How Do I Get The Antifreeze Out Of My RV? so you are looking to de-winterize your RV or camper for the spring and you want to flush out all antifreeze in your pipes.
You are off to a great start. Once temperatures get above freezing, anti-freeze is no longer necessary, so you’ll need to de-winterize your RV plumbing.
Beyond removing antifreeze from your RV’s plumbing, the de-winterizing process should include checks and inspections of several exterior and interior systems.
Related: Best Dehumidifier For Winter Storage Of RV
How Do I Get The Antifreeze Out Of My RV?
To get antifreeze out of your RV, you can sprinkle baking soda into each drain. Another tactic is to dissolve baking soda in water and pour it down the drains.
Flush the system again until the water tastes clean. This might be a good time to think about sanitizing your freshwater pipes too.
Instead of using your RV water pump to flush antifreeze from your camper’s water system, you can also use a garden hose or city water supply.
Related: Can RV Antifreeze Be Dumped On The Ground?
What Happens If I Get Antifreeze In My RV Water Heater?
Antifreeze won’t hurt the water heater, but don’t forget to flush it out before turning it on in the spring. This will help you get the antifreeze flushed out without messing up your existing winterizing job on the rest of the plumbing.
Should you leave your RV water heater on all the time? It won’t shorten the life of the hot water heater or damage the system in any way. So the answer is, it doesn’t hurt anything to have it on all the time, but environmentally and economically it is better to only turn it on when you are going to need it.
Should You Put Antifreeze In Your RV Water Heater? If your RV does not come equipped with a water heater bypass, it is recommended that you install one so you do not have to fill the water heater with antifreeze. Depending on the size of your RV and how it is equipped, most people will need 1 – 3 gallons of RV non-toxic anti-freeze.
Related: Is RV Antifreeze Safe To Drink?
Is It Better to Winterize a Camper with Air or Antifreeze?
Determining which method is better is not a simple task, as there’s a fair amount of subjectivity involved. In fact, neither method is better or worse than the other in general.
Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Most RVers tend to choose one method or the other based on what works best for them, and then stick with it.
Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each method of winterizing, and you can let us know in the comments section at the end of this post which method is preferable from your perspective.
Advantages of Blowing Out RV Water Lines
- No Antifreeze Needed
- De-Winterizing is Faster and Easier
- No Lingering Taste or Odor of Antifreeze
Disadvantages of Blowing Out RV
- When can you Dewinterize your RV Water Lines
- May Not Eliminate Potential of Freeze Damage If Not Done Thoroughly
- Not As Good As Using Antifreeze If Stored In Sub-Freezing Temps For Extended Periods
- Still Need to Use Some Antifreeze
FYI: RV Antifreeze Is The Most Sure-Fire Way to Protect Plumbing From Freezing in Cold Climates
Wrapping Up: How Do I Get The Antifreeze Out Of My RV
How Do I Get The Antifreeze Out Of My RV? Interim Dewinterizing While you may not want to drain the systems and crank up the engine until you are sure a late freeze is out of the question, the warm/cool days of early spring are the perfect time to get a jump on the rest of the spring commissioning processes.
