Do I need to Winterize?

[SteveCampsOut]

I've drained the tank. The RV is hooked up to electric and I keep a space heater inside running at 68 degrees and it's parked in my driveway here in the Bootheel of south east Missouri. Do I really need to blow out all the lines?

[coachray]

If it gets cold enough to freeze I would blow out the lines and also run antifreeze through them. Even if it doesn't get that cold I would still blow out the lines. Water left in the lines for an extended period of time can become stale, and mold can also build up.

[JamieGeek]

Yeah I'd at least blow out the lines.

[DavidEM]

Well, if your RV has an enclosed belly you may be ok. The warmth from above should be enough to keep the tanks and pipes from freezing below.

But in your area it does get down to the low teens occasionally, so if your belly isn't enclosed, I would fully winterize.

David

[GVP-The Boxcar Children]

Why invite trouble by not winterizing? It's an easy process if you have an air compressor.
GVP

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by GVP-The Boxcar Children

Why invite trouble by not winterizing? It's an easy process if you have an air compressor.
GVP

But try to use a tankless compressor. Most tanks have rust, oil and dirt in them that you don’t need in your water lines. I think it’s easier to just use the pink stuff. $6 and 15 minutes and you’re done. I sometimes do it several times a winter to facilitate trips.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by SteveCampsOut

I've drained the tank. The RV is hooked up to electric and I keep a space heater inside running at 68 degrees and it's parked in my driveway here in the Bootheel of south east Missouri. Do I really need to blow out all the lines?

You can do, or not do, whatever your wallet can afford. IMHO, anyone living in a cold winter climate that does not dry or wet winterize deserves every repair invoice they receive and they do not have a reason to blame the failures on anyone besides themselves when plumbing freezes.

One question, have you ever had a power failure when temps are below freezing?

Only you can determine how much you can afford.

[Bob Denman]

Yeah.., it's not as if anyone is going to force you to do it...
But if you don't: remember that guy Murphy, and his dang law!

[JimC]

All my supply and discharge lines are inside the coach. Only the two tanks w/drain, and low point drains are below and exposed. I blow out the supply lines, empty the fresh water tank, drain the water heater, and put RV antifreeze down all the drains and into the black tank. Should thie RV antifreeze be adequate for the black/grey tanks and dump plumbing that is below?
JC

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by SteveCampsOut

I've drained the tank. The RV is hooked up to electric and I keep a space heater inside running at 68 degrees and it's parked in my driveway here in the Bootheel of south east Missouri. Do I really need to blow out all the lines?

Yes,

What did you decide?

Are you setting heater at 68 degrees year around because you are living in it, or heater set to run 24/7 just because it could get cold? If it is the latter, it is a lot of wasted energy.

I am in Dallas and I drain all tanks & water heater, blow out lines, use the pink stuff in P Traps Only (never use the P stuff in my fresh water supply lines), and then I turn on gas furnace at it's lowest setting whenever there is forecast of 28 degrees or lower.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by SteveCampsOut

I've drained the tank. The RV is hooked up to electric and I keep a space heater inside running at 68 degrees and it's parked in my driveway here in the Bootheel of south east Missouri. Do I really need to blow out all the lines?

My tanks and the shower water lines (below the floor) are heated only by the propane furnace. If it is going to be below 32 degrees for the night, I just take the golf cart out to the RV space and start the furnace. I go back out after breakfast and turn the furnace off.. The coach has it own 50 pedestal. It is nice to have a 68 spot RV parking lot within the Village. We usually have two to three nights below freezing a year in West San Antonio, TX.

[Lt Keefer]

I live in Central Texas and my winterizing consists of emptying all the tanks, opening the low water drains, opening all the faucets, and running the water pump for a minute or so. When the temps are predicted to be in the 20s, I will turn on the electric space heater before I go to bed and turn it off in the AM. I have never had a water leak due to freezing pipes. That being said, if I lived any further north, I would re-think my process.

[16ACE27]

The OP hasn't been back to the board since he posted that question. You're probably not going to get any feedback.