Water System Sanitize and Seasonal Site

[shawnh]

This will be the first spring opening up at our seasonal site. I'm wondering how others with a seasonal site sanitize their water lines. Last year I did sanitize our water tank before use but we were not set up seasonally. With the seasonal site I no longer use the freshwater storage tank.

It just seems like overkill to fill the 40+ gallon tank.

I was thinking I could drain the antifreeze and then fill the lines from a 5 gallon bucket with water/bleach. Much the same way I winterized just with the bleach/water solution instead of antifreeze.

Alternatively, I could just fill the tank and sanitize the entire system.

Lastly, I guess I could do nothing but drain the antifreeze and hook up the water. Maybe it's not necessary to sanitize the lines if your not sanitizing the holding tank.

What do others with seasonal site do?

[bigironcoder]

Not sure what kind of seasonal site you'll be staying at, but on my snow-bird stays, I found it worked out better to keep my fresh water tank filled and my pump turned on all the time.

The reason was there were plenty of big rigs in the same campground with dishwashers, clothes washers, etc that caused the campground water pressure to fluctuate a lot. Made it challenging to take a decent shower, until I started supplementing the pressure with my own pump and water supply. My pump would only come on when the campground pressure dropped too low.

Then there was the time the campground had an underground pipe burst on a weekend. Many had no water, but I had 50 gallons on hand.

[michael.g]

Originally Posted by shawnh

I was thinking I could drain the antifreeze and then fill the lines from a 5 gallon bucket with water/bleach. Much the same way I winterized just with the bleach/water solution instead of antifreeze.

This spring will be our first time returning to our seasonal TT. Our plan is to do as you mentioned. I plan to blow out the antifreeze instead of drain it, that way the bleach doesn't try to sanitize the anti-freeze. Then fill the lines with water/bleach solution and let it sit for an hour or so. Then switch to the campground water and drain the lines of the water/bleach solution. Just run the lines until the smell of bleach is gone.

Although we didn't use it last year, I plan to fill the fresh water tank and leave it full for the duration of the season in case of power failure at the campground. The campground uses wells and if the power goes out, so does the water. We won't drink from the fresh tank since it will be sitting a long time, but it will be nice for clean-ups and for quick showers if it is a long outage.

-Michael

[o2silverado]

Been seasonal for 15 years. Never once sanitized any of our trailers. Just flushed the lines with water for 10-15 min & We're all still alive and kicking. Have you ever sanitized the plumbing in your house ? I do recommend keeping water in the fresh tank for showers & emergencies !

[jimp]

I've never sanitized the water pipes in my house, but then I've never filled them with AF or drained them completely for any length of time either.

[o2silverado]

Rv antifreeze is non toxic so never should be a issue . Just leaves a after taste if not flushed thoroughly.

[jimp]

I'm aware of RV AF being non toxic, I was referring to the possibility of algae and other "things" growing inside the water lines/tanks/fittings on RV's that sit completely drained for extended periods of their lives. House water systems are usually filled, I don't drain the WH or lines in my house because I don't move my house, I do move the RV and don't want to haul around the extra weight.

[o2silverado]

I get your point. But if you used antifreeze then they're not empty right ? I don't doubt that there is a possibility of growth somewhere in the system . I also believe that the freezing temps over winter are not ideal for algea growth. Also water systems are treated with chlorine so if you are using city/ public water you are sanitizing your lines. This is just my opinion. If bleach makes you happy then use it .I don't and have never had a problem.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by o2silverado

Been seasonal for 15 years. Never once sanitized any of our trailers. Just flushed the lines with water for 10-15 min & We're all still alive and kicking. Have you ever sanitized the plumbing in your house ? I do recommend keeping water in the fresh tank for showers & emergencies !

the reason you should sanitize your holding tank is if it is left with water in it that leftover water can grow all kinds of goodies... sometimes it even stinks if you leave your tank with residual water in it...

If you leave it full that growth likely won't occur... but if you don't it is cheap insurance to sanitize it...

[RVhiker]

My last trailer was open underneath - no coroplast. One fall I drained the fresh water tank and winterized the lines with antifreeze. That next spring, my fresh water tank had sheets of green algae. I think that RV antifreeze does not have an algaecide in it. There can be water in a piping system even if the pipes are drained. Said water can cause algae to grow.

The risk of not sanitizing periodically the entirety of an RV water system is algae and other things that are not helpful to human health.