Winterizing is the process where you prepare your RV to protect it from freezing. The primary concern is the water freezing in the RV plumbing and damaging the RV water system. Most new RVs use PEX, which allows for some expansion in the tubes, but the joints can still freeze and crack.
Some RVs are set up to handle colder temperatures than others. Ours has a few features which make it handle the cold better.
- Double slide seals,
- Heat reflective foil around tanks and floor,
- Heating pad on the fresh, grey, and black tanks,
- Interior black tanks valve. The 2026 model has all tank vales on the inside.
- Dedicated underbelly heat duct from the furnace.
We can keep the living space above 65 °F down to slightly sub-zero temperatures. If it is not windy, our RV can keep the underbelly 12 °F and storage compartments 24 °F warmer than the outside. If the wind is strong, both areas can be as little as 8 °F warmer. Due to this, we try to winterize any time the out side temperature gets below about 25 °F for more than a day.
The specifics vary a little between RVs. For us, this requires minimal tools:
- 2-3 gallons of pink RV anti-freeze ($4 each at Wal-mart)
- Ratchet, extension, and socket for the water heater drain (May differ for tankless water heaters)
- Clean towel that is already pink or acceptable to stain pink
- 16-20 fl oz cup (Red solo cup is acceptable)
- 4-6 paper towels.
- Bucket
Some RVs do not have a winterizing siphon built-in. These RVs are easier to winterize with an external transfer pump.
The winterizing process and related work goes as follows:
Done
Step
Instructions
1. Turn off the water heater
If the RV has a water tank, turn off the water heater.
2. Cool down hot water tank
Wait 24 hours to winterize of run a hot water from a faucet until the water heats up and runs cold again.
3. Dump fresh tank
The fresh tank should have a quarter turn or dump valve on bottom of the RV or in the compartment. Let it fully drain until nothing more comes out before closing.
4. Dump waste tanks
This includes grey and black tanks, and some RVs have multiple grey or black tanks with multiple drain points. The waste tanks can still be trickling water for this step.
5. Shut off water pressure
If connected to the park spigot, shut it off. If using the water pump, turn it off.
6. Release water line pressure
Turn on hot and cold at a faucet to release the pressure from the water lines
7. Bypass the water heater
Our RV has a red lever in the compartment to bypass the water heater. Some RVs have two quarter turn valves. Tankless water heater may be handled differently.
8. Drain the water heater
Remove the plug and let the tank drain. Wipe up any excess water in the heater drain area. Hand tighten the plug. (Warning: If you did not release pressure and cool down the hot water tank, you can get scalded.)
9. Disconnect and drain fresh water hose
If connected to the park spigot, disconnect and drain the water hose, filter, and pressure regulator.
10. Drain low points
The hot and cold lines should have low point drains. Drain the water from here. (Warning: This will not drain all the water from the RV.)
11. Connect Anti-freeze
This will be sticking the winterizing spigot in the gallon jug or attaching a food safe transfer pump.
12. Turn on water pump
Turn on the RV water pump or transfer pump.
13. Winterize cold lines
Starting from the point closest to the water intake, turn on cold water at each outlet point until it runs antifreeze. With shower and faucet sprayers, it can be hard to tell if it is anti-freeze coming out. Spray it into a cup to check it and avoid wasting anti-freeze. For us, this includes:
- Exterior shower
- Interior shower
- Bathroom Faucet
- Toilet
- Clothes washer connections
- Exterior low point drain
- Kitchen Faucet
Some RVs also have dish washers, cup rinses, vegetable rinses, and second bathrooms.
Our washer connections are in the back of a closet with shelving installed. Winterizing these requires a towel, 3′ hose, and bucket to minimize the mess.
14. Winterize hot lines
Starting from the point closest to the water intake, turn on hot water at each outlet point until it runs antifreeze. With shower and faucet sprayers, it can be hard to tell if it is anti-freeze coming out. Spray it into a cup to check it and avoid wasting anti-freeze. For us, this includes:
- Exterior shower
- Interior shower
- Bathroom Faucet
- Clothes washer connections
- Exterior low point drain
- Kitchen Faucet
Some RVs also have dish washers, cup rinses, vegetable rinses, and second bathrooms. If you have a hot water option on your toilet, do that too.
Our washer connections are in the back of a closet with shelving installed. Winterizing these requires a towel, 3′ hose, and bucket to minimize the mess.
15. Winterize City Water Intake
The city water intake is spring loaded to seal, unless there is sufficient water pressure. Open the city water cap, remove the filter screen, and press the pressure button. (Warning: Water and anti-freeze will vigorously spray forth over everything. If it is inside your compartment, this will make a mess. You can minimize the mess with a cup and
16. Turn off pump
This could be the RV water pump or the intake pump.
17. Winterize P-traps
Pour about a cup of anti-freeze in each drain
18. Fully drain waste tanks
Drain them dry. This can take 15+ minutes per tank because they will continue to trickle as the water runs down the inside walls of the tank. (Warning: Not fully draining the tanks can leave water trapped at the valve that can freeze and damage the valve or plumbing.)
19. Remove pressure from the lines
Flush a toilet to remove the pressure from the lines and dump some anti-freeze into the back tank.
20. Distribute remaining anti-freeze
Pour any remaining anti-freeze into each drain to ensure P-traps and winterized and leave some anti-freeze in the waste tanks.
21. Wipe up anti-freeze
Wipe the anti-freeze out of sinks, shower floors, and toilets. If left to dry, the pink will stain.
You might wonder why winterize instead of using the propane furnace. We have a few reasons.
- The furnace is very loud.
- The furnace heats the office to about 300 °F.
- We are not sure it the furnace is hooked up right. (It might be blowing the wrong way.)
- When it is very cold, a 20 lb propane tank will be used up in 2-3 days. For 3 days or longer, it is as cheap or cheaper to winterize.
If you are storing the RV for the winter, you will want to include a few additional steps.
- Remove perishables.
- Remove liquids and temperature sensitive belongings.
- Leave the fridge and freezer slightly open using the vendor specific device.
- Attach tire covers
- Attach A/C covers and/or full RV cover
De-winterizing is much easier, but that is a topic for … uh … two days from now.