Do I need to winterize?

[Pfxmichaelm]

Good Morning!

I'm wondering if I really need to winterize if my trailer is going to be in a unheated garage in Boise ID this winter. Our current garage generally stays in the mid 40's during the winter unless the outside temps are in the single digits, then it generally is in the low 30's, upper 20's.

I'm thinking it may not be necessary, but wanted to get the feedback from the group.

[Camping family]

I would no need to take a chance. It only cost a few dollars compared to repairing broken pipes if they freeze. Only take about an hour to completely winterize the camper.

[travelin texans]

At the very minimum blow out the lines & leave the faucets open.
Personally for the few $$ in antifreeze & an hour of work I'd blow out the lines & then pump some antifreeze. If you plan to use it off & on all winter then blow out the lines. Just my .02!

[JRTJH]

I've always been one who takes my "comfort" as more important than a bit of extra work...

To me, it's far more "comfortable" to winterize while it's warm enough to do it in shirt sleeves rather than wait until the last minute and do it in a heavy coat, gloves and shivering while "cussing myself under my breath" because I waited until conditions got too bad to wait any longer....

Then, my "comfort" at being able to actually use the trailer in the spring, rather than order replacement parts and install them to repair the damage... Again, the "cussing myself under my breath" becomes a major part of asking, "Why didn't I just....." ....

I live in northern Michigan, store my trailer in an unheated pole barn. Trust me when I say that it gets "just as cold inside the pole barn as it is outside the pole barn, and it takes a lot longer to warm up the inside once the temps start rising. EVERYTHING inside the pole barn stays frozen longer than things sitting outside in the sunlight. So, with the "key" being "unheated pole barn" I'd buy the RV antifreeze in the fall, when WalMart has it on sale 2/$5 and when you're planning to back the trailer into that barn, winterize it first, while you can still do it in shirt sleeves and then you can "sit inside without worrying about the trailer all winter long"....

[Canonman]

Years ago, I helped my FIL repair the busted water lines inside his Wilderness travel trailer. That's all the experience I needed to be diligent about winterizing. Of course our newer units have low point drains and PEX plumbing,but I still don't skimp on winterizing.
Since you are storing your trailer indoors I would second the idea that completely draining the water system including the water heater followed by a blowing out the lines with compressed air would be sufficient. Also, the P traps are easily removed and emptied so I do that as well. Adding RV antifreeze can't hurt, but IMHO is a bit of an overkill in this instance. We store our Cougar outside so I go "belt and suspenders" and add the antifreeze as a final step.

[dutchmensport]

To answer give my input without any fanfare: You need to winterize, even if you are storing inside. Why? for all the reasons addressed above. Your camper will freeze!

Don't believe it? Go ahead and winterize (you are safe then). After winterizing, take a large bowl of water and sit it on your kitchen counter and just leave it.

Now, when it's 20 degrees below zero outside, go out to your camper and tell me if that bowl of water is still liquid or a solid chunk of ice! Then, you'll REALLY be glad you took the time to winterize.

[Pfxmichaelm]

I've been convinced that I need to winterize.