Articles >> RV Winterization

RV Winterizing Made Easy near Spokane, WA Coeur d'Alene & Twin Falls, ID

If you want to protect your RV over the winter, then this guide from RVs Northwest will get you started! Winterizing is an important part of owning an RV, especially here in the northwest where you never know when a cold snap will sneak up. RVs Northwest is proud to offer our services and expertise to the areas of Spokane, Washington; as well as Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Lewiston, Idaho.

Get Your Pipes and Tanks Emptied Out

The first step to winterizing your RV is to get the water out. The most obvious place you would find water in your RV will be the holding tanks, so drain your fresh water, gray water, and black water tanks. Your black tank will need to be cleaned before you can store your RV, so take advantage of the black tank flush if you have one, otherwise use a black tank wand and give the holding tank a rinse. Next you need to empty your water heater. Don't mess with your water heater while it's on, or while it's under pressure. Open the pressure relief valve and pull the drain plug to let the water heater drain out, then close and replace. Now you have to flush the water out of the pipes. Pull your low point drain plug. Open the faucets throughout your RV, and then turn on your water pump. When all of the water has drained from your pipes, turn off the water pump, close the faucets, and replace the drain plug.

Water Heater Bypass

If you don't have a water heater bypass installed, this is the time to do it. The reason you need a water heater bypass is that winterizing will fill the plumbing of your RV with antifreeze, and without a bypass the water heater tank will need to be filled first, resulting in a wasteful, time consuming process. If you have a bypass installed, then you can simply turn the valve. If you need to install a bypass come in and talk with our service department and we'll get you set up with all of the parts you need to get the job done right.

Get Ready for Antifreeze

With the bypass turned on, you can get ready to pump antifreeze into your plumbing. Install a water pump conversion kit, or put the inlet tube on the pump directly into your jug of antifreeze. Make sure you've got the correct red RV antifreeze which is safe for potable water systems.

Pumping in Antifreeze

Find the faucet or valve closest to the water pump, and turn the pump on. Open the faucet one valve at a time until you see red antifreeze coming out of the faucet. Close the valve, and move to the next closest. Repeat this process until you've winterized each faucet in the RV. Then flush the toilet (or toilets) until you see antifreeze there. At this time you can turn off your pump and reconnect everything. Pour a cup of antifreeze down the toilet with a quick flush, and then give each drain a cup as well.

The final step will be to consult the owner's manual of any other water using appliances. Ice makers and washing machines are the most common culprits. Winterize these appliances according to their respective instructions. Come down to RVs Northwest and let our skilled technicians help you finish up the job.

With your RV properly winterized you should be all set to put it into storage for the winter! Hopefully you found this guide helpful, but remember if at any time you need a little extra advice, our experts here at RVs Northwest will be happy to help. We're proud to serve the areas of Spokane, Washington; as well as Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene, and Lewiston, Idaho.