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How To Winterize An RV in 9 Easy Steps

Published on July 27th, 2018 by Ray & Tammy Roman
This post was updated on March 19th, 2024

This guide shows you how to winterize an RV in 9 easy steps. Winterizing your camper is not too difficult if you follow clear and concise, step-by-step instructions. In this beginner guide to winterizing an RV, you’ll find all the steps you need to successfully prepare your RV for winter storage.

This is a comprehensive guide to RV winterizing, so I’ve broken it down into manageable steps. I’ve curated the best videos on the subject to help you along. Let’s get started with nine easy steps to winterize an RV.

What You Will Need To Winterize your Camper

  • Non-Toxic RV Anti-Freeze: The amount you will need depends on your RV’s plumbing layout. Plan on needing about 4-6 gallons of antifreeze; give or take a few quarts. I recommend the RecPro RV Non-Toxic Anti-Freeze, available in a 4-gallon (ca. 15 liters) pack on Amazon. DO NOT USE AUTOMOTIVE ANTIFREEZE.
  • Water Heater By-Pass Kit: Some, not all RVs, come with a built-in water heater by-pass, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll need a kit to bypass the tank. The Camco Water Heater By-Pass Kit is the one I recommend. Make sure you get the right length for your tank.
  • Holding Tank Cleaning Wand: I recommend a cleaning wand to clean sediments from your RV water heater. Camco’s cleaning wand is one of the best and most affordable available.
  • Water Pump Converter Kit: This allows you to use the RV water pump to inject anti-freeze into your pipes easily. This Camco Permanent Pump Converter Winterizing Kit is the one you want to use.
  • Basic Hand Tools: To remove drain plugs and loosen obstructions that may be in the way, you’ll need some basic tools such as an adjustable wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.
  • Owner’s Manual – It helps to have a copy of your owner’s manual to ensure you are doing things properly and are not missing any steps.

9 Steps To Winterize Your Camper

As you can see from the list, winterizing an RV is not overly expensive. It’s important, however, to have these supplies on hand before you get started, as it allows you to get your RV winterized without any delays.

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I highly recommend you read your owner’s manual to learn about any winterizing guidelines that may be specific to your camper.

Familiarize yourself with all the steps below before you begin.

Step 1. Disconnect any outside water source

The first thing you’ll want to do is disconnect any outside water source that may be connected to your city water inlet. You will also want to disconnect any inline water filters or bypass them if they have a bypass.

Winterize an RV

Step 2. Drain Your Fresh Water Tanks t the Low Point Drain Lines

Draining your freshwater tank is simple and shouldn’t take too long. There is usually a single hose coming out from the underbelly of the RV. There is a valve you turn to let the water out. That will easily and quickly drain your fresh water tank.

Steps to winterizing and RV

Step 3. Drain and Flush Gray and Black Holding Tanks

Some RVs have a tank flushing system built-in, so simply engage that to clean the tanks. You’ll need to do it manually if your RV doesn’t have a tank flushing system.

You’ll need to drain your black and gray water tank. Clean your black and gray water tanks using a cleaning wand.

Both your black water tank and gray water tank terminate at a valve. Lubricate the termination valves with WD-40.

RV winterizing tips

Make sure to dispose of the content at a proper dump station.

Step 4. Drain Your Hot Water Heater Tank

Never drain your hot water tank when the water temperature is hot or under pressure.

First, turn off the breaker to your RV water heater as a safety precaution. This will prevent you from accidentally starting the water heating element with no water in the tank.

Let the hot water cool down. When you are sure the water is not hot, go outside your RV and open the panel to access the water tank.

Next, find the tank drain plug typically located near the bottom of the tank. Loosen the drain plug using an adjustable wrench and remove it. Be careful when removing the drain plug as it is usually plastic.

On Suburban brands of hot water heaters, the drain plug is also an anodized rod, remove it, and the water inside the tank will start to run out.

To help the water drain quicker, open the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank.

RV hot water heater pressure relief vavle

Step 5. Drain your water system

Open all hot and cold faucets inside and outside your RV. Don’t forget the toilet valve and if you have an outside shower it also needs to be open. Now it’s time to drain your RV water lines.

First, you need to locate the low-point water line drains. They are usually located underneath your RV near the tank. There is a hot water line and a cold water line.

Here is a video showing you the typical location of the low-point water line drain valves, plus an easy tip to modify for future use.

Next, run the water pump for a bit to help force any water out. Turn the water pump off as soon as the water has drained. Be careful not to run the water pump without any water in the system for too long, or you might ruin the pump.

Step 6. By-pass your water heater

In this step, we’re going to bypass your water heater. Doing this prevents you from filling your tank with RV antifreeze, saving you as much as 6 to 10 gallons of antifreeze. Some RVs come pre-equipped with a bypass system, but many do not. If yours does not have a bypass system, you must purchase a water heater bypass kit and install it. I recommend this one by Camco.

Remember to use an air compressor to blow out your water lines. You just have to be careful not to use too much air pressure during the process; 30-35 psi is sufficient.

How To Use Water Heater Bypass Valve (Video)

In this video, you’ll learn how to operate the bypass valve in your RV water heater. It’s very simple and once you understand how to do it, winterizing your RV becomes much easier.

Step 7. Add anti-freeze (Non-Toxic RV Anti-freeze)

Let’s add the antifreeze. There are typically two ways to add antifreeze to your travel trailer. You can use a water pump conversion kit and add the antifreeze from the inside, or you can use a hand pump and add the antifreeze from the outside.

To check your progress, you must open up one faucet at a time. Begin with the kitchen faucet, open the hot water, and keep it open until antifreeze flows through it.

Once the output from the hot water faucet is flowing with pink antifreeze, you will know that antifreeze is in that system, and you can close the faucet.

Do the same with the cold faucet side. Do this with all faucets working from the highest, which is usually the kitchen faucet, to the lowest, typically the bathroom in the shower, and finally flush the toilet until antifreeze flows into the bowl. Make sure pink antifreeze is flowing from your shower head as well.

How To Add Antifreeze to an RV Plumbing System (Video)

Step 8. Pour anti-freeze in the shower and all sinks

At this stage of the process, you will want to pour a cup of antifreeze, or in some cases, two cups of antifreeze, into the shower drains, and kitchen sink drains. Don’t forget the toilet bowl as well. If you have an ice maker, washing machine, or an outside shower, you will want to winterize those. For those accessories, check your owner’s manual on how to winterize them.

Step 9- You now are done winterizing your travel trailer

Once you have completed all the steps above, go through your RV and make sure all faucets are closed.

Additional Tips To Winterize An RV

Here are some additional tips before you place your travel trailer and storage.

  • If your RV is equipped with a dishwasher or ice-maker, check the owner’s manual in how to winterize those appliances.
  • Clean out your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry, and remove anything that can spoil and will not attract rodents. Leave the door open during storage to prevent mold and mildew buildup in your fridge.
  • Perform thorough cleaning on the interior of your travel trailer.
  • Perform an exterior inspection and check for areas that might need caulking or repair.
  • Your sewer hose will probably need cleaning before you start it.
  • Thoroughly wash the exterior of your RV and wax.
  • Clean the awning rollout and the awning fabric with an awning cleaner. Let it dry completely before you roll it up.
  • Elevate your RV using leveling jacks, so your tires are off the ground. This prevents your tires from developing flat spots while in winter storage.
  • Remove and store your propane tanks.
  • Cover any roof vents to prevent insects from entering
  • If you own a motorized RV, add some fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank.

Below is a video showing the winterization of a typical travel trailer.

How To Winterize and RV Checklist PDF

What better way to winterize your RV than with a handy RV Winterization Checklist in PDF that you can easily print out and use? Below are links to 3 checklists you can print out and use for free.

Final Thoughts

Winterizing a travel trailer or motorhome is not a difficult task. The steps above are very general, and some may or may not apply to your particular travel trailer. I encourage you to check your owner’s manual for the exact steps needed to winterize your travel trailer or hire a professional to do it for you.

The steps to winterize an RV will work for all campers, including off-road campers with a water system.

Don’t own a travel trailer just yet? If you are thinking of buying one in the near future, check out our top-rated travel trailer brands post.