RV Winterizing Made Easy
Winterizing your RV fresh water system is essential protection against severe freeze damage. Leftover water trapped inside lines, pumps, or faucet cartridges will expand upon freezing, splitting PEX lines and ruining expensive valves. Doing it yourself takes under an hour and saves significant money over shop service fees.
Step-by-Step Antifreeze Method
- Drain the fresh water storage tank completely using the low-point tank drain valve.
- Turn off the water heater (gas and electric switches) and allow it to cool completely. Relieve pressure via the temperature/pressure relief valve, then remove the lower drain plug or anode rod using a water heater socket wrench to drain the tank.
- Bypass the water heater by turning the valves on the water heater bypass kit. Never fill the water heater tank with RV antifreeze – it wastes 6 gallons of fluid and can degrade the heating element!
- Open all low-point water line drain valves, then open all hot and cold faucets to allow lines to drain fully. Close faucets and low-point drains once empty.
- Connect a water pump winterizing kit or suction hose to the inlet side of the 12V pump, placing the other end into a gallon container of pink non-toxic RV antifreeze (propylene glycol).
- Turn on the 12V water pump to pressurize the system with pink fluid.
- Starting at the faucet furthest from the pump, open the hot and cold handles until pure pink antifreeze flows out. Repeat for all kitchen, bathroom, shower, toilet, outside shower, and city inlet valves.
- Pour 1 to 2 cups of RV antifreeze directly down each sink and shower drain to protect the P-traps and waste tank gate valves.
If you prefer using compressed air to clear lines, screw a brass blowout plug adapter into the city water inlet and maintain regulated air pressure under 30 PSI while blowing out each faucet branch.
See also:
- RV Dewinterizing – Spring startup guide for flushing antifreeze and sanitizing water tanks.
- RV Storage Tips – Controlling humidity, battery maintenance, and winter storage covers.