How to De-Winterize your RV and Get It Ready to Roll for the Season

Are you ready to De-Winterize your RV and Get It Ready to Roll for the Season? I am looking outside of the window beside my desk watching the snow pile up on the deck and finding it hard to believe that spring is right around the corner. There is a foot of heavy, wet Colorado snow with more falling fast even though the calendar assures me the season is due to change very shortly. With this change of season, the travel planning wheels in my head start spinning and I get eager to start scheming up road trips and adventures for the upcoming warm weather. With this planning comes the need to get my RV in order and ready to roll after several months sitting in storage. There are some important things to take care of aside from cleaning out the cobwebs and sweeping off the snow, so here is a look at how to de-winterize your rig to get it ready for the driving season ahead.

Battery Check

Batteries can lose strength after sitting still over the winter months so it is important to inspect them and replace if needed. Before performing this battery check-up, be sure to disconnect shore power and make sure the main power to the RV and main cutoff is turned off. It’s also a good idea to wear gloves and safety glasses as corroded batteries and debris can cause damage to your skin and eyes.

• Check the battery connections and make sure they are clean and tight. Clean up corroded terminals with hot water and baking soda or Coco Cola (seriously, it works.). Tighten any loose terminal connections.

• Check for any cracks in the battery housing and replace the battery if cracked.

• Ensure your batteries are at full charge with a battery tender and then check the fluid levels of each one. Only use distilled water and fill to the proper level.

• If your rig runs several batteries together in a battery pack (many RVs do) you’ll need to replace both of them at the same time, even if one is good and one is bad.

Related Read: Preparing Your RV for Spring Camping

Flush the Water System

Once the chance for freezing is over and you decide to fill up your RV’s water system again it’s important to check for leaks and to drain and flush the system if you’ve added any winterizing products to the system. To check for leaks, simply turn the water heater’s bypass valve to normal and turn on both the hot and cold water lines. Once the water is running, check every pipe, faucet, and drain for leaks and make any necessary repairs.

To flush and clean the system to get rid of winterizing products you will want to make a bleach and fresh water solution to wash it out. Simply add roughly ¼ cup of bleach to one gallon of water for every 15 gallons of tank size. If you have a 60-gallon fresh water tank use 1 cup of bleach mixed in 4 gallons of water. A 100-gallon tank would call for just over 1 ¾ cups bleach and just under 7 gallons of water. Pump this water and bleach mixture through your water system and let it sit for a half day or so. Then flush the system out with clean, fresh water until the bleach smell is gone.

Tires

Tire pressure can drop in cold weather and while sitting idle so check the tire pressure on your RV and inflate to the recommended PSI before driving anywhere. Also check for any cracks on the main tread and sidewall as cold weather and winter conditions can cause rubber to deteriorate.

Inspect and Test the Propane System

This step is pretty important as a cracked or broken hose can leak gas into your RV causing an explosion or potential poisoning. Inspect the hoses running from your propane tank to your gas appliances including the hot water heater, stove, oven, and fridge. If you notice any cracking or loose connections, replace immediately and do not use the propane until you do so.

If the hoses look good, go ahead and open the valve on your propane tank all the way. Let it run for a while and smell for leaks. You can also use some soapy water to apply to any valve connections, suspect hoses, or lines to check for leaks. If you see bubbling once this soap solution is applied, you’ve just discovered a leak.

After these initial checks, go ahead and run all of your LP gas appliances to make sure they are operating well with no leaks. Turn them off and on a couple of times and then let them run for a while. If anything seems suspect or out of order, get a certified service person to come out for an inspection to properly diagnose anything problematic.

The Waste System

Make sure to check all of the hoses and seals on your waste water and dump/sewage systems. Check the sewage hose for any obvious holes or leaks, you’ll be happy you did before discovering one while dumping. The valves on your waste water system should be free of leaks and in proper working order. You can conduct this test at the same time as the water system test. When flushing the bleach water out, turn your valve on the waste water slowly to let out the water. If it leaks or sticks, you might need to replace the valve or you can lubricate the seal if it’s not that bad.

Spring Cleaning

Give your RV a good healthy dose of spring cleaning inside and out after it’s been sitting for the winter. Take it to the car wash or spray it down in the driveway. Dust and sweep out the interior to get rid of cobwebs, insects, or anything else that has settled in there during hibernation. Check for any water stains or discoloring on the walls or ceilings. These can be tell-tale signs of a leaky roof or window. Also look for any signs of mice or other rodents. They love to nest up in a nice warm RV for the winter and can cause havoc.

Related Read: Spring Cleaning-Let’s Get Organized