Poll on winterizing, air, antifreeze, both?

[RogerR]

I blow the lines, pump in antifreeze and blow them out again.



I wondered if I am in the minority or majority?

[DocBrown]

I blow out the lines then add antifreeze. I think the majority do it this way, but certainly people do it all the other ways too.

[wiscampsin]

I also blow out the lines and pump in antifreeze. Doesn't take that much longer.

[gpd2111]

I blow my lines out and call it good. My trailer is stored in my pole barn and doesn't get below 40 inside so blowing out probably isn't necessary

[John H]

I have always used the antifreeze method trying to stay away from the ethanol antifreeze and using propylene glycol, but it is getting harder to find it at the dealers here in Ontario. This year I think maybe the blow out method will be my best option and just use some antifreeze in the drain traps.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by RogerR

I blow the lines, pump in antifreeze and blow them out again.



I wondered if I am in the minority or majority?

I think there are a lot of variables including how complex your water system is and how many twists and turns the plumbing has and if you have an air compressor and how cold does it get and how much snow banks around the unit?

We just have a 195 RB and winter lasts from Nov to April with temps going to minus 40 for a week or so in January.. With 200 inches of snow the unit is pretty well snow insulated( the darn snow settles but you can find Miss November in the bottom layer in April). We usually try to escape to FL in Feb and it takes a lot of shoveling to get it out.

We just dump RV antifreeze in after draining the lines.. We do not have an air compressor.

[THE MEEKER]

I use air compressor to blow out the lines, then use -50F RV/Marine Antifreeze to winterize all plumbing and drains. I use 4 gallons, I know I can use less, but I kinda overdo it just to be sure.

I also use a small sump pump in a 5 gallon pail to get the antifreeze through the city water connection and black tank rinse. I have been using this procedure for 20 years and never had freeze related damage.

In the spring, 10 -15 minute fresh water flush and all is good.

[jlechmanik]

I Live in PNW. Lows have gotten to 0 but usually lows are 15 or so when a cold front comes through. Mostly around freezing.

I used to use air. Then a few years ago, air and then antifreeze. Now I just do antifreeze.

[Big1]

I live in the PNW so I use air and l pump in the rv antifreeze.

[Jagiven]

Blow out, antifreeze, blow out again.

Historically I store my trailer where it has gotten colder than -40. I like to ensure there is plenty of room for any potentially diluted antifreeze to expand if it would freeze.

I figure I already have the compressor out, so why not blow out the antifreeze out and down the drain into the P-Traps which have a large water mass that is harder to displace. Also having extra antifreeze in the waste tanks helps protect any valves.

I also do one more thing, when all done, I add a few drops of mineral oil down each p-trap and in the toilet bowl. This keeps the antifreeze from evaporating.

[Pfflyer]

The "Both blow out and Antifreeze" choice is not very clear. I blow out the fresh water lines and only use antifreeze in the drain traps. I gather from the comments that some of the air users put antifreeze in the FW lines after blow out. I assumed the purpose of blowing out the lines was to avoid using antifreeze in the FW lines. Does the poll need another choice or am I the only one that does it this way? I live in an area that does get below freezing several times a year.

[Midnightmoon]

I blow out the lines, a little antifreeze in the p-traps and call it done. We really haven't had a harsh winter here in PA in a few years. If I know it is going to get extremely cold for an extended period, I may pump some antifreeze through. But in general I just blow out the lines.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Pfflyer

The "Both blow out and Antifreeze" choice is not very clear. I blow out the fresh water lines and only use antifreeze in the drain traps. I gather from the comments that some of the air users put antifreeze in the FW lines after blow out. I assumed the purpose of blowing out the lines was to avoid using antifreeze in the FW lines. Does the poll need another choice or am I the only one that does it this way? I live in an area that does get below freezing several times a year.

My guess is that just blowing out with air doesn't get ALL the water out. Since the plumbing has high spots and low spots, any areas where water runs up hill, the air might leave some water laying in the low areas, or possibly pass over and leave some water laying on the bottom part of the pipe.

Then when the air stops, any residual water can run back to a low spot.

So, the people who blow out, then fill with antifreeze, then blow out again are hopefully leaving just a residual antifreeze amount in low spots, while having empty (instead of completely filled with antifreeze) high spots.

[eagle55]

In the past when I was living in fairbanks Alaska I never did blow out the lines, just did there normal draining and isolating of the water heater etc and ran antifreeze in the lines until enough pink color came out of the tap to exchange the water a bit in the traps. Even there with - 50 Temps I never harmed the plumbing. My experience suggests even if antifreeze is somewhat diluted with water, it works because it doesn't do a hard freeze, but more gels up which doesn't have the expansion force of pure water. While I wouldn't turn on a pump with its fluid in a gelled state, I have never broke any plumbing component doing it this way (without air).

[01tundra]

Originally Posted by RogerR

I blow the lines, pump in antifreeze and blow them out again.



I wondered if I am in the minority or majority?

I do the same ^

[tinlizzie23]

Guess I never could see why you would need to blow out the lines, and then add antifreeze. The onboard water pump has a valve and tube that can be put down into a jug of RV antifreeze, and I just use it to fill my system (excluding the hot water tank via a bypass, and removing the inline filter) with antifreeze, and leave it in all winter. In spring, just pump fresh water through the system until no more antifreeze comes out, sterilize with bleach, and I'm good to go. Never had any problems with this procedure.

[DOUBLETROUBLE]

I pour anti freeze in the water tank and pump it through with the on board pump to all faucets and in turn into each drain trap. That way I know it gets everywhere. Maybe over kill but I feel confident it won't freeze.

[revdix]

That's what we have done here in W. Montana. I'm struggling with the blow out portion this year in our 5th wheel for some reason. Air doesn't seem to be going through. It's a different set up from the TT we had. I then put antifreeze in all the traps.

[CBCOCRBO]

Originally Posted by RogerR

I blow the lines, pump in antifreeze and blow them out again.



I wondered if I am in the minority or majority?

I drain my system first by opening the drain valves located beneath my trailer then I use my 12 volt water pump on by pass mode to pump antifreeze through all my water lines until they all run dark pink with antifreeze. Then I close the taps to ho;d the antifreeze in. I live in one of the coldest parts of Canada and have never had an issue. Fort Frances Ontario right across the river from International Falls Mn.

[cfarrar]

Wal Mart has RV anti freeze