How to Winterize Your RV | Complete 10-Step Tutorial + Supply List

Winter is coming — is your RV ready? 🥶 In this step-by-step video, I walk you through 10 essential steps to winterize your RV to protect your plumbing and water system during freezing temperatures. Whether you’re a first-time RV owner or just need a refresher, this DIY winterizing guide is easy to follow and includes a complete list of tools and supplies. Here are the 10 steps (a more detailed breakdown of micro-steps is at the end of the description): Step 1: Gather tools & supplies Step 2: Flush the tanks (gray water, black water, freshwater) Step 3: Clear the lines Step 4: Empty the low-point drains Step 5: Drain the water heater Step 6: Blow out the lines with an air compressor Step 7: Bypass the hot water heater tank Step 8: Add pink RV food-grade antifreeze Step 9: Put the water pump back together Step 10: Clean up Here are links to the supplies and tools used in the video (some of the links are Amazon Affiliate links which go to support our channel - thanks!): Tekton 1/2” drive 1-1/16” Deep 6-Point Socket: https://amzn.to/4oyjD0Q Foldable dish basin: https://amzn.to/3WS7yrn Dewalt Air Compressor: https://amzn.to/49htO5q RV Winterization Kit with Blowout Adapter: https://amzn.to/4osg0JI Sta-Bil: https://amzn.to/47c43kg RV Antifreeze: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-RV-Marine-Antifreeze/17179674 RV Fresh Water Hose Adapter: https://amzn.to/48FuQbj Laveo DryFlush Toilet: https://amzn.to/3JtV4Dj Here is a more detailed list of steps within the steps: Step 1: Gather tools & supplies (air compressor, freshwater tank hose adapter, blowout plug, siphon hose, philips screwdriver, towel, dish basin, 1-1/16" socket, 4 gallons of pink, food-grade, RV antifreeze. Step 2: Flush the tanks (all 3 - gray, black, fresh) Drain or flush the black and gray water tanks Remove the hoses from the caps (they get clogged) Cap the drains and close the gates after drained Drain the freshwater tank (keep this valve open for the time being) Step 3: Clear the water lines Turn on the water pump But a dish basin in the sink and turn on the tap until it sputters between air and water and is finished emptying the water lines (this will take a few minutes) Turn the pump off Step 4: Empty the low point drains Open both the hot and cold low point drains (leave them open) Go inside and open all the faucets to allow air to relieve the pressure and empty these drains We’ll come back to these in a moment Step 5: Drain the water heater Open the pressure release valve Then remove the anode rod Let it drain for a couple of minutes Stuff paper towel in the hole to keep critters out Store the anode rod in the compartment Step 6: Blow out the lines with a compressor Keeping the low point drains and the fresh water drains open Fresh water: First, there is a pressure release lever on the back left side. Make sure that is turned to off so that the tank can build pressure. Then plug in the air compressor to the generator, set it to 20 pounds, turn it on, attach your hose to the bottom of the two connectors, attach the blowout adapter to the fresh water tank adapter. Blow air for 10-20 seconds or until the water stops coming through the freshwater tank drain. Cap off or shut the valve to the fresh water drain. Put the cap back on the inlet. City water: Close the inside faucets that were left open earlier to let the water flow through the low point drains. Attach the blowout adapter to the city water connector (do this even if you don’t use it). With 20 pounds of pressure, blow air for 10-20 seconds or until the water stops coming through the low point drains. Keep the low point drains open. Put the cap back on the connector. Black tank: Repeat this step for the black tank (even if you don’t use it) Put the cap back on the connector. Step 7: Bypass the hot water heater tank Remove the panel Turn the valve to the bypass position so that we don’t put antifreeze into the hot water tank Put the panel back on Step 8: Add antifreeze Locate the freshwater intake line on your water pump and replace the intake line with a syphon line. Put the siphon line completely into a gallon of antifreeze Use a camera that can be accessed from a phone and watch it from inside. Shut off the water pump. Close or cap both low point drains. Go back inside. Turn on the pump. Open the cold and hot faucets one at a time at the kitchen sink until pink antifreeze comes through. Repeat this for the bathroom sink and the shower, and outdoor shower. Go back inside. Add a cup of antifreeze to the kitchen sink to fill the p-drain, then the bathroom sink, and the shower. Step 9: Put the water pump back together Carefully drain the antifreeze out of the siphon hose into the gallon jug. Remove the siphon hose. Re-attach the freshwater intake line. Step 10: Clean up Release the air pressure slowly and completely before storing the compressor Bonus: Flip rainwater collection barrels. Empty water jugs. Add fuel stabilizer to machines.