Heater vs. Winterizing?

Ramzfan · 10-06-2012, 01:15 PM

I store my motorhome indoors in a non-heated storage facility. I have the use of electrical power. I plan on using the coach to travel to So. Calif. over the Christmas holidays and then to Salt Lake City. My question is: Do you think I would be OK to just put a thermostacally-controlled 1500 watt heater inside the coach for the next couple of months until I use it, rather than go through the process of winterizing the entire system?

wildtoad · 10-06-2012, 01:27 PM

I have never winterized a mh, store it outside, and (knock on wood) have not had a problem. I do drain the water tank, drain and flush holding tanks. I also as you suggested, use a space heater inside the mh to keep the inside from freezing, and place a light bulb in the area where the water pump is.

It should be noted that here in SC we do get freezing weather, but not that much of it.

Ramzfan · 10-06-2012, 03:49 PM

Thanks Wildtoad, but here in Reno, Nevada, we have two to three months of weather where it gets to be anywhere from 30 degrees to minus ten degrees at night. I have lost many items due to not winterizing in the past.

bsimonds · 10-07-2012, 08:09 AM

A lot of your plumbing is in the basement and only gets warmed when the MH heater is running and blowing air into the plumbing compartments. A space heater will only warm the interior. I wouldn't trust it anywhere near -10°.

RustyJC · 10-07-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsimonds

A lot of your plumbing is in the basement and only gets warmed when the MH heater is running and blowing air into the plumbing compartments. A space heater will only warm the interior. I wouldn't trust it anywhere near -10°.

+1

We keep our RV in covered storage with 30 amp service. I'll run a ceramic heater in the interior until the temps drop into the low 20s overnight - at that point, I'll drain the WH tank and the low point drains. I've never had to do a full winterization here in the Houston, TX area, but our temps rarely fall below the 20s in winter. If they ever did, I'd be pumping RV antifreeze in the lines.

Rusty

Clay L · 10-07-2012, 09:15 AM

According to a Winnebago tech at the factory, my coach is good to 20 degrees F with the furnace set to 70.
I have overnighted with temps down to 9 degrees, the furnace set to 55 and a 1500 watt heater in the service bay set at 45 degrees.

The tanks are in an enclosed compartment that is open to the service bay so warm air in the bay can get into the compartment.

Longer times might be an issue.

OneRVer · 10-07-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stvscharfe

Thanks Wildtoad, but here in Reno, Nevada, we have two to three months of weather where it gets to be anywhere from 30 degrees to minus ten degrees at night. I have lost many items due to not winterizing in the past.

I think you just answered your own question.

Luckiest Dreamer · 10-07-2012, 09:56 AM

Is there any spot in the world that you can count on not having a power outage? You take your chances! I just winterized my Journey in a couple of hours and expect to still drive it later this month. When you blow out the lines and use a cup of antifreeze in each drain the cost is minimal. The thought of doing the job is about as tough as actually doing it.
Just do it and feel satisfied the MH is being taken care of properly!

Dunnpe · 10-14-2012, 07:44 PM

I live in Northern Ca. Its stored outside at our property and I just set the furnace at 45° and open both under sink cabinets and let the furnace do its thing.

BBBEEBOP · 10-14-2012, 07:48 PM

3 gallons of the pink stuff only costs 10 -15 dollars, pretty cheap insurance, instead of a repair bill for freezing pipes.

Tony Lee · 10-14-2012, 11:33 PM

Appliances fail, circuit breakers trip, leads get pulled out, thermostats fail - and the power failures are likely to get longer and more frequent.
If there is no water in the plumbing system, then nothing can freeze.

(and it is more responsible from an environmental point of view.)

Papa_Jim · 10-15-2012, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stvscharfe

I store my motorhome indoors in a non-heated storage facility. I have the use of electrical power. I plan on using the coach to travel to So. Calif. over the Christmas holidays and then to Salt Lake City. My question is: Do you think I would be OK to just put a thermostacally-controlled 1500 watt heater inside the coach for the next couple of months until I use it, rather than go through the process of winterizing the entire system?

Might work in Reno, NV.

In Canada, it won't. Coach in storage, temperature maybe down to -30 when we fire up to head south. Only thing that works for us is RV anti-freeze pumped through all the pipes, then when we hit warm weather, take on water and flush the pipes.

calhyatt · 10-15-2012, 07:20 PM

I would put the antifreeze in the pipes. Better safe than sorry. Soon as your ready to leave for Christmas, heat her up, clean her out and enjoy your trip. 2 hours of you time will save you much heartache and $$$$. Anitfreeze is cheap...

David K · 11-07-2012, 07:46 PM

I winterize my coach by blowing out the water --- I made a hookup that I screw into the water inlet in the water compartment, snap a fitting on it connected to my air compressor set at 50 PSI and then go inside and blow out all of the water in each line. I also drain the water from the fresh water tank. My grey and black water tanks are usually empty when I winterize. After blowing out the lines, I then put about a cup of antifreeze in each place that a p-trap might be located and pour the remainder of the gallon of antifreeze down the toilet. This takes about 20 minutes to do. If I need the unit during the winter, I use it and then when I get back home, I repeat the above -- I don't have to worry about frozen lines that way.

Mr_D · 11-07-2012, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David K

I winterize my coach by blowing out the water --- I made a hookup that I screw into the water inlet in the water compartment, snap a fitting on it connected to my air compressor set at 50 PSI and then go inside and blow out all of the water in each line. I also drain the water from the fresh water tank. My grey and black water tanks are usually empty when I winterize. After blowing out the lines, I then put about a cup of antifreeze in each place that a p-trap might be located and pour the remainder of the gallon of antifreeze down the toilet. This takes about 20 minutes to do. If I need the unit during the winter, I use it and then when I get back home, I repeat the above -- I don't have to worry about frozen lines that way.

And you'd be surprised at how many that did just air for that short a time will come back here int he spring and complain about water line leaks/breaks!

Ramzfan · 11-08-2012, 09:37 AM

Thanks everyone for your input...I decided to winterize it with the pink stuff and I now have peace of mind for awhile. I have never done the air blowout thing. Just keep doing what I'm used to...old age habits never die.

cardiffman · 11-08-2012, 07:01 PM

The most vulnerable spot on the coach is the hot water heater. It is exposed and non-insulated. Here in Sunny St. George Utah, we don't worry about winterizing even though we may get a few nights in the 20's. But we always drain the hot water heater. It's very easily done. For safety sake, drain the taps: shower, kitchen, bath and the toilet valve.