Learn how to winterize your camper or RV with simple steps that protect pipes, tanks, and seals from freeze damage so your rig stays ready for spring.
A camper or RV gives you the option to hit the woods for the weekend or take a road trip across the country with a mobile residence that goes where you go. You’ve got a bed, a bathroom, a refrigerator, and a few other basic amenities so that life isn’t so rough even when you’re roughing it.
Of course, the convenience of an RV or camper comes with some compromises. Even with extensions (sections of your RV that expand after you’re parked to create more room inside), space is at a premium. Gas and electricity have to be provided manually unless you’re parked at a long-term space or one of the fancier campsites. Perhaps the most important difference is that campers and RVs need some special preparation to safely survive cold winters.
You can pay a professional service to winterize your rig for you, or you can do it yourself with a little preparation. If you’re packing up your camper or RV for the winter, following these steps can help you avoid potentially serious damage come springtime. It’s worth noting that these are general guidelines applicable to most campers and RVs. Refer to your rig’s manual for specific winter care instructions.Drain and clean your RV’s holding tank(s)
Whether you’re putting miles behind you on the open road or roughing it in the great outdoors, your RV’s built-in bathroom can be a lifesaver. No matter where you are, you have a clean and private place to do your business, but all of that waste has to go somewhere. Being disconnected from a municipal sewer system means wastewater (and everything in it) goes into a holding tank. Emptying and cleaning those tanks is an important part of preparing your camper or RV for winter storage.
Fortunately, modern holding tanks make things simple compared to the worst RV design idea of the ’70s, a failed experiment that actually pushed waste out through the exhaust. With today’s systems, the process is straightforward: Take your camper or RV to an approved dump station or a permitted sewer hookup (options include campground full-hookups, gas stations, and wastewater treatment plants), connect the sewer hose, open the valve, and let gravity do the rest.
Sometimes, everything doesn’t drain the first time. If that happens, refill your holding tanks with water to loosen remaining debris and empty them again.
