There are many things to do and see in winter; beautiful winter scenery, snow skiing, hunting, snowmobiling and much more. It’s no wonder so many people enjoy using their RV year-round. Every year as winter approaches, I receive numerous emails requesting information about using RVs in cold temperatures. One of the reasons I haven’t written on this topic in the past is because it would take more than a short article to cover this topic in depth. Another reason not to write about this in the past is that there is no guarantee that your RV can or will be 100 percent protected from the harsh elements of winter by following the advice written on the subject.
What I can do is offer you some tips and ideas that will help protect your RV if you plan to use it during the cold winter months. I simply cannot guarantee that you will be 100 percent protected. These tips and ideas are for short-term winter camping in your RV. If you plan on taking extended RV trips in cold weather, there are many other precautions and measures that need to be considered, like using insulated baseboards around the bottom of the RV, for example.
Note: What we will focus on is how to protect your RV during cold weather camping. It is extremely important that you also understand how to protect yourself and other campers in cold temperatures.
One of the first considerations for cold weather RV travel is whether you will be traveling in sub-zero temperatures. If this is the case, and there is water in the RV’s water system, the water heater’s pipes or tank could freeze, resulting in expensive repair bills, not to mention ruining your RV trip to America. winter wonderland To prevent this from happening, I travel with the water system winterized. It’s actually much easier to winterize an RV than most people think, and it’s not very expensive either. I have prepped and dewintered our RV up to four times in one winter. Note: Our “Winterizing and Storing Your RV” DVD will teach you how to winterize your RV yourself and save money, especially if you like to use your RV during the winter months.
The good news is that it’s still possible to use the restroom facilities when you’re winterizing your RV. We take gallon jugs filled with water to use in the toilet, and if your holding tanks don’t get hot, you can put a little RV antifreeze in the holding tanks to keep the contents from freezing. Add the RV antifreeze through the toilet to the black water tank and through the shower or bathtub drain to the gray water tank. The antifreeze will also protect the P-trap in the shower or tub, which is usually below ground level. The amount of antifreeze required for the storage tanks will be based on the size of the tanks, and more RV antifreeze will need to be added as wastewater is added to the tanks to prevent the antifreeze from being diluted.
Do not allow holding tanks to fill completely before emptying during cold weather camping. This will reduce the possibility of freezing, which will result in damage to holding tanks. Bring bottled water for drinking and other necessities like cooking, washing, and brushing teeth when the RV is winterized. We have a five-gallon jug that we always take on the road, filled with tap water from our house, for our pet’s drinking water, and our other needs. This is helpful when the RV is winterized.
When we arrive at our destination I try to select a site that will be exposed to the sun throughout the day, but also where some form of wind protection is available. Position the RV on the site so that the front or rear is facing the worst part of the wind, not to the side of the RV. If there is an electrical connection, I prepare the water system so that we can use everything. All of the water lines in our RV are above ground level, in a heated space, so we don’t have to worry too much about the water system freezing as long as the RV is heated. We leave the water heater on as long as the water heater tank is full so there is no chance of it freezing. Some water heaters run on LP gas and electricity. Note that if it is in electric mode, it will use 9 to 13 amps.
It is important that you know where all the plumbing in your RV is located. Some RVs have heat ducts that go to basement storage areas where the water system is exposed to outside temperatures, but many RVs don’t. If portions of the RV’s water system are below ground level, in unheated areas, it is possible for it to freeze and damage the water lines. If connected to an outside water supply, one option is to leave a faucet in the RV dripping to keep the water moving and lessen the chance of the water lines freezing. Another option is to use heat tape to protect exposed water lines. Heat tape can be purchased at most hardware or building supply stores. Make sure it is suitable for the types of water lines in your RV and if you plan to use it on a water hose.
If it gets really cold outside and there’s a chance the outside water supply could freeze, or if the camp water supply is shut off for the winter, I fill our fresh water storage tank and use it for all our water needs. . Again, keep in mind where your freshwater tank is located; the bear is above ground level in a heated area. If the camp showers are still open, it’s a good idea to use them to keep the greywater tank from filling up too quickly. In this situation, it might be in your best interest to keep the RV winterized and simply use the campground facilities.
Tip: If you haven’t purchased your RV yet and you know you’ll be using an RV in cold climates, be sure to include an arctic package option when you buy it. Some packages include increased R-factor insulation, closed bottom, heated storage tanks, double pane windows and more.
happy Camp,
Brand
Copyright 2006 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101
