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Old 07-11-2017, 05:16 PM   #1
pmf
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Winterizing in N Ga. is it needed?

Hello everyone,

I've read a lot of stories about winterizing but haven't seen any about living in the south where it freezes sometimes but very seldom for more than a day and usually warms up above freezing after the sun comes up. Would we have to winterize or use antifreeze in the tanks and keep the water line up to the RV warm or something else. If it is going to be a hassle I'll head south for the winter but I grew up in FL and no how many people head that way during the winter.

We are new to the RV world so we are also new to full-timing and have a lot to learn. This is an awesome place to do that.

Thanks in advance,
Pat
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Old 07-11-2017, 05:45 PM   #2
Harleydodge
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NOT speaking from experience here, but I would have to think that if you are living in it, then the residual heat from the furnace that you would most likely have running in temperatures that low will keep your rig from freezing up.
Also, running the water (again as you would be apt to do while living in it) will help.

Storing your rig in that environment would be entirely different, and properly winterizing it would be prudent.
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Old 07-11-2017, 06:16 PM   #3
pmf
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That's what I was thinking. Might need to wrap the water hose or get some sort of heating for it for the really cold nights.

Thanks,
Pat
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Old 07-11-2017, 07:05 PM   #4
sourdough
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If you are full timing winterizing the water system would be terribly inconvenient. We winter in the FL panhandle and have no issues. What I do carry is a heated water hose for those few episodes where the water might freeze. If you have a heated underbelly just staying in the trailer should take care of that. Make sure you drain the hose to your outside shower. Other than that, off the top of my head, you should be fine.....just know where the nearest propane dealer is, check your tanks before a weekend and keep them filled in a timely manner.
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Old 07-11-2017, 10:09 PM   #5
Chevrolise
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I moved to PA in 05. I did the antifreeze thing the first year. Since then, I drain the lines and blow'em out with a compressor, let it sit for a day or two, blow it out again. pour a little antifreeze in the traps. never had a problem
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Old 07-12-2017, 07:08 AM   #6
JRTJH
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You don't give the year of your trailer so this is only a guess. It looks from the picture to be a 5 or 6 year old Sprinter. There have been some significant improvements in recent years to the "cold weather package". No matter what it's called, it's more an "advertising feature" than a "practical advantage". That said, if there are "below freezing temperatures" you're going to be subjected to frozen pipes and possible damage. You'll probably find that some of your water lines run through cabinets near the floor and close to an outside wall. They will freeze if it's "cold enough" so opening cabinet doors will help distribute warm air. Any time the temp drops below freezing your water hose from the connection to the trailer will freeze. I had mine freeze a number of times in south Mississippi on the coast as well as in south Texas near Galveston, so "YUP, YOU'RE SUBJECT TO FROZEN LINES".....

If you're semi-permanent, you can install skirting made of OSB or 1" rigid foam sheets around your trailer. That will protect the underbelly from the colder air blowing under it and help keep the warm air where it should be.

As a "general rule of thumb" on "older trailers" (you can determine how yours is equipped) there isn't much insulation in the belly and the "foil covered bubble wrap" wasn't used until about 2015, so without that, you probably won't have much protection "below decks". The skirting will help significantly.

Generally speaking, if it's going to be below 25F or so for more than an hour or two, leave the furnace on, open lower cabinet doors, make sure the water heater is ON (so the water in the tank won't freeze) and cover single pane windows with some type of insulation. We've used clear film, bubble wrap and foam sheeting with some success, but prefer the clear film that stretches when heated with a hair dryer.
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Old 07-12-2017, 12:06 PM   #7
pmf
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It's actually a 2018. According to Keystone it has "Enclosed underbelly with direct vent heat" I plan on buying a heated hose for the water and we will be in it full time so I'm thinking we should be good. We're actually considering spending the winter further south or possibly in FL so I know we would be good there.

Like I said before we usually don't have too many freezes here but there are some winters much worse than others. If it is going to be a hassle every winter we'll definitely head south.

I will say that N GA is no way near as cold as any part of PA, but they even have freezes in FL.

Thanks for all of the advice so far.
Pat
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Old 07-12-2017, 12:30 PM   #8
powerman
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I'm using mine as a construction trailer in South Pittsburg Tennessee
(west of Chattanooga) and I froze up for three days in January '17 @ 2000' - no skirt around bottom
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