Freeze

[Shane39562]

I work in west Texas and recently returned after 12 days at home to find the latest winter storm to hit Texas did a number on my camper ! I turned off the water, opened all the faucets, and removed the water hose before leaving for home just in case. When I got back to the camper last night and reconnected the water, my kitchen sink faucet was leaking from the the handle, my toilet is leaking from somewhere (not sure where, it's pooled around the base of the toilet but I'm thinking the water valve cracked), and my shower head is busted and leaking ! I have a 2019 Keystone Laredo 5th wheel and I'm new to the camper world. Any help is appreciated ! Amazon part numbers, fixes, anything ! I am no plumber but I'm pretty good at fixing most things. Thanks in advance !

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

You can replace the kitchen faucet and shower head from your local big box hardware store. If you can post the make/model of the toilet and maybe a pic of where it’s dripping we can determine repair parts needed.

It sounds like you got real lucky this time. Next time your anticipating a freeze, you need to drain the water from the system using the low point drains. I would also recommend winterizing. There are videos on how to do that.

[sourdough]

It froze the breakable things where the water had pooled. Determine the model of your toilet and inspect it. I suspect the water valve is split. Replace the shower head and the kitchen faucet. You can look closer at the faucet but if it is coming up from the base of the handle the body has slit as well. Don't know where in W TX you are but Camping World in Lubbock has a good plumbing/replacement part section. Midland/Odessa isn't so good that I have found. There's an RV place in Stanton but I've not been to it.

Once you get the broken things replaced pressure it up and make sure you don't have any other leaks. Look under sinks, outside, outside shower, under the trailer, water inlets etc. These are fluke occurrences in W TX but it's happened the last 2 years now. In the future if you are leaving the trailer dewinterize it completely and put anti freeze in the lines. If nothing else blow it out thoroughly, open each faucet, pull the shower head down and lay it in the tub (I used to remove the head completely). Same in the kitchen if the faucet is made so you can also put anti freeze on all the P traps, drain the toilet and the outside shower. A week with lows near zero and highs in the 20s will do a number on a trailer if not properly prepared.

[Gary Rivers]

Sorry about your troubles. Check this site and look at freeze damage. The faucet is plastic and if not drained is likely cracked may need to be replaced. Remove both valves and inspect but the unit is fairly cheap just upgrade to a real kitchen faucet. The Dometic Toilet is prone to the flush valve retaining water and freezing causing the back of the valve to pop out, most likely your problem. If you did not blow out the water you may have cracked the bowl. As for the shower head replace with a new one and double check if you have cracked your outside shower and or kitchen faucet if you have those on your model. Best of luck.

[jasin1]

Is it easier to remove the toilet and work on it in a garage or outside the trailer to replace those parts? I would think you could hook up temporary water line to test it before it keeps leaking down into the floor if you don’t get all the leaks.

Or is it a pretty easy repair to do in place ?

[JRTJH]

Be very careful about connecting city water to the trailer and turning it on. City water can "leak a whole bunch of water" very quietly and you can easily fill the underbelly without realizing there's a significant leak. One of the most vulnerable parts of the trailer to freeze damage is the 12 volt water pump head. If it freezes and cracks, should you turn on city water, it can flow through the pump head and flood the trailer without you realizing it's even leaking.

If you have a Dometic toilet, the water inlet valve is probably what is leaking. You can buy a replacement at any RV parts store or on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Plast...dDbGljaz10cnVl This is an aftermarket valve ($16). The OEM valve is $39. I've had the same reliability from both. You can replace this valve without removing the toilet from the trailer. USE THE TWO SCREWS TO PREVENT LEAKS FROM HAPPENING....

Shower heads are available anywhere, but watch the shower faucet, if the head froze and cracked, you may find the antisiphon fitting on the shower faucet is also leaking. If it's leaking internally, you can fill your passthrough with "unwanted shower water" very quickly. Also, check the HEPVO valve on the shower drain. They are durable, but can crack from freezing.

One "quick easy way" to check your plumbing system for hidden leaks after you've replaced all the parts that you can see leaking, is to put several gallons of water in the fresh water tank, turn on the water pump and listen for it to stop running. Then monitor it for a couple hours. If you hear the water pump "chirp occasionally" you've got a water leak somewhere... If it doesn't chirp for several hours, you probably have found all the leaks...

[Shane39562]

Ok thanks ! Are you talking about regular anti freeze like you'd put in your truck ? I've definitely got to get better at this. It was 2 am when I got there and had to leave for work at 6. I haven't even seen UNDER the camper yet ! I opened the faucets and flushed the toilet once I turned the water off to let everything out, but then I closed them like an idiot ! I am in Van Horn, TX. I'm pretty sure there's a camping world there but even that is 2 hours from Van Horn. I'll try to find it on Amazon and hopefully the local hardware store. Thanks again !

[Shane39562]

Oh goodness ! I didn't even THINK about the outside faucets ! And yeah the regular kitchen faucet is a great idea ! Thanks !

[Shane39562]

Several of you mentioned the Dometic toilet. I'm assuming that brand is pretty common on Keystone RV's.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Shane39562

Ok thanks ! Are you talking about regular anti freeze like you'd put in your truck ? I've definitely got to get better at this. It was 2 am when I got there and had to leave for work at 6. I haven't even seen UNDER the camper yet ! I opened the faucets and flushed the toilet once I turned the water off to let everything out, but then I closed them like an idiot ! I am in Van Horn, TX. I'm pretty sure there's a camping world there but even that is 2 hours from Van Horn. I'll try to find it on Amazon and hopefully the local hardware store. Thanks again !

You want to use RV/marine antifreeze..it comes in -50 and -100 deg …I use -100 in everything ..rv antifreeze is environmentally safe

Don’t use automobile antifreeze

When answering a question …hit the quote button on the person your answering…it will display that post in the same box as your question and keep it less confusing so people know who your asking.

Sorry about your troubles and welcome to the forum

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Shane39562

Several of you mentioned the Dometic toilet. I'm assuming that brand is pretty common on Keystone RV's.

There are 2 common brands: Thetford and Dometic. If it’s a Thetford, now would be a great time to change it to a Dometic 320.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Shane39562

Several of you mentioned the Dometic toilet. I'm assuming that brand is pretty common on Keystone RV's.

Yes, Dometic 300 and Dometic 310 toilets are pretty much the most commonly used toilet in Keystone RV's. There are some models that use a Thetford toilet, but not nearly as many as the Dometic brand. The valve that I linked has a "freeze indicator" on it. There's a small "dimple" on the back of the valve. If it becomes a "pimple" (instead of a dimple) the valve internal structure has been frozen and damaged. So, pretty much, you can reach around behind your toilet and if you feel a bump on the back side of the valve body, replace it. Also, if the threaded end plate separates, the valve is beyond repair.

Here's a photo of the valve showing both types of damage marked A and B:

A – Freeze Damage Indicator Window: white stress marks indicate freeze damage
B – Water valve damage due to severe exposure to below-freezing temperature

Also, DO NOT USE AUTOMOTIVE ANTIFREEZE IN POTABLE WATER SYSTEMS !!! Doing so can poison you. Use potable RV antifreeze only.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Shane39562

Ok thanks ! Are you talking about regular anti freeze like you'd put in your truck ? I've definitely got to get better at this. It was 2 am when I got there and had to leave for work at 6. I haven't even seen UNDER the camper yet ! I opened the faucets and flushed the toilet once I turned the water off to let everything out, but then I closed them like an idiot ! I am in Van Horn, TX. I'm pretty sure there's a camping world there but even that is 2 hours from Van Horn. I'll try to find it on Amazon and hopefully the local hardware store. Thanks again !

Shane you got caught in a fluke of weather. Van Horn, nor W TX, doesn't normally ever see this kind of cold weather. From Van Horn it's a long way to nowhere so finding/getting parts will be a little time consuming. I think El Paso is your best bet. They do have a Camping World for the RV specific items like the toilet valve. You've gotten a lot of good advice. Wishing you good luck on speedy repairs and BE SURE to check everything so there are no "hidden" leaks. BTW, is Chuy's any good anymore? I've been retired for 16 years and not been back there but used to be pretty good.

[wiredgeorge]

There is an RV parts place in Alpine:
https://www.bigbendrvsupplyandservice.com/

Seems like they would likely have one of those Dometic freeze plug gizmos as those are common failure items. Give them a call; a bit closer (about an hour and a half ride) to Alpine rather than El Paso. You might check at Van Horn RV Park to see if there is a local source or get the part over nighted and shipped in.

[CedarCreekWoody]

You won't find much RV supply in Van Horn. Amazon is a good option, most likely several options in El Paso,
We tried Chuys last year and was not impressed.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

You won't find much RV supply in Van Horn. Amazon is a good option, most likely several options in El Paso,
We tried Chuys last year and was not impressed.

Kind of what I figured. "Back when" a guy worked for me that knew them well (based in a small mexican town - US) between El Paso and Van Horn and took me there. Wasn't too bad for "mexican" food. Tex mex, mexican, NM mex, Indian mex etc. they all have different nuances and they really get to changing right at the border - I wouldn't drive back there to try it these days - plus nowhere to stay.

[Shane39562]

It seems to be a fairly simple fix. I "shouldn't" need to remove it, but I've ordered the new valve from Amazon so we will see soon enough. It only requires a pair of side cutters and a phillips head screwdriver to replace.

[Shane39562]

Originally Posted by jasin1

You want to use RV/marine antifreeze..it comes in -50 and -100 deg …I use -100 in everything ..rv antifreeze is environmentally safe

Don’t use automobile antifreeze

When answering a question …hit the quote button on the person your answering…it will display that post in the same box as your question and keep it less confusing so people know who your asking.

Sorry about your troubles and welcome to the forum

And thanks for the forum tip ! Yes, a lot less confusing

[Shane39562]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

You won't find much RV supply in Van Horn. Amazon is a good option, most likely several options in El Paso,
We tried Chuys last year and was not impressed.

Yeah I just noticed that ! I meant to say there's a Camping World in El Paso. Unless Dollar General started selling RV supplies, I wont have much luck here in Van Horn !

[Shane39562]

God bless you ! We really don't have a lot of anything in Van Horn. I almost never eat out around here, but a lot of people I work with here say the restaraunt at the El Capitan Hotel is good and The Van Horn Cattle Co. If you're ever passing through again