Winterizing Revisited

[HEYBOSS]

Here's a few tricks/tips I picked up from a winterizing seminar.

1. drain black water tank
2. drain gray water tanks
3. drain fresh water tank
4. open hot/cold faucets to release pressure.
5. drain water heater
6. open or drain any low point drain tubes (higher end units) and close them
7. close previously opened faucets
8. by pass water heater
9. disconnect inlet hose (from fresh water tank to pump) at pump.
10. install an adapter to inlet on water pump with a clear hose into RV anti-freeze and turn on pump.
11. open all faucets one at a time, cold and hot until pink anti-freeze runs from them, don't forget to do shower and toilet, run them long enough to fill any p-traps under sinks etc.
12. turn off pump.
13. open hot/cold water faucet to release pressure, take a plastic tie strap and push in valve at inlet fresh water connection outside of RV and with strap holding valve open, close previously opened faucets and turn on pump until anti-freeze runs from fresh water connection. Turn off pump and remove tie strap. **NOTE** it is very important to release pressure from the system prior to sticking tie strap into city water connection valve, by not releasing pressure when the valve is pushed in the spring inside will get sucked in and brake.
14. return water heater bypass valves to summer operation and turn on water pump one last time to get some anti-freeze in water heater. Turn off pump, disconnect hose adapter and reinstall hose from fresh water tank.
15. Put some tape over pump switch so it doesn't accidentally gets turned on and introduce fresh water into system.

Now it is not recommended that you put any anti-freeze in fresh water tank because the inlet hose going to pump sits about an inch or so from the bottom of tank and it will be very hard to flush it out when comes time to reuse it. The bit of water left in it will not harm it.

One more item, if you have an atwood water heater, it has a plastic drain valve, do not replace it with an anode rod used in suburban heaters, it will not be useful. If you have a suburban water heater the anode rod is your drain valve, when you remove it to drain heater if the rod is worn down to the wire at the base only, replace it because if it is reused it will brake and you'll have it rattling inside the tank and crack the lining in the tank.

Three gallons of RV anti-freeze should be enough for the job.
Also if you have dishwasher and washer machines, ice makers ect, you must run them through all cycles to winterize them, good luck.