When to winterize in the warmer states

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: L@dybug and My Maiden Voyage!.

foxden

I know I have a long time before I need to think about this but what do those of you living in warmer climates do about winterizing (or not).  I am in the Texas hill country where temperatures MIGHT dip below freezing a few times each winter but it is not all that unusual for those dips to be in the 20s or even down to 15.  We are typically 5 degrees cooler year round than nearby Austin or San Antonio.  Camping can pretty much be a year round thing here as 60s or 70s can easily happen even in January or February so I hate to winterize if it will keep me from going out on a nice winter day.  Are there things I should consider doing only when really cold weather is expected (outside of fully winterizing)?  Is winterizing just necessary when temperatures stay low for extended periods?  Our really cold weather rarely last more than a few days. Probably something on the forum about this be was unable to find it. 
Patti

ColoradoJon

I'm not in a warm climate but if it were me I would just drain all of the water out.  Use the blowout method of winterizing which is really, really easy.  I've done it three times already this spring

Verna

@foxden, it is so easy to blow out the lines that I have done it at midnight in my driveway with a hand bicycle pump.  (I didn't want to disturb the neighbors ) You just need to be very careful and be ready to blow out the lines if the temps are staying near freezing for over an hour or so. If it's going to stay under freezing for more than a few hours, the pink antifreeze is inexpensive at Walmart and you can put enough in the drain traps to keep them from bursting. 15 to 30 minutes is cheap insurance against broken pipes.

foxden

Ooops.  Looks like I was guilty of hijacking.  Sorry and thanks to someone for moving this to a new topic!

Verna

@foxden, it wasn't highjacking in this case. Your question deserved its own title for those in the southern states. No harm, no foul. My magic wand can do many things

foxden

Good to know!

marknjudy

I'm in Texas too. I don't know if this is the right way or not as it was my first  year, but I drained everything, bypassed the Alde and then blew out the lines with a small compressor. It takes less than half an hour and I didn't do it the first time until the forecast called for freezing temperatures. I also put about half a gallon of RV antifreeze in the black and gray tanks (dumped in the sink and toilet respectively) and operated the valves to insure they had some antifreeze on them.

We used the camper several times during the winter and, as you know, we had an exceptionally warm winter. When we went out, I just de-winterized it with the idea of repeating the process if the forecast called for freezing temps. I don't think that happened.

foxden

Good information.  Thanks @marknjudy and @ColoradoJon for that.  Easy enough to do this "as needed".  That works.

Photomom

And the best thing about the blow out winterizing method is the only thing you need to do to "summerize" is close the drain valves. So glad we went this route!

marknjudy

Yep. I forgot that step, @photomom. FYI, I carry my small compressor with me, so if I summarize for a trip in the winter (this year we only used heat once and A/C almost all other trips except two or three when the temps were cool enough just for fan) and the forecast looks like it can turn ugly, I can winterize really quickly. Get the blowout plug. You can do it without it, but it makes things so much easier.

wizard1880

Here's my take.  If it only drops below freezing a couple times a year for a few days, I'd simply keep the T@B warmed up during those nights.  Then forget about winterizing.

I'd keep the gray / black tanks empty and leave the drain valves open so no water gets stuck in there.  If your fresh water tank is underneath (newer models), empty that one too.  But with the T@Bs heat on, even to just 50F, nothing inside will freeze up.

I did this a couple years ago when we had an unusually warm winter (just 2-3 nights below freezing).  Saves the hassle.

Just a thought.  Of course if your T@B is not near any power outlet, then the blow-out method is ideal.  Just remember to sanitize the system before using it on your next trip (air compressors blow all sorts of oil / yuck into your system).

marknjudy

@wizard, that's a good point too. When I move to my garage, that's likely what I'll do. This winter, the trailer was parked away from electricity.

foxden

Very helpful.  I am close to electricity and can keep the Tab warm when necessary.  Glad to know about keeping the gray/black tank valves open.  Would not have thought of that.  I think a combination of both blow out and keep warm would make sense.  Thanks for all of the help.

JiroTX

I am in East TX, and it occasionally gets down to lower 20's in winter. I usually just blow the water line and drain all the tanks, and just like wizard1880, leave the Alde on when the forecast says it would get below freezing (set it to around 60F). I leave the shower and cabinet door under the sink open. My T@B survived past two winters with this method. You can do this with propane and battery since our winter usually does not last 3 days.

Jiro

Tabaz

How to winterize in Phoenix:

Ratkity

^^^ never gets old!!

ericnliz

@Tabaz , Gonna need a bigger sweater for here in the Pacific Northwest!

kaylevine1

ditto all of the above-last year it only got down below 32 degrees about 3 times\only in the middle of the night for a couple of hours-I just kept eye on forcast-drained my water tank-went out and put on the heat for a couple days on those nights with alde set about 56 degrees n opened bathroom\closet\under sink cabinet-I have a blow out valve and air compressor if we have a longer spell but here in south Louisiana most winters-I don't think even that will be necessary