Winterizing

[GForce]

We are first time RV owners. We winterized our motor home today just to feel safer about storing it this winter.

My questions are:
1. Should you crack open a couple of windows to allow some air flow?
2. Should you cover or leave your motor home open to the elements?
3. If we decide to head south in mid-winter, how would that work?
The place that winterized it, said they would un-winterize it anytime we
wanted them to.
4. Should the truck engine be run periodically throughout the winter to keep
batteries charged, etc.?

Thx
GC

[che57vy]

I try to drive mine at least once a month around 40 miles round trip. Letting engine idle is bad does not drive out moisture in engine and driving it keeps things lubed and flexible. I have mine under a metal awning putting a tarp on one is bad traps moisture need a breathable cover.I leave front and rear roof vents cracked open.I always pick a nice sunny day with out bad roads to drive in winter.If you head South if you hook up to fresh water it will flush out RV antifreeze then if you head North and it is cold you will have to drain lines add RV antifreeze to system drain traps and commode. I also keep battery tenders on my batteries

[Bluesky46]

and if you have a generator, it should be run for half hour or more every month too.

[jimp]

You could leave one or more of the roof vents cracked for ventilation. I've got a cover for our GH, they are difficult to put on/take off, whether they do any good has been debated for years. I've got to wash ours and put the cover on before it gets too cold to wash it.

[RyRoRyan]

1. I would not leave any windows cracked. Just by nature the RV's insulation will keep it 10-15 degrees warmer on the inside than the outside temp. While you are winterized, I like the idea of internal components like the TV's, and all the furniture to stay above freezing as much as possible. By cracking windows, you are allowing the temp to drop, but also you are letting humidity and stuff in as well which can cause dew to build up causing a real stinky and unsanitary situation on your furniture when you come back.

2. I leave my motorhome open. It gets washed before closing up and I will pull the slides and stuff in if I know a good snow is coming so I dont ruin the slide awnings. I have my RV parked at my house so I have the ability to open and close slides whenever. If you take it to storage, always leave them closed. I also use it frequently for just a quiet place to study/work since there are 7 kids in my house so thats why I leave the slides open normally.

3. Many people do this. If where you are at has lows that are in the mid 20's or so then you can be safe and load your fresh water tank (only go 1/2 to 3/4 full just in case the top layer wants to ice over), turn on your gas heater (or tank heaters if you have them) and start driving. Your gas heater should have a small vent that keeps the water control panel area warm...but only good enough if you are down in the 20's...if you go under that temp, I doubt the heater can keep up and if you have water in those lines it will risk damaging them. If you are going to be in areas that are still really cold, then buy a few jugs of pink stuff and just flush the toilet with that while on the road and use truck stop/gas station facilities when you can until you are in an area that is warmer.

3b. Un-winterizing is sham. All they are going to do is attach a water hose to your unit and turn on all the valves to flush the pink stuff out. You can easily do this yourself. If you do unwinterize though, I would recommend that you pop the outside fridge access panel and turn off the valve to your ice maker if you have that. This will keep the existing pink stuff in your ice maker and ice maker lines so you wont have to re-winterize that section.

4. Not just started and ran, but actually driven. The motor is one thing, but you should keep the trans seals and everything else lubed as well by driving it. 20 miles or so every month would be fine. And as the others have said, start your generator too and actually put a load on it for 30 min. You can easily do this by just turning on your heat pump for a while. It may blow cold air since it cant warm at that low of a temp, but at least it will draw some power for the generator to get a load.

[Jagiven]

It’s a sad day when it is winterized. Winterizing is an easy job, so do not be scared by the thought of it.

I would recommend getting a few MaxAir style covers for the roof vents. I leave my bathroom vent open about ½ inch all year round. I have absolutely no moisture issues. This would be a better choice than leaving a window open. Open windows can allow rain in, or a thief an easy access.

The weather can be hard on any type of camper. I store my TT in a barn for the winter, just to keep it in great shape. I am leery of covers. The wind whips them around, and rub on the unit. They are large and heavy to manhandle. I would recommend at least twice a year to do a full inspection of every seam and joint as water infiltration is the number one thing that damages any camper, so re-caulk as needed.

Traveling in the winter months with a MH is no big deal. Many people carry a few jugs of RV antifreeze with them. If the weather is bad when you leave, just flush with a little RV antifreeze or windshield washer fluid, and carry a few jugs of water for other needs. Once you get somewhere warm, de-winterize, ideally at a full hook up site, so you can flush a lot of water through the pipes. On your way home, as you reach the cold again, do a quick winterization.

If you are not continually plugged in to shore power while in storage, ensure you disconnect your batteries, as parasite power loads will drain your batteries within a few weeks. My understanding out of the factory the chassis (truck) is not charged via the shower power.