Winterizing in PNW

Seaduster

Just wondering how necessary it is to winterize the T@B when living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest... Seattle

jgram2

This is incomplete, but succinct-Verna's comment in 2015 under the Heating, plumbing and winterizing topic category to the right. (Many informative discussions there)

Verna said:

Jenn, it can freeze in Georgia . We had someone a couple of years ago who lived  in Georgia trying to tell our owners not to winterize. You really don't want to be responsible for frozen and busted water pipes. Happy Camper, please continue with your questions and please do winterize.  Yes, it's not as cold as up here, but it just takes one freeze to bust a pipe. "

We're in PDX where it freezes rarely but we'll winterize.

ericnliz

OreoTAB, I also live in the PNW, just on the other side of the mountains[Spokane]. I know it doesn't freeze hard over there, but to be on the safe side, I would seriously consider winterizing. From the looks of the tails on the squirrels and the amount of pine cones on both my Blue Spruce, and the Fir tree, we're either in for a REAL cold one, or a lot of snow. You can bet I'm going to winterize, the blow-out valve is high on my list of priorities right now. For the piece of mind, and the short amount of time it will take I'm going with the winterize program. I guess it comes down to the question of whether you want to take the chance, or be safe. Good luck.

Seaduster

No more convincing needed

Seaduster

For whatever reason half of my response above was missing when I posted my comment and it wouldn't let me edit.

I had hoped to spend some time traveling in the PNW during the winter, but don't want to be winterizing after every trip.  Guess I'll wait until spring.  My T@B delivery was delayed so I may get one or two short trips before winter sets in.... darn.

db_cooper

Oreo,

Another PNW'er here, on the Olympic Peninsula.  We plan on using ours a bit during the winter, both at ski area's and a few rainy weekends on the coast or rainforest.   Last winter, right after we got it, we went for a rainy February weekend trip, fully de-winterized and then winterized again afterwards.   Draining the water, switching the valves to winter mode, and blowing water out the lines took maybe a half hour,  dump a little RV antifreeze in the traps, and done.  Not a big deal.  Won't de-winterize to go to a ski hill,  but would for a trip at sea level.   Once you've done it a time or two, it's no big deal.

Unfortunately, the La Nina has been canceled, and the warm blob off the coast is back, so it will likely be a warmer winter again.   A few more years, and we may not have to winterize at all.

razntwn

@db_cooper I'm in Vancouver, BC and was trying to determine if I needed to add anti-freeze to the water lines for our temperate winters and appears I won't need to.

I'll add to grey and black tanks as I intent to use the toilet this winter with bottled water.

Any other insights/ suggestions?  My first winter with the t@b.

Thanks,
Rey

Ratkity

@razntwn, if you are going to use the black tank during the winter, I'd suggest putting RV antifreeze in a spray or squirt bottle and after you go to the dump station and do a "wash out", spray around the black tank valve as you close it. That way, the valve mechanism won't freeze on you. I'm not sure putting RV antifreeze in the black tank is necessary if you use deodorizers. Any chemical drops the freezing temperature of water. Nothing wrong with using RV antifreeze instead of the traditional couple of cups of water that is normally used when you put pods in the black tank (or other deodorizer). It's just colored glycol and fairly inert. 

razntwn

@Ratkity thanks will do.

wizard1880

Not unless your garage was detached, no heat, and temps were in the teens or so for a week or more!  Otherwise, no worries.