Hopefully, by now, you’ve winterized your RV for the season. But did you do it correctly? The answer to this question is a very important one because there are a number of very common RV winterization mistakes that could cause pretty costly damage to your rig. Obviously, you will want to avoid these, and that’s why we’re here today.
In this article we will discuss the most common RV winterization mistakes that you can make, and why you definitely don’t want to make them.
Mistake 1: Putting Antifreeze Where It Doesn’t Belong
This one won’t actually cause any damage to your RV over the winter. That said, putting RV antifreeze in the wrong places still isn’t something you want to do. The two places this stuff shouldn’t go when winterizing your RV water system? The freshwater tank and the water heater.
You see, if you happen to fill these two tanks with antifreeze, you will have a hard time getting it all out at the end of the winter. On top of that, you’ll be left with water that tastes of antifreeze for a long time after the stuff has been emptied out of your system. Lastly, filling these tanks would take gallons and gallons of antifreeze, making your RV winterization process a costly one.
Mistake 2: Not Running the Outdoor Shower
You don’t want RV antifreeze in your water heater tank or your freshwater tank, but you absolutely do want it to run through all of your water lines. The way to do this is to open each tap (and the toilet) until the water that runs out is pink.
Unfortunately, many people forget to head outside and run antifreeze through the outdoor shower as well. This means that the water lines to the outdoor shower—as well as the shower head and faucet itself—are left to freeze during the winter, and you could be left with leaks, plumbing repairs, and possibly even costly water damage to your RV as a result.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the Wastewater Tanks
Another place some people forget to put RV antifreeze when going through the RV winterization process? The waste water tanks. While you certainly don’t have to fill the entire waste tanks with antifreeze, it is still a good idea to dump a few cups of the stuff down the tanks to keep any water that might remain there from freezing.
If you are using the tanks throughout the winter, be sure to add more antifreeze each time you dump. It’s also a good idea to up the amount of antifreeze you use based on how much water is in the tanks.
Mistake 4: Leaving the Batteries in Place
RV batteries will drain over time. In some cases, parasitic draws that are found in many RVs will cause this to happen fairly quickly. That said, even if you unhook the batteries entirely, they will eventually be drained. This is a problem because while charged batteries won’t freeze, dead batteries will. Besides, it’s bad for batteries to be drained completely.
To avoid dead (and potentially frozen) batteries, simply remove them from the RV and store somewhere above freezing. Put them on a trickle charger to keep them charged up and ready to go, and your batteries should be in good shape for next camping season.
Mistake 5: Inviting Pests to Your RV
Okay, so you probably aren’t going to invite mice and other critters to make themselves at home in your RV on purpose. That said, forgetting to plug up small holes where the animals can enter is pretty much as good as inviting them in. Add in any food that you forgot to grab out of the pantry, and you’re almost certainly going to return to an infestation.
To be safe, make sure to remove all food from the RV (keep in mind, canned goods can actually freeze and burst, so those need to go in as well). Plug up all possible entry points with steel wool (mice can fit in holes the size of a dime) and consider using a mouse deterrent to keep the critters at bay.
Mistake 6: Skipping the Seals
One thing you absolutely do not want to return to when the weather warms up? Leaks and water damage. For this reason, it is incredibly important that you go over all of the seals on your RV before putting it in storage. Reseal anything that looks cracked or worn, and make sure your slide seals are in good shape. You might also consider storing the rig under cover for extra measure.
Did you make any of these RV winterization mistakes? If so, be sure to head out to your trailer or motorhome as soon as possible in order to fix the problem so you can rest easy knowing your RV will be in good shape when the spring rolls around.
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About the author: Chelsea Gonzales
Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.
You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.
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