Freezing Weather Before Your RV Winterization Appointment?
When freezing temperatures arrive before your RV can be winterized, there are precautions you can take to help reduce the risk of damage.
These recommendations are primarily for RVs that are parked and no longer using their water systems. They are temporary precautions, not a complete winterization or a guarantee against freeze damage. Your RV’s layout, equipment, exposure, and the severity and duration of cold weather all affect the protection needed.
Always follow your RV and appliance manufacturers’ instructions. If you cannot safely complete these steps or confirm that your plumbing is protected, arrange winterization or suitable heated indoor storage before freezing weather arrives.
Option 1: Drain as Much Water as Possible
Removing water reduces the amount that can freeze, but opening the drains does not necessarily empty every line, valve, or appliance.
Before You Begin
Turn off the water pump.
Disconnect city water. Drain and store your exterior water hose and removable accessories according to their instructions.
Turn off the water heater. For a conventional tank-style heater, turn off both propane and electric heating. Allow the water to cool completely and relieve system pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Never remove a drain plug or anode rod while the heater is hot or pressurized.
Draining Checklist
Open the fresh water tank drain.
Open both hot- and cold-water low-point drains.
Open the hot and cold sides of faucets, including outside faucets and showers.
Drain the conventional tank-style water heater using its manufacturer’s procedure. Opening the low-point drains alone may not empty it.
Empty gray and black tanks at an approved disposal location.
Follow the applicable manuals for returning drain caps, plugs, and valves to their storage positions.
Keep a drained tank-style water heater turned off. It must be properly refilled before heating is turned back on.
Have a tankless water heater? Follow the instructions for your exact model. Tankless heaters have different draining and winterization requirements and should not be treated like conventional tank-style heaters.
Don’t Overlook Trapped Water
Water can remain in components even after the system stops draining, including:
Water pumps, strainers, and filter housings.
Toilet valves, showerheads, and shower hoses.
Outdoor kitchens and exterior plumbing.
Refrigerator water dispensers and ice makers.
Washing machines, dishwashers, and their connections.
Black tank flush systems.
Sink and shower drain traps.
These components may require separate procedures. Do not assume opening nearby faucets has drained them.
For sink and shower drains with water-filled traps, add RV/marine antifreeze intended for plumbing winterization with a burst-protection rating of −50°F or colder, following your RV’s instructions and the product label, including directions about dilution. Never use automotive antifreeze. Treating drain traps protects those traps only; it does not winterize your water supply lines or appliances.
Draining alone is not a complete winterization. Water left behind can still freeze and damage components.
Option 2: Keep the RV Furnace Running
If all water-containing plumbing and components are located in compartments that actually receive heat, running the RV furnace may help reduce the risk of freezing.
We recommend setting the RV furnace to at least 50°F as a temporary precaution. Depending on your RV and the weather, a higher setting may be needed. The temperature at the thermostat does not tell you how warm the plumbing compartments are, and no thermostat setting guarantees protection throughout the RV.
Heating Checklist
Confirm where your plumbing is located and how those areas are heated. An enclosed underbelly is not necessarily a heated underbelly.
Use the RV furnace. Do not assume an electric fireplace or portable heater supplies heat to the same compartments. If those areas depend on furnace ducting, warming only the living area is insufficient.
Maintain adequate propane and dependable electrical power. A propane furnace also needs electricity to operate.
Keep heating vents and return-air openings clear.
Open interior cabinet doors where plumbing is located to help warm air circulate. Keep exterior compartment doors closed.
Check the RV regularly. Verify that the furnace is operating, fuel and power remain available, and plumbing areas are staying above freezing. Temperature sensors in vulnerable compartments can help you monitor conditions.
Keep smoke, carbon monoxide, and propane detectors operational.
A warm living area does not guarantee warm plumbing. Exposed lines, exterior fixtures, water heaters, and unheated compartments still require attention.
If Your RV Has Tank Heaters
If tanks still contain liquid and freezing weather is approaching, turn on equipped tank heaters according to their manufacturer’s instructions and verify that the required power supply is available.
Check the minimum liquid requirement first. Some heaters require enough liquid to cover the area above the heating pad; a small amount of leftover water may not be sufficient. Do not operate tank heaters on empty tanks unless the manufacturer specifically permits it.
Tank heaters do not automatically protect the rest of your plumbing. Water lines, pumps, valves, and other components may require separate protection.
Can I Drain the RV and Keep the Furnace On?
Yes. Draining what you can and maintaining heat can be combined as additional precautions. However, this still does not replace proper winterization.
Follow the instructions for any equipment left operating, especially tank heaters, and keep a drained water heater turned off.
What If I’m Still Living in My RV?
The draining checklist is intended primarily for RVs that are no longer using their water systems. If you are living in your RV, you need a cold-weather plan specific to your setup, including your water supply, waste system, appliances, and exposed plumbing.
A furnace, heated hose, or tank heaters alone should not be assumed to protect the entire system.
Please Plan Ahead Before Freezing Weather
Welch’s Mobile RV Repair is a small business with one service technician. We do our best to accommodate customers, but we cannot guarantee that we can move your appointment earlier if freezing weather arrives before your scheduled service.
If freezing weather is expected before your appointment, take the precautions above that apply to your RV to help reduce the risk while you wait. These measures provide no guarantee of protection and should not be relied on for prolonged or severe freezing conditions. If you cannot safely drain the system, maintain heat where needed, or monitor your RV, arrange another winterization provider or suitable heated indoor storage before freezing weather arrives.
Still Need to Schedule Winterization?
Visit our Service Request Form to view current availability and choose an appointment that works for you.
Appointments can fill up quickly during the fall, so please plan ahead. If freezing weather is expected before your appointment, use the precautions above to help reduce the risk while you wait.
Already Arranged Winterization Elsewhere?
If freezing weather means you need to have your RV winterized elsewhere before your scheduled appointment, we understand. We’ll waive the cancellation fee in this situation as long as you notify us before we head to your appointment.
Please call or text 515-240-0020 as soon as possible so we can offer that time to another customer. If we arrive without prior cancellation notice, our $50 cancellation fee will still apply.
These precautions may reduce the risk of freeze damage, but they do not guarantee protection. Proper winterization should be completed before freezing exposure whenever possible.
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