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question about whether winterizing is necessary

 

Hello! I think I sent this question already, but I didn't get a reply, see it in the forum,? or see it in? my "sent" folder so I'll try again. I did see a message that my account wasn't confirmed, but I think I've rectified that.? - Debbie Edwards, Williamsburg, Va

Question:

I have a 2022 Ranger 12 but since I purchased it just last March, this is the first winter I've owned it.? It's garaged in the tidewater area of Virginia so it's protected from rain and snow, but still subjected to some cold temperatures.? We get many nights and some days below freezing December through early March.? My question is: If I have drained all the water from my camper, do I still need to blow out the residual moisture and add antifreeze, or is draining enough?? I can understand how ice expanding in lines and tanks full of water could rupture them, but would a small amount of residual water damage pipes and lines? I ask because I'm not handy, and my dealer is an hour's drive away and charges $200 for the service. Better safe than sorry, or probably not necessary? Thanks!
 

It's risky to not winterize.? We get this question a bunch this time of year.? If you go to this website and read the thread below, you can see the discussion we just had:
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Hi Debbie:

When we had to winter up north, NJ, I used a shop vacuum to suck all the water from the lines. Seemed to work OK.

Carl.

On 12/6/2024 7:38 PM, Debbie Munsey wrote:

Hello! I think I sent this question already, but I didn't get a reply, see it in the forum,? or see it in? my "sent" folder so I'll try again. I did see a message that my account wasn't confirmed, but I think I've rectified that.? - Debbie Edwards, Williamsburg, Va

Question:

I have a 2022 Ranger 12 but since I purchased it just last March, this is the first winter I've owned it.? It's garaged in the tidewater area of Virginia so it's protected from rain and snow, but still subjected to some cold temperatures.? We get many nights and some days below freezing December through early March.? My question is: If I have drained all the water from my camper, do I still need to blow out the residual moisture and add antifreeze, or is draining enough?? I can understand how ice expanding in lines and tanks full of water could rupture them, but would a small amount of residual water damage pipes and lines? I ask because I'm not handy, and my dealer is an hour's drive away and charges $200 for the service. Better safe than sorry, or probably not necessary? Thanks!
 

If you have a hot water tank with no bypass, or you don't have a winterize kit that lets you pull antifreeze from a jug, it would be worth it to take the trailer to a dealer, have those things installed, and winterize your trailer this time.? Then next year you can put in the antifreeze and winterize in a few minutes.
 

Thank you!? I'm not surprised this question comes up a lot this time of year.? My search about the necessity of doing it didn't produce the advice I was looking for, but I did see some info on how to winterize.? I did come across the thread with good info on how to do it yourself from the link you pointed out.? Maybe that'll be the way to go.? Another newbie question: So, if I have a bypass valve for the hot-water tank (I believe I do) and I use the jug method, I'm bypassing both tanks-- so, I'm not worried about residual water in the tanks, just the lines?? And I don't need to blow out the residual water if I'm going to put antifreeze in, right???
 

Carl,? Thank you for your answer.? You just make sure the lines are dry, but don't put antifreeze in???
 

Thanks again, Steve.? Perhaps I'll do that this year. I have the bypass valve but not the jug kit.? The dealer will charge me an extra $50 to let me watch the work and ask questions, but maybe if I do that,? I can do it myself next year...
 

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Hello Debbie:

I also used the vacuum to empty the hot water heater. We have a small tank, with no drain, so I use the vacuum on the supply line to lower the water as much as possible through the supply tube. Then I open and close each faucet one at a time until they sound dry. I also leave the values open so no water is trapped in the works. I might have put some window wash antifreeze in the sink trap??

Carl.

On 12/7/2024 1:13 PM, Debbie Munsey wrote:

Carl,? Thank you for your answer.? You just make sure the lines are dry, but don't put antifreeze in???
 

Another option is look up a "mobile rv guy" that will come to your location and put in the winterize kit, and show you how to winterize it. Those guys work out of a van and have low overhead.
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Any rv person would be able to look at your plumbing and know how to winterize it.? If you even have a neighbor or friend with an rv they would probably be able to show you what to do too.
 

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Hi All:

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Just a caveat regarding winterizing using air pressure or vacuuming water lines:? Unless your camper has low point drains, air pressure or vacuum can displace water from low points but not necessarily eliminate it, whereupon when the air is removed, the trapped water resumes its position at the low point, and can freeze later.? This may be OK if the trapped water has air upstream in the lines that it can expand into, otherwise, cracked lines could occur.? My take would be that, after applying air or vacuum, add some potable antifreeze anyway, just in case.? And definitely add antifreeze in the sink drain trap.

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Dave

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I also used the vacuum to empty the hot water heater. We have a small tank, with no drain, so I use the vacuum on the supply line to lower the water as much as possible through the supply tube. Then I open and close each faucet one at a time until they sound dry. I also leave the values open so no water is trapped in the works. I might have put some window wash antifreeze in the sink trap??

 

Thank you all for replying.? I made an appointment for winterizing and paid the extra fee to watch and learn how to do it myself. I believe I already have the bypass valve, and I'll see about the jug method; sounds like it saves a lot of time and trouble. I learned a lot from your answers. Thanks and Happy Holidays!

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