Propane heater

[maximo]

I live in California East of Sacramento in the Central Valley. Do not have many below 32 deg. days. Other than the cost of using propane would it work to leave the heater on and set about 34 deg. when not being used? That way I could use the RV and not have to drain and refill the water lines with anti freeze when I want to use it.

Frank

[Ozz]

Might work, but it would be a gamble, if the temperature dipped, you might freeze something under there.

[HamRad]

Frank,
I have lived most of my life in the CV. Granted a bit further south than you but unless we have 3 or more days of temps down in the 20s or teens you need never worry about freezing your pipes. It just isn't going to happen. Back about 25 years ago we had 3 or 4 days of 15 degree weather swoop down out of Alaska and there were pipes broken all over Bakersfield. But we had plenty of warning and by simply covering up exposed pipes we were able to prevent any damage. You can check with some folks who live in your area but I'll bet they will tell you pretty much the same thing.

Good luck. Dennis

[jimcol]

With your risk being so low,I'd hate to buy all that antifreeze. Couple of gallons every time you want to use the 5'er. I think I'd just blow out the lines with a compressor and forget about it. Jim

[Carl n Susan]

Frank: there are a bunch of us in the Sacramento area and none of us have ever winterized our rigs. It doesn't get cold enough, long enough to warrant the pain and agony. Should there ever be an extended cold snap, the news will beat us to death with warnings and you could consider turning on the heat. But in 20+ years I haven't felt the need.

[DQDick]

X2 on blowing out the water. One cheap little fitting and a compressor you need anyway. If you have those two and the weather warning comes you can take care of the problem and you're only out the cost of the air fitting. The way the weather is changing who knows what's coming next.

[steelpony5555]

Since moving back to Texas, if I see we are going to get an extended cold snap, a really cold, cold snap, I will go out and blow out the lines. But for those 1-3 cold days in a row we get I just set the furnace at 50. I may go thru 2 tanks of propane a winter mainlly cause I forget to go out and turn the furnace off till the next cold snap. But we are in and out all winter long so to do the whole anti freeze winterizing thing would be a royal pain.

[Rondo]

Frank-- the blow out method worked for me last winter here in Nebraska until we headed South to Florida in January. If you blow out the lines don't forget to crawl underneath the unit and open the two low point drain lines. This will make sure most if not all of the water comes out of the lines. I also close the water heater bypass valve when blowing out the lines and then open it up and take the anode rod out and get as much water out of the tank as possible. If you have an outside shower don't forget to open those faucets also to get the water out of those lines. But since you live in CA and in the CV I'd just blow it out, button it up and sit back and enjoy the weather!

[seahunter]

Don't forget the washing machine lines too when blowing lines...

[HamRad]

All you cold weather folks have me shivering..... Brrrrr. We live in the Central Valley of California. If we get 15 to 20 days of temps in the low 30s we've had a long and extremely cold winter. And if we get 3 to 5 days of those type of temps in a row that is our "cold snap". I know it may be hard for you "cold weather" types to realize this but we've had our Monties now for about 13 or 14 years and have never drained the water from the rig. Not from the water tank. Not from the HWH. Not from the holding tanks. Not from the low points!

I've had my outside water hose freeze on me twice. Once when we stayed too late in the season in Oregon and a storm came in and froze our water line. By about noon it had thawed out and all was well. We left that day for home! The only other time was when we were at the Grand Canyon (7000+ feet) and the temps got down to freezing. But again by 10 the water was flowing.

So we always simply skip over the "winterizing" sections of the owners manual. Our California roads may be rough and our taxes and tag fees way too high! But down in the Valley we don't need "no stinking winterizing"!!! We will leave you cold weather folks to "blow out" whatever lines you want and put non-toxic anti freeze (whatever that is) into your pipes! The only things I'll be "blowing" will be my trusty Marathons!

In case any of you miss the humor in this little story...... It was posted all in good fun and we do appreciate all you folks that must winterize have to go through. I knew I was living and camping in the right places when our dear friends Steve and Vicki shared their "frozen sewer hose" story! I knew then and there that I NEVER wanted that to happen to me!
Happy And Warm Trails to evryone! Dennis

[RonD]

We live in Placerville, all I can say is empty out the water, we had a cold spell two years back, I didn't think it would be a problem, 2 weeks later we went to San Simion SP, the shower valve housing cracked from freezing, as did the toilet valve, water leaks, we came home the next day and had the valves replaced, I now drain the system, open every valve, including the outdoor shower, blow some air in the lines and all has been good for 2 years so far, also some of the pink stuff in the drains to make sure

[HamRad]

Ron and Maxine,
I suspect that you are just high enough to where you would want to watch very carefully what the weather is doing. Your elevation is in the 1200 to 2000 foot range.... Probably just high enough to be concerned. Ione is around the 400 foot range just like Bakersfield. The farmers around Bakersfield have to be very careful as to where they place their crops. The Citrus industry around here has the weather stuff down to a fine degree. However that very cold and extended Alaska front that came thru 25 years ago wiped out huge amounts of citrus orchards. The fields looked like someone had burned the trees.

Would I do the winterizing thing if I lived where you do.....? I don't know. I'd probably chance it. Better yet! I'd be OUT OF THERE! That's why our rigs have tires on them! Happy Trails, Dennis.

[HOOK]

We live in NC. Have not winterized in years. I just set the heat at 40 and keep watch on LP. Never know when we will decide in an instant to go. Larry

[billhoover]

I'm not sure blowing out the lines will get ALL the water out of the washer pump. I have access to very reliable power, so if it's going to get cold, I place half a dozen trouble lights around the RV and in the washer tub.