Winterizing Your RV: Important Dos And Don'ts

10 June 2015
 Categories: , Blog


If you're an RV owner (or hope to own an RV) in an area of the United States that sees harsh winters, then it's important that you understand the importance of winterizing your recreational vehicle. Winterizing is an important maintenance task that's designed to save you money on major repairs down the road, particularly when it comes to your RV's plumbing system. As you prepare to winterize your RV for the first time, there are a few important things you need to know.

DO Check the Roof for Leaks

When you go to winterize your RV, this is also an ideal time to check your RV for roof problems. This way, you can repair them before the harsh winter hits and have your roof in tip-top shape by the time summer rolls around. Specifically, the seams on an RV's roof are often put under a lot of wear and tear during the thaw between winter and spring, so it's recommended that you check and replace them in the fall to ensure they are properly sealed during that time.

DO Fill P-Traps With Antifreeze

Your RV's plumbing is very susceptible to damage during the months of winter if you don't take the time to properly winterize your pipes. Specifically, water left in the pipes could easily freeze and lead to a burst pipe or other plumbing system damage. An easy way to avoid this is to make sure that you carefully drain the water from all plumbing appliances and lines--and that you take the time to fill P-traps with antifreeze. This includes P-traps in your washing machine, which is one place that people often forget about.

DON'T Forget the Propane

Finally, make sure that you shut off your propane supply during the winter months; it's not necessary to remove the propane tank or to even disconnect it completely; simply shutting it off and possibly covering up the openings leading to other appliances over the off-season is good enough. Just make sure that if you decide to cover up openings to the propane lines, you remember to uncover them when you first go to fire up your RV in the spring. Otherwise, you could end up damaging your RV's appliances that run on propane.

As you can see, there's a lot to keep in mind when it comes to winterizing your RV; by taking the time to follow these precautions, you'll be in great shape.

To learn more, contact an RV company like Orangewood RV Center