That all too familiar time of the year is here again. Leaves are falling from the trees, and the summer flowers are fading away. The days are shorter and the nights are colder. Fall is upon us and it’s the time of year when you decide if your RVing season is over.

Many travelers will use their RVs to travel to warmer areas during the winter, while others will prepare them for a few months in storage. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to winterize your RV, you’ve come to the right place! There are many different things you’ll need to do to help your camper endure the colder seasons, so let’s review our RV winterizing checklist.

Many of the following steps are quick fixes that can be completed within a few minutes. Some may take a few hours. In either case make sure you give yourself enough time to properly prepare your RV for the off-season. Skipping or overlooking steps can lead to devastating consequences and long-term damage. Winter can be a difficult time for an RV, especially if it isn’t properly prepared for winter conditions.

So without further delay here is your RV Winterizing Checklist.

TIP #1 - Schedule RV work to be done during the "slow" season.

There really isn’t a month that can’t be considered part of the “RV season.” Any of the 365 days can be appropriate for an RV adventure. However, in many parts of the continent, in-season RV camping typically takes place between the months of April and October, while off-season makes up the remaining months. It is during these times that RV shop like ours offer special discounts on labor. In fact, we will take 10% OFF labor at our shop when you book a winter appointment now! This offer is only for a limited time while time slots are available from Oct 1st, 2022 - Feb 28th, 2023. Some restrictions apply - does not include MORryde IS installations. 
Connect with our shop for complete details and use promo code: WINTER22

https://www.hendersonslineup.com/appointments?coupon=38

TIP #2 - Drain water supply.

The most important step of winterizing an RV is draining the water supply. During the winter, RVs will be subjected to a wide range of temperatures. If they aren’t being regularly heated and used, the stagnant water that’s left behind can freeze and expand, which will lead to burst pipes, flooding, and other types of structural damage.

There are many to-do items on an RV winterizing checklist, but none of them will do you much good if you don’t address the water situation first. Luckily, it doesn’t take too long to empty the water reserves in most RV. You just need to make sure you’re being thorough.

Step1: Begin by draining your holding tanks.

This includes everything in the freshwater tank, grey water tank, and black water tank. The freshwater tank can simply be emptied, but the other two will need to be flushed and cleaned.

Winter and early spring is a prime time for bacteria, mold, and other nasty things to build up, so give your RV a fresh start for the season. Use the tank flushing system if you have one. If not, you can use a cleaning wand and/or an RV holding tank cleaning product. Take the contaminated water to your nearest dump station so it can be safely processed.

Step 2: Empty standing water in appliances.

Just because your tanks are now empty doesn’t mean that your RV is completely drained. A small amount of water will linger in appliances like sinks, showers, toilets, ice makers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines. Go around your RV and turn on all faucets (cold and hot). Flush toilets multiple times until they run dry. Empty out the water supply for your other appliances.

Step 3: Use an air compressor to dry water lines.

Even after everything has been drained there will still be a bit of moisture left in the pipes. This is why it’s a good idea to hook up an air compressor to your RV water lines.

(This step isn’t a complete necessity on an RV winterizing checklist, but it never hurts to stay on the safe side when you’re dealing with water.)

TIP #3 - Use RV antifreeze.

Next up, you’ll want to apply RV antifreeze to your plumbing system. This will prevent any warping over the winter when the RV is exposed to fluctuating temperatures.

Step 1: Bypass water heater.

The first thing you’ll want to do when adding antifreeze is bypass the water heater. If you don’t do this, the water heater will have to be completely filled with antifreeze before it will spread to the rest of the plumbing. You will end up wasting a ton of antifreeze (and money) if you don’t first bypass this system.

To do this, you’ll need a kit. Turn off the water heater, disconnect the cold and hot lines, and install the bypass kit according to the directions on the product. Reconnect the water lines and open the bypass, and you’re good to go!

Step 2: Place RV water line in antifreeze container

Now it’s time to fill the RV plumbing system with antifreeze. Disconnect the RV water line (if you haven’t already done so), and place the end in a container of RV antifreeze (this will usually be a pink or green substance). Usually, you will need 2-3 gallons of antifreeze to winterize an RV, but you’ll need up to 10 gallons more if you aren’t able to bypass the water heater first.

Step 3: Turn on freshwater pump

Activate the freshwater pump and allow antifreeze to travel through the plumbing system. Turn on the faucets throughout your camper until they start to run pink or green with antifreeze. Flush the toilet several times until the same thing happens. Pour 2-3 additional cups of antifreeze into each drain and toilet. Finally, you can turn off the pump and reconnect the RV water line to the freshwater tank.

Step 4: Drain water heater

After everything on the RV winterizing checklist is done up to this point, you can return to the water heater. Remove the plug and drain its contents. This is usually done last so that nothing goes wrong with the draining and bypass installation.

TIP #4. Clean interior.

Now that the vehicle is safe from water damage, it’s time to turn your attention to other aspects of winterizing. Clean out the RV and remove any extra cargo. This will help reduce weight and it will help you declutter. Make sure you don’t leave any food or temperature-sensitive items inside.

Spray bottle and rag used to clean RV interior. cleaning products, cleaning tips, motorhome, RV cleaning inside, interior detailing, sanitize, wiping down - Cleaning RV interior is part of the RV winterizing checklist

TIP #5- Protect against humidity.

Major water damage can be avoided by following the steps above, but humidity can still be a pain in the neck. To prevent mold, mildew, or just unpleasant dampness, there are a few things you can do to reduce humidity levels.

Start off by wiping down and drying potentially moist areas of your RV. This includes the bathroom, kitchen, and windows. Add a few desiccants or drying agents in cupboards, windowsills, or secluded corners. Consider using an RV dehumidifier to help keep moisture out

TIP #6 - Remove battery.

RV batteries are important pieces of equipment, and they need to be protected during the winter. To prevent any possible temperature damage, remove the battery and store it in a temperature-regulated area as long as the RV is sitting unused.

Basements, garages, closets, and crawlspaces are good options where your battery will be out of sight and out of mind. Wrap it in a few blankets to provide an extra layer of insulation.

TIP #7 - Cover vents.

Next item on the RV winterizing checklist: Protect the vehicle’s exterior! By this point, most of the interior issues have been addressed, so it’s time to turn our attention outward.

Begin by protecting all RV exterior vents. If these are left exposed, they provide entry points for snow, ice, humid air, and even infestations. Mice, bugs, and other pests might see your RV as a great place to spend the winter, so make sure they can’t get in. Place vent covers over every opening, and consider adding a layer of plastic wrapping for extra waterproofing.

TIP #8 - Leave RV on blocks to distribute weight.

RVs are sturdy vehicles, but they are still quite heavy. If the entire weight of the RV sits on the wheels for several months, this can cause structural issues and will shorten the lifespan of the tires. To prevent this, use RV blocks to distribute the weight as long as it is sitting unused.

TIP #9 - Add RV skirting/covers.

This is the time to cover up the RV and let it rest until the next travel season rolls around. Install RV skirting around the base and tires to prevent snow and ice from getting underneath.

Add an RV cover that will provide protection against rain, snow, dirt, and wind. It’s easy to buy or make these protective coverings, and something is always better than nothing.

TIP #10 - Consider storage options.

If all of these steps feel like too much of a hassle, or you live in a particularly cold area, you may want to consider other storage options for the winter. For an extra cost, you can store your RV in a temperature-regulated facility.

- The History of Henderson’s Line-Up and SuperSteer Products - 

Henderson’s Line-Up was founded in 1961 by Floyd Henderson as a means to provide for his family. Today, Henderson’s Line-Up offers a full-line of products designed for “Safer and Happier Driving”, whether from our SuperSteer division, or other trusted sources of quality products. We travel all over the country servicing trucks, trailers and motorhomes at various events, and have established a nationwide reputation for knowledge, quality products and the best possible service.

Yes, a lot of things have changed since 1961, but some things remain the same, and always will. Things like honesty, integrity, and treating people fairly. Going the extra mile for our customers

We see ourselves as a recreational vehicle parts solutions center. As a solution provider, the last thing we want you to do is to throw unnecessary parts at your RV or truck and expect improvements. It's vital that you understand certain parts have a specific role to play.

Our Online Learning Center can help you determine what recreational vehicle parts are going to help you the most. Whether you bought a Class A motorhome Ford F53, a Class C motorhome Sprinter or a Class C Ford E-Series, we’ve got you covered.

Visit our Learning Center at: https://supersteerparts.com/learning-center