How to Winterize a Camper

RV life is fun. But preparing the campervan for the falling temperature is not. Of course, it will be a fun task if we just have to wrap a magic cover and everything is set for the harsh winter. But it's not.

You have to complete the drill for your campervan to be safe in winter before you get into hibernation. There are a handful of microtasks that have to be followed for a proper winterization process. Let’s learn them all here at this blog on how to winterize a camper van and get ready for a frosty winter.

✔️ Drain all the liquid from the RV water system.

✔️ Bypass the water heater to save antifreeze solution.

✔️ Rinse all the faucets, showers,and toilets with antifreeze solution.

✔️ Turn off the main circuit, remove batteries, and propane tanks.

✔️ Remove any unnecessary weights.

✔️ Clean the rig, seal the vents, and cover the RV.

Biting temperature in winter freezes all the liquid or fluid. This includes the water in your campervan tanks, pipes, flushes, traps, showers, and toilets. This does not stop here. The ice will keep on expanding, and it will result in cracking your plumbing systems.

We can understand that winterizing a camper van looks like a tiresome task. But not spending a few hours to winterize RV will result in spending a bulk amount and wandering around mechanic shops instead of adventurous off-grid rides.

For a segment of RV riders, winter comes with the jinx of pausing the ride for a brief period. You should start to winterize RV when the temperature falls below 32°F, which is the ideal freezing point.

In other words, if you begin to feel the annoying bitterness of the cold while sleeping inside your RV during the nighttime, it’s time you have to start preparing your motorhome for the winter. Because although you can tolerate the winter, liquids are sensitive to winter and will begin to freeze.

The price it takes to winterize RV depends on different factors. Who is doing the winterization process? If you seek professional help, the price will be higher than the one you do by yourself. That’s where this blog comes in to teach you how to winterize a camper van.

Winterizing a camper van could also include exerting pressure on the pipes. It is better to exert the pressure in a recommended range. RV plumbing pipes can withhold only a certain level of pressure, and exceeding it will only damage the pipes, destroying the whole purpose.

When you’ve immersed yourself in the thrill of RV life and suddenly you see the snowflakes falling from nowhere only to remember about the winterization process. It happens. So keep the main ingredient handy for a quick winterization, i.e., a couple of gallons of antifreeze.

Before winterizing a camper van, keep all the necessary things in hand. This will make the process a smoother experience.

Always check the main ingredient when choosing the antifreeze. Antifreeze comes in two variations, one made of propylene glycol and the other made of ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol comes with low toxicity, while ethylene glycol provides better freezing protection but has higher toxicity. So ethylene glycol should be handled with caution, generally used by industrial plants. Just remember—propylene for passengers and ethylene for industries. Rhyming, isn’t it?

Having the set of hand tools makes the removal and tightening of components an easier process. Although a complete showroom collection is not required, a screwdriver and a wrench will do the work.

Although the winterization process involves draining the water by emptying all the water tanks and opening faucets, not all the water is drained by just releasing the valve. The compressor is used to blow out the last drop of water from the water system of the RV.

The air compressor contains a lot of grease and dirt particles. Blowing the compressor into the water tanks will coat the tank with the grease and dust. To prevent this, we need to attach an air filter in the air compressor.

It is suggested to use only about 50 pounds of pressure in the water systems of RVs. Exceeding the recommended pressure level will damage the pipes. That’s where the pressure regulator comes into play. It helps to maintain the pressure without breaking the pipes.

Although many RVs have the bypass valves, some may not have them. Bypass valves help to reduce the amount of RV antifreeze solutions to be used. These valves block the passage towards the hot water tank and distribute the antifreeze solution throughout the water system.

A bucket will be handy to pour the RV antifreeze and suck the solution through the pipe. Along with that, keep some cloth to clean the antifreeze. Although the container and cloth seem like unimportant things, they play a good role in winterizing a camper van.

Deep Dive

How to Winterize A Camper Van?

Start with the holding water tank. Along with the water, the junks in it will trap the tank, and once frozen, the tank will begin to expand and damage. So drain the holding water tank. Then comes the freshwater tank. Empty all the water even though it is potable. As mentioned earlier, it will freeze, expand, and finally damage the tank.

Now is the time for opening all the faucets and showers, including the external shower, even though you don’t use it, and flushing the toilet without leaving the attachment wand. Keep all the water systems in an open state.

Draining the water heater is your next step. First relieve the pressure valve integrated into the heater system to reduce the pressure. Then, remove the anode rod using the wrench, if you have one. While the steel tanks come with the anode rod to protect the corrosion of the tank from hard water, aluminum tanks don’t have an anode rod. These rods sacrifice themselves to prevent tanks.

After removing the anode rod, water will be drained from the water heater. It is important to drain water from the heater, because heavy water leads to calcification, and in cold weather, the clumps will damage the heater.

While draining the water systems brings out most of the water, there will be water layering the pipes, which can freeze and damage the pipes. To address this concern, we should remove the last bit of water drop from the pipes using the air compressor. Use a 12V compressor with an attached air filter and a pressure regulator. Plug the compressor into the city water inlet through the tube. Start with 20 PSI of pressure and gradually increase it up to 50 PSI.

This will blow out the remaining water from the water heater tank, as this tank is connected directly to the city water inlet. Blow until the air sprays out. It means that all the water has been removed from the heater tank. Once the water sprays out of the water heater tank, now pause the compressor and bypass the water heater. Although it sounds difficult, it is just turning off both the cold and hot water inlets and turning on the middle valve between the hot and cold pipes.

This prevents the flow of compressed air or antifreeze solution into the heater tank, thus blowing out the rest of the water system without reaching the heater tank. Once bypassing the water heater tank, go back to the city water inlet and blow the compressed air. As all the faucets for both cold and hot water, showers, and toilets are already in an open or flushed state, this will expel the remaining water line and finally spray out the air. Now, close all the faucets, showers, and toilets.

All the water has been expelled out. Now, comes the important part in winterizing a camper van, which is pouring RV antifreeze into the water system. Before that, you have to remove the drinking water filter if there is any. Then, you have to reach the water pump of the RV. This is usually located under the bed, but it’s best to look at the RV manual.

You should remove the inlet hose, which is already attached to the water pump, and attach the siphon hose that connects both the water pump and the RV antifreeze that is in the bucket. Once you have attached the siphon hose to the water pump and placed the other end of the tube into the antifreeze container, turn on the water pump. This will suck in the antifreeze solution into the water system.

One after one, let all the faucets remain open until they expel the pink-colored antifreeze. Once it expels the pink solution, turn off the faucet. This goes the same for both the interior and outdoor shower. Flush the toilet with a slight pressure until it flushes the antifreeze solution. Don’t forget to rinse antifreeze in the attachment wand that comes with the toilet. Pour some antifreeze directly into the toilet to prevent the ballcock from sticking to the rubber seal at the base of the toilet.

Also, pour some extra antifreeze in the sink traps to prevent freezing from the cold winter. After rinsing the water system with RV antifreeze, leave all the faucets open for the air to flow in and out. Finally, seal the anode rod in the water heater system with the Teflon tape and secure it tightly in its place by closing the water heater panel.

To winterize an RV, apart from rinsing the water system with antifreeze, you have to do a few other things to begin your journey after winter without any worry. When the motorhome is stored in the winter without any activity, it becomes a hunting place for rodents in search of food and shelter. So it is important to clean the RV and leave no eatables inside it.

Cleaning the windows, floors, appliances, and furniture without any moisture will prevent the van from growing the mold. You have to disconnect all the electrical appliances. Place mothballs and rodent deterrents to prevent the van from rodents and insects. Remove all the bedding sets, cloths, and all the other things possible to carry to prevent them from freezing or growing mold or increasing pressure on tires for a prolonged period.Inspect the rig for any cracks or openings and seal it.Remove the awning, wash it, and store it in a dry place if your RV has the option to remove it. Else, just clean the awning thoroughly and retract it back. Wash the exterior and wax coat it.

Turn off the RV's main circuit breaker switches and disconnect the shore power cable. Fully charge the battery and turn on the battery kill switch to prevent it from draining. Store it in a dry place where the temperature is not freezing. And, it could be your garage.

Many riders just turn them off and leave them inside the camper van. However, it is best to store it in a sheltered location as a safety measure from potential leaks if the camper van is stored for a long time.

Fill the gas tank with the regular fuel and stabilize it using the fuel stabilizer. The fuel stabilizer will prevent the tank from freezing in the winter. Next, fill your radiator with the antifreeze, and you can use the antifreeze made of ethylene glycol if you prefer. This way you can protect your engine from any possible damage because of winter.

Storing an RV for a longer period will exert strain on tires. Although most of the weights from utilities are removed during winterization, lifting up the rig using the hydraulic jack is best for the tires. This will reduce the weight load of the RV on tires. If you have the place to store, you can even remove the tires and place them in a dry place till you return.

Just learning how to winterize a camper van is not enough. After preparing the camper van for winter, storing it in the proper place is important. Those who have the option to store the RV in the private garage or backyard can park in their own space. But there are commercial storage facilities available at many places. It is important to park on a solid surface like concrete. If the RV is parked on a muddy surface, it can bury down and make it difficult to stow it. Last but not least. Use a UV-protected and mildew-resistant RV cover to cover it from the top to the bottom, including the tires and the awning.

Deep Dive

Common Mistakes to Avoid

People who wait for the perfect winter to start before winterizing the RV will have to pay the past due fee for the camper van’s plumbing system, batteries, and water heater system. RV’s technical systems are so sensitive to winter that they start reacting to winter before you officially begin the winter.

The purpose of bypassing the water heater is to reduce the usage amount of antifreeze solution. If you don’t bypass the water heater, then you will waste gallons of antifreeze in the water heater tank. Only after the tank gets filled can the antifreeze reach the faucets, toilets, and showers.

Sometimes people forget to switch off the water heater and drain the water. Empty tanks with the heater switched on cause burns and damage to the tank and other heating components of the water heater. It just takes a few seconds to overheat before you realize. So switch off the heater.

The pressure applicable when blowing the water lines in the RV is only up to 50 PSI at max. If you blow the lines with higher pressure, it will break the water pipes. It is better to use the pressure regulator than to regret it later for assuming the pressure level by yourself.

Appliances like coffee makers, washers, and dryers will have liquid left inside them. They are often overlooked when winterizing the RV. You can carry the small appliances, like coffee makers, with you while leaving the RV. For the washers and dryers, you can use the antifreeze solution to rinse it like you’ve done for faucets and toilets.

Only the interior of the RV is often cared for during winterization. But the roof of the camper van has the fan, AC unit, and the solar panels. You should cover them with protective material. You should look for any cracks or holes in the roof that can leak moisture inside the van’s interior. Then seal it. You should clean the van roof and wax coat to make it waterproof.

The hibernation is over, and you are back to start the RV life afresh. But before that, you have to set a few things for your campervan to hit the road. Let’s look at them.

The exterior part will be covered by a layer of dust and debris because of the months of inactivity. Wash it and inspect the outer part of the RV for any potential cracks or mildew. If there are any, add it to your list for repair service.

Bring back the fully charged batteries and connect them with the system. Turn off the battery kill switch. Turn on the main circuit breaker switch and reconnect all the cables that you’ve disconnected while winterizing. Connect and check all the appliances for their functionality.

All the faucets and showers are already left open during winterization. So just connect the water hose to the city water inlet and flush your water line with fresh water to drain the antifreeze out of the system. Run the water until all the faucets, showers, and toilets drain the antifreeze solution and no pink color is released from the water system.

Once flushed, close all the faucets and showers. Fill the fresh water tank and sanitize the water with bleach. Just consider the ratio of one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water. Now, open all the faucets, both hot and cold. Let it run until you can smell the bleach. Instead of bleach, you can also opt for sanitizing solutions available in the market. Let the solution settle in the water system for about twelve hours. Then, flush the sanitizer mixed water and fill the tank with clean water.

Flush the antifreeze out of the heater tank by removing the drain plug if you didn’t bypass the tank. If you did bypass the tank, then open both the cold and hot valves and lock the middle valve. Refit the water filter in its place. Install the anode rod if you’ve unplugged it earlier. Fill the tank with water and turn on the heater to check whether it functions properly and there are no leaks in the pipes.

After months of inactivity, the tires may have become flat or even damaged. If the tires are damaged, then you need to replace them. If not, then just check for pressure and inflate them to get ready for the roads.

Drain the antifreeze out of the radiator and fill it with the regular coolant you use. Change the oil filter and start the engine to warm up a bit before starting your journey. Don’t ride your RV immediately after pulling out the cover. Note: Whenever you drain the antifreeze and it pours out, keep a bowl or any container to prevent it from spilling, as it can be harmful for your pets or kids.

Deep Dive

Winter RV Life

Although some people pause their RV life for the duration of winter, some prefer to experience the winter life inside their RV rig. Those who live in the camper van during the heavy winter need to insulate it better to withstand the season. Let’s have a look at the requirements you need to keep yourself warm.

Although manufacturers advertise the windows as the insulated ones, it is not completely winterproof. Shield your windows with thermal curtains to prevent heat loss.

When you are out of propane gas, you can use the electric heater to warm up your space. Most RV lifers manage the winter with the electric heater alone.

An RV furnace helps to keep your rig warm in the winter. And propane gas is essential to power the furnace.

When you are out of propane gas, you can use the electric heater to warm up your space. Most RV lifers manage the winter with the electric heater alone.

There are heated thermal rugs available in the market for the floor. This will warm the floor, and you can lay your feet on the floor without the fear of chillness.

These insulating foams are similar to pillows that insulate the vents in the RV roof. Insulating these vents will lock the loss of heat through them.

Sleeping during the winter without anything to snuggle is like hell. Invest in some thermal blankets and bedding sets to make your bed cozy.

Thermal wear traps your body heat without letting it flow out of the clothes and keeps you warm. Along with that, you can layer yourself with jackets, mufflers, and winter boots to keep you warm.

Drinking warm water is what everyone should do to protect you from getting cold. A kettle will give you the hot water without any fuss of manually heating and reheating water in the kitchen.

Cover the exposed water system or any pipes using the heat tapes to keep it warm and prevent freezing. This can be considered an alternate option for draining the water system and rinsing it with RV antifreeze.

Winterizing a camper van can look like a hefty task, but spending a few hours and a few hundred dollars will save you from spending a few days or even weeks and a few thousand dollars.

We don’t want our readers to run around the mechanic shop. We want you to ride the roads on the beautifully shining spring days. We hope this blog answered your question on how to winterize a camper van. It might look like a Herculean task, but it is essential for you to resume the RV life after the heavy winter.