We know the winters get long as you wait for RV season to come back around. When you say goodbye to your home on wheels for a few cold months, there are the obvious things to take care of such as removing food and drinks from the fridge, unplugging electronics and removing valuable items you may have taken with you on summer road trips. But are you clear on the tasks you need to complete to get your RV ready for winter storage?
- Draining water from holding tanks and pipes
- Preparing the exterior and interior for sealing
- Covering the tires and disconnecting batteries
- Checking in occasionally to make sure no damage has occurred in storage
As one of your biggest financial investments, the attention you put into caring for your RV should be thorough enough to prevent any damage during its winter storage. Of course there are freak accidents that can happen, but to the extent you can prevent damage, you should certainly try!
Draining The Water Tanks and Pipes
Perhaps the least glamorous of all tasks on your RV storage to-do list is the work required to drain your RV water tanks and pipes. However, it’s important to make sure they are empty of all water and especially toilet waste. If liquid is left anywhere in the tanks or in the pipes themselves and they freeze, you’ll be looking at replacing a burst pipe before you can even start off on your next RV adventure.
To thoroughly clean out your holding tanks, start by first draining your fresh water tank, then move on to your black water tank, saving the gray water tank for last. By draining the gray water tank last of all, you can use any remaining liquid to push leftovers through the hose connected to your black tank. Once your tanks are drained and your pipes are emptied, you should run antifreeze through any place source that water comes into or goes out of in your RV to prevent freezing while in storage.
