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Old 10-22-2019, 11:09 AM   #1
annmarie
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Freezing temperatures, freezing pipes?

We've been living in our trailer full time since June of this year. We're in Minnesota so over the winter we'll be storing the trailer. My question is, when are we going to start running into freezing pipes?

Our forecast in my part of Minnesota dips below freezing starting on this Sunday, October 27...
Sunday 44/30
Monday 42/28
Tuesday 38/27
Wednesday 36/26
Thursday 35/26
Friday 37/27
Saturday 40/29

We run our heat overnight and generally try to use a space heater during the day. Our underbelly is enclosed, but it's not heated - that I know of - and it just looks like a thick piece of cardboard. Do we need to winterize the trailer and move out before these temps hit or will we be okay for a few days? Maybe a foolish question but, what's our worst case scenario if the pipes freeze? Do they burst and water leaks everywhere? Are we just concerned about pipes under our trailer freezing or do we run the risk of things inside freezing?

We're planning on moving out November 1 anyway but I'm trying to gauge if we need to adjust.

Thanks for your help!
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Old 10-22-2019, 11:42 AM   #2
JRTJH
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IMHO, you're running on the cusp of "too cold/ok cold" right now. Chances are that you'll be OK as long as you have heat on the trailer (furnace as well as supplemental electric heat) down to about 15-20F. Below that, all bets are off.

So, to answer your question about whether October 23 will be ok or if maybe it'll work until November 1..... Well, where can you get any "weather warranty" on low temps ????

In short: If the temps hold where they are for another 2 weeks, you'll be OK, if they drop significantly, probably not OK.... you'll need to play it by ear on a day to day basis..... Below about 20, for me, all bets are off
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Old 10-22-2019, 11:52 AM   #3
flybouy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annmarie View Post
We've been living in our trailer full time since June of this year. We're in Minnesota so over the winter we'll be storing the trailer. My question is, when are we going to start running into freezing pipes?

Our forecast in my part of Minnesota dips below freezing starting on this Sunday, October 27...
Sunday 44/30
Monday 42/28
Tuesday 38/27
Wednesday 36/26
Thursday 35/26
Friday 37/27
Saturday 40/29

We run our heat overnight and generally try to use a space heater during the day. Our underbelly is enclosed, but it's not heated - that I know of - and it just looks like a thick piece of cardboard. Do we need to winterize the trailer and move out before these temps hit or will we be okay for a few days? Maybe a foolish question but, what's our worst case scenario if the pipes freeze? Do they burst and water leaks everywhere? Are we just concerned about pipes under our trailer freezing or do we run the risk of things inside freezing?

We're planning on moving out November 1 anyway but I'm trying to gauge if we need to adjust.

Thanks for your help!
Freezing pipes can equals a lot of money for repairs. If cold enough it can freeze inside the camper in enclosed cabinets and interior walls that aren't insulated if it stays cold enough long enough.
While what you have listed as forecasted temps I wouldn't consider a "hard freeze" you have to ask yourself how confident are you in the forecasting ability of your source and do you "feel lucky".
JMHO
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Old 10-25-2019, 04:23 PM   #4
Justvisiting2day
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MY view those temps aren't bad,,yet. wait till next week. It's coming. GO SOUTH,, TEXAS BORDER IS GOOD THIS TIME OF YEAR..
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Old 10-25-2019, 05:13 PM   #5
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MY view those temps aren't bad,,yet. wait till next week. It's coming. GO SOUTH,, TEXAS BORDER IS GOOD THIS TIME OF YEAR..
Up here, the weather "prognastinator" (Professional NASTY Instigator) or commonly called "Merlin the Magician" said that SNOW was predicted in Amarillo today. Maybe going south, Texas border is the one at Galveston ?????
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Old 10-25-2019, 05:54 PM   #6
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It's pretty doggone raw in the Houston area today. Must be down in the 50's and a low in the high 40's tonight. I've got the camper in the driveway and first thing in the morning I'm pulling the slides in, hooking up to the truck, turning the water off to the house and heading to Vidalia Louisiana to watch the big muddy roll by. Betty says we will eventually end up in Crofton Maryland looking at the Linthicum house, her 9th? great grandfathers. Sounds like a blast huh? In between is James County park in Charleston and the sprint car nationals in Charlotte.
If I was y'all, I'd P on the fire, call in the dogs, and get yourselves to south Texas while you still can.
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Old 10-25-2019, 06:23 PM   #7
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Brent,

If you're going to be in Vidalia, go across the river to Natchez and have supper at Pearl Street Pasta... No, it's not an Italian joint, they do have other selections. Here's the link to their webpage. We haven't been in a couple of years, but if it's as good as it used to be, you'll enjoy a reasonably priced meal that's better than most in town.
https://www.pearlstreetpasta.net/
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Old 10-25-2019, 06:32 PM   #8
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^^May do that.
Big challenge is lunch between Alec and Vidalia. Big Joes's burgers like last time, or Guillory's Specialty meats. Leaning to Guillory's.
edit...Guillory's in Pineville or Big JOHN'S in Jonesville.
I'm thinking I could eat lunch AND stock up on good stuff at Guillory's.
Usually once I "set down" for the night I'm not going anywhere.
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Old 10-25-2019, 06:52 PM   #9
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There "used to be" (haven't been there in about 15 years) a little "smoked meat deli" at Frogmore Plantation (in the curve between Jonesville and Ferriday. I heard that Frogmore burned down a couple of months ago ??? No idea what burned or what's left. Anyway, we used to stop and buy a 10 pound pepper cured smoked ham every time through there. When I was working on my Master's in Natchez, that got expensive, stopping 4 times a week to buy lunch and bring home a ham to boot.... I think I gained 50 pounds one semester LOL.

Now I'm hungry.... I haven't had a shrimp poboy and curly fries from Big John's in ages....
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Old 10-25-2019, 07:36 PM   #10
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Up here, the weather "prognastinator" (Professional NASTY Instigator) or commonly called "Merlin the Magician" said that SNOW was predicted in Amarillo today. Maybe going south, Texas border is the one at Galveston ?????
Old Merlin may have been pretty accurate. We live about 180 miles S of Amarillo and headed out to Lubbock today to pick up a new SUV at 8:30am. Started seeing vehicles with maybe 4" of snow on them maybe 40 miles S of Lubbock. Temp when we left Lamesa was 31. For us that is like "frozen tundra" weather .

My family all lived up around the Amarillo panhandle area and I swore I had never been to a place that had that kind of wind and snow when I was little. It still seems like a barren, frozen wasteland to me.....but I love it.

The cold spell has hit for us, such as it is. We leave Tues. for FL for that wonderful, warmer weather....what do we get? I'm following behind this entire cold thing with rain every day until we get there! Oh well, got some shrimp and oysters arranged for arrival to "brighten" the day.
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Old 10-26-2019, 03:26 AM   #11
gearhead
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We're at 51 and clear this morning. Thought we may be driving into that tropical system but I think it will be clear. I washed the Oshkosh and the truck a few days ago. Truck has been hiding in the garage in all this rain. I hate to start a trip with dirty stuff.
Frogmore burned? That was a big house. Don't know how old but assume pretty old. I'll slow down and look.
It's oyster weather, gumbo weather, boudain, shrimp po boy, jambalaya, courtbillion, etc. I'm ready!!
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Old 10-26-2019, 04:37 AM   #12
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The Frogmore house is history burned literally to the ground, but tours are still active in the plantation.,
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Old 10-26-2019, 08:14 AM   #13
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Old Merlin may have been pretty accurate. We live about 180 miles S of Amarillo and headed out to Lubbock today to pick up a new SUV at 8:30am. Started seeing vehicles with maybe 4" of snow on them maybe 40 miles S of Lubbock. Temp when we left Lamesa was 31. For us that is like "frozen tundra" weather .

My family all lived up around the Amarillo panhandle area and I swore I had never been to a place that had that kind of wind and snow when I was little. It still seems like a barren, frozen wasteland to me.....but I love it.

The cold spell has hit for us, such as it is. We leave Tues. for FL for that wonderful, warmer weather....what do we get? I'm following behind this entire cold thing with rain every day until we get there! Oh well, got some shrimp and oysters arranged for arrival to "brighten" the day.
We left Dumas, about 50 miles north of Amarillo, on Monday morning, daughter sent pictures from Wed or Thurs morning of 4-6" of snow, thank goodness we left when we did.
We grew up in that area, thought the wind, winter blizzards & blowing dirt was normal everywhere. Moved to Ft Worth area, it began to rain, DW hollered to come look out the window, I asked at what, she said the rain, I said yes, she said it's coming straight down!!!!
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Old 10-26-2019, 04:33 PM   #14
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We were looking hard for the old house this afternoon. Got into Frogmore and told Betty to be looking because from memory if heading east you have to look over your right shoulder to see it. It wasn't there.
Long day. Got 30 minutes from home and had a inside dually tire showing 55#, 10 less than required. Realized I left the Dewalt batteries for my inflator at home. Turn around and go home. Took the Chinese valve extensions off and put the shorter Miltons back on, aired up and all is well. Lost and hour and a half after a late start. Got to Riverview RV in Vidalia about 5pm. Cool and overcast. Bourbon please.
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Old 10-26-2019, 05:59 PM   #15
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We left Dumas, about 50 miles north of Amarillo, on Monday morning, daughter sent pictures from Wed or Thurs morning of 4-6" of snow, thank goodness we left when we did.
We grew up in that area, thought the wind, winter blizzards & blowing dirt was normal everywhere. Moved to Ft Worth area, it began to rain, DW hollered to come look out the window, I asked at what, she said the rain, I said yes, she said it's coming straight down!!!!

Moved from WTX to Guymon, OK for a couple of years and traveled back and forth thru Dumas numerous times. Later on it was one of the area offices for one of my regions. As you mentioned, in my life I thought high wind and sand were just what was experienced everywhere. Now, it is still amazing to us to go to other places and a 10mph wind is considered "windy"!

In our part of the country rain is very, very unusual so we get wind/dirt. Our home in the mountains sort of got us used to rain but didn't really think about it. Started spending winters in FL and we observed the "wind" just doesn't blow there. Most times there is NO wind and a windy day is actually just a tiny breeze to us. And the rain, seems to rain most of the winter and we love it. One of the reasons being able to RV is so alluring to us.
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Old 10-31-2019, 08:01 AM   #16
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Going to burn a lot of propane but we do the same. Not leaving Minnesota until November so we just keep the 5th wheel at 45 degrees until we leave. Too bad we are below our 50 degree average this year or there wouldn't be any problem at all.
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Old 10-31-2019, 09:39 AM   #17
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4 days ago the problem with frozen pipes started being a possibility in Minnesota.
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Old 10-31-2019, 09:48 AM   #18
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My advice to you is err on the side of caution. Winterize ASAP! But keep the heat on until you do.
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Old 12-22-2020, 09:23 AM   #19
pganarchist
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40 that's like spring weather, I

Quote:
Originally Posted by annmarie View Post
We've been living in our trailer full time since June of this year. We're in Minnesota so over the winter we'll be storing the trailer. My question is, when are we going to start running into freezing pipes?

Our forecast in my part of Minnesota dips below freezing starting on this Sunday, October 27...
Sunday 44/30
Monday 42/28
Tuesday 38/27
Wednesday 36/26
Thursday 35/26
Friday 37/27
Saturday 40/29

We run our heat overnight and generally try to use a space heater during the day. Our underbelly is enclosed, but it's not heated - that I know of - and it just looks like a thick piece of cardboard. Do we need to winterize the trailer and move out before these temps hit or will we be okay for a few days? Maybe a foolish question but, what's our worst case scenario if the pipes freeze? Do they burst and water leaks everywhere? Are we just concerned about pipes under our trailer freezing or do we run the risk of things inside freezing?

We're planning on moving out November 1 anyway but I'm trying to gauge if we need to adjust.

Thanks for your help!
Okay so I'm new to full timing and camping as well but I'm in Michigan so I can tell you with confidence that your pipes aren't going to freeze unless you leave the heat off while it's below freezing that's 32 or less for a good 24 to 48 hours I have been trying to find a good way to winterize my sprinter and can't say I really figured it out but I my pipes have not froze completely on me and it's been 20° at least one or two nights
I am certainly not a keystone engineer but from what I can tell your water lines are ran as much as they can be alongside your heating vents and your hot water heater your hot water lines run right alongside your cold water lines so they won't freeze if as long as you keep your hot water on or it's deadly cold one or the other. and if you have a regular City water hookup versus running from your fresh tank it makes a difference as well because moving or pressurized water I believe will take longer to freeze I hope this helps you feel a little more confident cuz I'm looking for the same answer it's a hell of a lot colder here ,. I haven't had anything freezing break yet and I've been lucky but it's gotten down to 16° overnight and my water ran just fine in the morning
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Old 12-22-2020, 09:25 AM   #20
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I'm also new to The forum so I'm not sure if I'm doing it right or
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