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How to Winterize Your RV With or Without an Onboard Washer and Dryer. [VIDEO]

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Many RVers get confused or tripped up on how to winterize their rig.

RV pump converter kit for easy winterization
RV pump converter kit for easy winterization of your rig

But thanks to YouTuber and avid RVer Eben Schoeman, you’ll be an RV winterization expert in no time at all.

Eben made two super helpful videos on how to winterize your RV, for those with and without an onboard washer and dryer.

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You can winterize your RV by two methods.

The first involves replacing the water in your pipes with RV antifreeze.

The second requires the use of an air compressor to blow out all moisture from the RV piping system.

Eben prefers the antifreeze method because,

I don’t have access to an air compressor and frankly I do not want the seals and valves in the water system to dry out and crack.

Supplies You’ll Need

Eben recommends you have these supplies on hand to complete the winterization process,

  • RV antifreeze – replaces the water in the pipes to keep them from freezing and cracking.
  • replacement anode – called a ‘sacrificial or galvanic anode’, this chunk of aluminum or magnesium protects the inside of your water heater tank from corrosion. You can learn more about how it works here.
  • pump converter kit – allows you to use the RV water pump to fill all the pipes with antifreeze. The pump converter kit has only a few parts, including a brass valve, siphon hose, some Teflon tape, and a couple of pump adaptors to fit it onto your rig’s water pump. You only have to install it once, and you’re good to go.
  • water heater tank rinser – cleans sediment out of the RV hot water heater tank via a simple garden hose.

If you’re wondering how to reverse this process come spring, here’s what Eben had to say,

[Reversing the winterization process] …is basically just a reverse process with the big tasks being reflowing the bypass valve at the heater and changing the flow at the water pump to allow input from the fresh water tank and not the pink bottle! Then flush all the pink stuff. The rest are just maintenance issues that are part of a long spring checklist from tires to A/C.

How to winterize your travel trailer or RV without an onboard washer and dryer:

httpv://youtu.be/4KWrtaZr-jo

 

And if you have a late model rig with a washer and dryer, here’s the video for you:

httpv://youtu.be/ig8ctzIm6Tw

More Resources

RV Winterizing and Winter Storage: Need to Know Information for the Off-Season
How a galvanic anode works

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