From O'Connor RV
Winter in an RV can be an exhilarating and adventurous experience. The fresh brisk air and glistening sunsets bouncing off the snowy landscape can take your breath away. It can also come with its own set of challenges, but ensuring you have a safe trip just takes a little winter preparation. If you aren't sure how to winterize your RV by yourself, you can ask your friendly local RV tech.
You don't want to wake up without any water, so you must make sure you prevent your holding tanks from freezing. You can build an enclosure around the tanks and use fiberglass batting for insulation. Then install two 40-watts light bulbs inside the enclosure — heat from the light bulbs should prevent freezing. Make sure that you make the enclosure large enough to include your dump valves to prevent further problems. Another option would be to use heating panels for the tanks. These panels are powered electrically and attach to the tanks.
Keeping warm and toasty is very important in the winter cold, so making sure to insulate your RV properly is vital. Fill all the openings and cracks in the floor and around any wires and plumbing pipes. Install insulating foam tubes over inside plumbing pipes to prevent freezing. Insulate roof vents by filling the gaps with foam insulation. Insulate light fixtures by pulling them off and stuffing the "holes" (behind each fixture) with insulation, insulate electrical outlets the same way. Use Plexiglas sheets to fit your windows to make them into storm windows. These can be held in place by L-brackets. Seal the window with foam tape. RV doors are usually drafty and lose heat easily, but you can keep the heat in by installing a blanket over the door to help keep the heat in. Another easy tip: close blinds at dusk to keep the heat in, and make sure you have lots of blankets.
Propane tanks are important. You may consider getting a 100lb tank to supplement your regular tank. Shield your outside tanks from freezing winds with a tarp.
Protect your sewer hoses by installing heat tape in the sewer hose area to prevent freezing. Make sure that the heat tape you buy can be crossed over itself, as this will provide the most efficient seal. Keep in mind sewer hoses (coiled plastic hoses) were not made for Canadian winters. Replace yours with a 3" car heater blower hose (made of rubber and found at any auto parts store) or with a 3" PVC solid sewer pipe. You can also insulate your pipe with strips of 15" wide fiberglass batting and cover it all with poly sheets taped in place. If you always keep your sewer hose connected, be sure it is placed and supported at a steep angle, so all residue runs down. Always keep your "black water" valve closed and only dump when full. If left open the liquids will drain off leaving only the solids (they become very solid after a short period of time.)
A few last tips:
Park your RV in the sun whenever possible. The winter sun can heat up your RV. You should also park on support boards. These boards should be approximately 10-12 inches wide, 3-4 feet long and 1 inch thick. These boards will prevent your RV tires from "sinking" when the ground thaws. Remember to also place smaller boards under your jacks.
Using a 1 500-watt electric heater or 1500-watt ceramic mini heater will also save on propane and wear and tear of the furnace. To cut the humidity level, use a small dehumidifier.
Check your batteries for water level and periodically start your engine to keep everything in good running order. To keep your RV battery charged, consider getting a solar panel system or an inverter. Remember that during freezing temperatures, a battery hydrometer is much more precise than a voltmeter to determine the state of charge of a battery.
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