Travel Trailer must be winterized; unless you keep it in a heated storage facility.

For more of our blog topics related to Maintenance click here.

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I was surprised that folks were bundled up in such nice weather. I always said “We came down on the 12th of February and there wasn’t a cold day after that”. However, after a few years here, we acclimated to the hot weather. Now anytime it’s below 50 it might as well be -20, I get really cold.

So, about a week ago I was looking at the North Texas weather forecast; I could see the colder weather coming. On a whim I decided to winterize the Travel Trailer just incase the forecast changed. It sure changed fast! Since then we have had two freeze warnings and the temperatures have gone below freezing. So, needless to say, I am so glad I blew out the water lines and added RV antifreeze to the p-traps. However that doesn’t mean that camping is over for us yet.

I’m still planning on taking a trip in the next few weeks but we need to firm up our plans. In the meantime I won’t be losing any sleep worrying about the water lines in the trailer.

The beauty of living in the south is that the camping season is really all year round. Camping in the summer down here is a little less enjoyable than it would be up north. This is due to the heat but we have done quite a bit to take the edge off in the summer; like tinting the windows with a UV ceramic coating.

Now if you live north Texas, I will make a wild guess that you have already winterized your rig. So now you can concentrate on making plans for next camping season! Given the huge numbers of new comers to the RV lifestyle this year, you should plan on making reservations early!

If you are down here in the Dallas area, get you will probably want to get your travel trailer ready for this cold snap just like we did.

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Despite the horrible weather, this really is the best time to start on any travel trailer repairs or projects (unless they involve water). After all, you are probably not going to be camping for at least three months. On the bright side, your trailer has a furnace so if your working inside – no problem.

Here in the Dallas area, the temperatures are decent enough that almost any type of maintenance can be done. Temperatures can still get below freezing at times so it makes sense to blow the lines out if any plumbing repairs are on your list.

So what are some of the things that might make your list?

A complete cleaning of all areas of the trailer.

Visual inspection of all areas where water might seep into the trailer. This means the roof, windows, vents, etc. If your windows are the type that require an external seal, this might be the perfect time to replace any seals that have shrunk.

Clean out all your external appliance panels (refrigerator, Water Heater) sometimes critters will build nests in there so make sure you inspect them regularly. Use this time to do any preventative maintenance to these areas as well.

Fall, Winter, or Spring might be the perfect time to repack your wheel bearings and adjust your brakes for the upcoming camping season.

Inspect all the wiring running underneath your trailer. Don’t forget to inspect the wiring that runs to your trailer brakes.

Inspect your Hitch Assembly for rust.  Sand and repaint as necessary. Most hitch manufacturers recommend inspection for rust and repainting annually.

Double check your battery fluid levels if necessary and make sure you keep it on a trickle charger.

Check all your tires for any damage or defects.

Change all the items that need batteries, such as smoke detectors, CO2 Detectors, Tire Pressure Monitoring systems, etc.

Add additional lighting or modify any storage areas.

Additionally, take some time to go through all the things you haul throughout the year. If some of the items were not even used last season, decide if they are even necessary to carry along on your trips.

These are just a few ideas, I’m sure you can think of many, many more. This is the best time to get proactive with your travel trailer. No one wants to get 75 miles down the road to deal with an issue that could have been handled easily in the off season.

As I say all too often “It’s always something”!

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