Getting your RV Ready for Winter Storage

When winter rolls around we often have to put our beloved RVs away until better weather comes our way. It is a great idea to winterize your RV in preparation for the winter. We have gathered a few tips to help you through the process. Feel free to swing by our dealership and chat with our fantastic technicians if you need any help, or make use of our winter RV storage services right here in Dubuque!

Let's first hit on when it is time to get this process going. You are going to want to make sure your RV is ready for weather when it drops below freezing (32°F). You RV's pipes are more vulnerable against the cold than your house, and most people will store their RVs for the winter. If you are planning on camping or living out of your RV during the winter clearly these tips are not for you, but for most of us when the winter rolls around we have to go through this prep to make sure our pipes don't freeze. And, although if you pipes bust, we can fix it for you, it isn't a cheap or easy endeavour and it isn't covered by any sort of warranty, so it is best to get this taken care of, either on your own or have someone, like our professional staff, take care of it for you.

First thing is first. We need to start getting to work on getting all the fluids that can freeze out of your RV. Go ahead and start by dumping your fresh water tank. After your fresh water tank is taken care of swing on over to your local dump station to empty your black and grey water tanks next. You are going to then want to take some time and really clean out your black water tank either using a black tank flush, or black tank wand if you don't have the flush system. When you are done with your black tank you will then move on and tackle the grey water tank. And, once those are all taken care of it is time to rinse out the worst of the waste from your septic hose. The last step is going to be emptying out the water heater, you can do this back at home. You will want to make sure the water heater is turned off and not pressurized, then open the pressure relief valve on top of the tank and pull the drain plug. It should only take a couple minutes to drain, when it is done close the valve and replace the cap.

Now that you tanks are taken care of it is time to empty out the rest of that water. Start by opening up the low point drain plugs beneath the RV. You can let the water slowly drain, or you can turn on the pump to help expedite the process. This will also serve as a nice refresher on where exactly your water pump is. When your pipes are clear, recap the low point drain and move to the next step -- bypassing the water heater.

So, if you have a newer RV you might just be in luck, and this step will be as turning a valve. If you RV is more than a couple years old, or you don't have a water heater bypass, then you are going to want to swing by our service department and get one installed. This is going to be a great investment that will save you time and money over the life of your RV. Without the bypass, you are going to need to fill your hot water heater with anti-freeze. You will need several times the amount of anti-freeze to fill your hot water heater than the entire rest of your RV. With the bypass install, you will just have to turn a couple of valves and you are good to go.

You've cleaned out most of the water, you've found your water pump, you're now ready to finish up taking care of your pipes. If you haven't found you water pump yet, check your owners manual, it may require removing a panel, so don't be shocked if you find out you've been looking at it the entire time. You will want to get your pump set up with a converter kit that will allow you to drop your inlet hose into your jug of RV antifreeze. You will then find the closest faucet to the pump and turn on the cold water tap and wait for the faucet to run pimp, then shot off that valve and open the hot water tap. The hot water may take a little longer to start flowing pink when it does shut that valve off and move to the next closest faucet and repeat. If your RV has a shower or any outside faucets or showers make sure to not forget those. When you have gotten to all the faucets, showers, and toilets you will want to shut off your water pump and pour about a cup of antifreeze down each drain, including flushing a cup down the toilet. Open a tap to relieve any remaining pressure in your plumbing. You'll also need to go to your city water hookup and remove the screen, then use your finger to depress the check valve. And, now your RV is ready for the winter.

There are a few things, aside from winterization, that you will want to do before you store your RV for the winter. One of those things is making sure that your RV is clean so you are ready to roll when you pull it out of storage. When cleaning you want to make sure to do the right process for the right portion of your RV to ensure the long life of it. When you are cleaning the Furniture upholstery you can either get it professionally cleaned or refer to the manufacturer's guidelines. For vinyl covered furniture stick with solvent-free water-based cleaners, and remember to blot and spot clean and avoid rubbing and saturating. Using a soft brush attachment on window treatments, curtains, and blinds will make the whole matter of dusting much quicker. Pretty much anything you clean in your RV make sure to use a soft brush, cloth, with a mild cleaner or detergent.

Make sure if your RV has any appliances that use water you check with the manufacturer, or give us a call for guidelines on how to handle getting those ready for the winter. Some of the other small things you will want to do when you are done with your plumbing and basic cleaning it making sure you remove any food from the appliances, examine all door and window seals, check your roof vents and air condition shrouds. Ths is also a great time to wash and wax your RV, and when you store it make sure that it is out of direct sunlight, and lastly when you get it into place protect your RVs battery by disconnecting the negative cable. And, now you are done.

Remember after all this, you are always welcome to swing on by Hawkeye Boats and RV sales to get our expert advice, or just have us do it for you. And, if you don't have a place to store your boat or RV over the winter months we have you covered. We are located in Dubuque, and our service department is happy to help you with any problem big or small!