Whether you park your Casita in your driveway over the winter, or at a commercial storage facility, preventing your rig's pipes from freezing should be a priority, if you want to avoid a hefty repair bill next season.
It’s essential to carry out some precautionary measures before freezing cold weather sets in for winter season. As soon as the air surrounding an unheated Casita’s water system dips below freezing, at 32°F or 0°C, your Casita water system is at risk. Extended exposure to sub-zero temperatures will cause ice to form in the fresh water tank, pump, hot water heater and water pipes, possibly causing the pipes to split.
The fresh water system in Casita travel trailers draws water from either the fresh water tank or an external source at the city water inlet connection. A water pump is used to push water through the water system from the fresh water tank. Refer to your official Casita Owner's Manual to review specific information for your Casita's water system.
The first step in winterizing is to drain the fresh water tank, water heater, water pipes, and waste tanks. Make sure your pump, and water heater gas burner and electrical heater element are all turned off. Open all the hot and cold water faucets on your water lines, including the exterior shower faucet if you have that optional feature. Next, after the fresh water tank has completely drained, open the water heater pressure relief valve and remove the anode tube —- in that order. This will allow all the water to drain from the water heater. Most of the water in the water pipes will also drain through the water heater, which is a low point of the water system. While water is draining from the water heater and pipes by gravity flow, turn the water pump on and run it until all the water is forced out of the pipes from the empty water tank and the pump itself - takes less than one minute. While draining / pumping the fresh water tank dry, it helps to jack up the tongue to tilt the balance aft a bit so water in the tank flows toward the drain stem and connector to the water pump.
The second step in winterizing is to blow the remaining water out of the water pipes with an air compressor, or to flush and fill the system with RV antifreeze — some do both. Many RV owners just use the compressed air blow out method and do not flush and fill the fresh water system with RV antifreeze.
About RV Antifreezes
There are two basic contenders in the world of non-toxic RV antifreeze. The primary components of RV antifreezes are ethanol or propylene glycol. Ethanol alcohol type antifreeze can dry out rubber seals in faucets, dump valves, and toilets, so even though you may not need to replace any lines, there may still be leaks in the water system that need repair after using this antifreeze over time. Ethanol type antifreezes also “flammable” warnings on their label.
The other antifreeze contender, propylene glycol, is also an alcohol of sorts. Propylene glycol is a lubricant and can actually work to extend the life of the seals in the dump valves, toilets flush valve and faucets. Propylene glycol is a substance commonly used as a food additive and ingredient in many cosmetic and hygiene products. The US and European food authorities have declared it as generally safe for use in foods.
Some RVers claim that using ethanol-based antifreeze has a side effect of making the water taste bad during the next camping season and it takes quite awhile to flush the unwelcome taste out of the system.
Does this mean that propylene glycol antifreeze is the choice for RVers? This Health Line article investigates what propylene glycol is, why it is used, and whether it is dangerous to your health.
Manufacturers of some popular RV antifreeze brands are Wal-Mart’s house brand Super Tech RV and Marine Antifreeze, and Camco’s Easy Going -50 brand and its other brand, Artic Ban -50 made with ethanol. Keep in mind that RV antifreeze sold in stores varies by temperature, ranging in protection from 32°F (0°C), down to -50°F (-45°C).
The official Casita Owner's Manual lists using a 22 percent solution of food grade magnesium chloride for antifreeze. Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral important for the health of many systems in the human body, especially muscles and nerves. This may be the most natural and holistic healthy choice option for antifreeze winterizing. This choice is also least likely to leave a long lingering unpalatable after taste in your fresh water system.
Winterizing with Compressed Air to Blowout Water Pipes
But you might consider just using the air compressor in your garage to blow out your water pipes, so you don’t have to fill your water pipes with either kind of antifreeze. Casita factory now includes this blow out plug with new Casitas to facilitate the blowout method of winterizing.
When using an air compressor to winterize, you don’t need to blow out the water with great force. You simply need to remove the small amount of water that remains after gravity draining your water lines. This process isn’t like filling a tire to 100 psi. It’s more like blowing out the dust in your computer keyboard.
If you don't have a big 20 gallon tank high air volume air compressor in your garage, don't worry, you don't need one. If you do have a big compressor rig, the blow out step is extra quick work.
I've accomplished the blow out method with a little 12V tire pump compressor at the RV storage lot many times. The trick to this is the 6 gallon suburban water heater tank serves as a handy compressed air tank for the little low air volume compressor approach. It just takes a little extra time for a low air volume compressor to build up 35 to 40 pounds of air pressure in the 6 gallon water heater tank. I still use this small compressor method with the 3 gallon 200 PSI compressor I currently have in my garage — with the delivered pressure set at 40 PSI. Here's the procedure:
After all the water has drained from the water pipes and water heater, close the pressure relief valve on the water heater and securely replace the anode tube. Close all the water faucets. Thread the blowout plug into the fresh water City Water Inlet Connection and snug the fitting. Attach the air compressor hose to the blowout plug and fill the water system with air to 35-40 PSI.
Open the kitchen sink hot water faucet until water no longer flows and air blows freely, then close the faucet. Allow the compressor to re-pressurize the water system. Then open the kitchen cold water faucet until water no longer flows. Repeat the procedure for each bathroom sink faucet and outside shower faucet. Open the toilet flush valve to purge water from that section of water pipe. And last, purge the hot and cold exterior shower faucets, if you have that feature.
You will likely need to replenish air pressure in the water tank up to 35-40 PSI after blowing out each faucet. If you have a tank-type compressor with a delivered pressure setting, set it to 40 PSI so it will continuously replenish air pressure in the hot water tank to 40 PSI as you blowout each faucet.
After each faucet has been blown out, diconnect the compressor hose from the blowout plug and remove the blowout plug from the city water inlet. Open all the faucets to relieve the air pressure. After the air pressure in the water system has completely relieved, open the water heater pressure relief valve and remove the anode tube. Switch on the water pump one last time to make sure water has drained from the pump. I twist up a few sheets of paper towels to stick just a little way into the anode tube fitting hole for the winter. At this point, remove the screen washer from the city water inlet to access the backflow check valve. Depress the check valve to make sure no water remains at that low point of the water system.
While the water system isn't bone dry at this point, there isn't enough water remaining in the water pipes to cause damage when it freezes.
Steps to Winterizing With Antifreeze
If you decide to fill your fresh water plumbing system with antifreeze instead of - or in addition to - using the compressed air blowout method, you need to buy 3-4 gallons of RV antifreeze - as recommended in your Casita Owner's Manual. (DO NOT USE AUTOMOTIVE ANTIFREEZE!)
This is a good time to stop and consider that the antifreeze will be very difficult to completely flush out of the fresh water tank and pipes in the spring. Many complain some antifreeze solutions taint the taste of their drinking water well into the next year's camping season.
If you decide to fill your water system with antifreeze, first, turn the hot water heater “bypass” valve (located behind the access door to the water pump), to bypass, as shown in the video.
Next, pour about 3 gallons of RV antifreeze into the fresh water tank, as explained in your Casita Owner's Manual.
- Some camper owners follow an alternative method to pouring antifreeze into the water tank: Remove the water line between the fresh water tank and fresh water pump and place the end of the water line into the open jug of RV antifreeze. Some Casita owners follow a second alternative method of installing a Permanent Pump Converter Winterizing Kit so the fresh water line does not need to be disconnected from the tank in order to draw antifreeze directly from the jug of RV antifreeze.
Open all the hot and cold water faucets, then switch the pump on and let it run until antifreeze flows from all the faucets. Also depress the toilet flush foot valve until antifreeze flows into the toilet bowl. Switch the pump off.
Winterizing the Waste Tanks
Drain both waste tanks dry.
If you’re using propylene glycol RV antifreeze, close the dump valves and pour antifreeze down the bathroom and kitchen sink drains and shower pan drain to clear water from the p-traps. This also puts some antifreeze down at the dump valve assembly to keep the valve from drying out. Also pour a some propylene glycol RV antifreeze into the black tank, so it runs down to the dump valve, then a little in the toilet bowl to keep those valves from drying out.
However, if you are using ethanol RV antifreeze, pour antifreeze down all three drains to clear water from the p-traps before you close the dump valves, so it drains out completely. Leaving ethanol antifreeze at the valves may damage them over time.
If you followed the winterize with antifreeze steps, the bathroom and kitchen sink drain p-traps will already have antifreeze in them since antifreeze was circulated into them as antifreeze was pumped through the water system, and you will only need to pour antifreeze down the shower pan drain.
Winterizing Your Casita Battery
When winterizing your Casita for the cold winter offseason, you should remove the house battery and keep it in a warm location. If you leave the lead acid battery in your Casita over the winter, it will slowly discharge and the water in your battery may freeze when the it’s voltage and the temperature drops too low.
This happens because a battery loses its sulfuric acid when it discharges and leaves water behind. The more your battery discharges, the easier it freezes. To read more about lead acid batteries, click here.
Winterizing your battery is easy. Here are 6 steps that will keep your house battery safe over the winter months:
- Remove the battery from your Casita
- If its not a sealed battery, check the water level and fill it up if needed (wear eye protection and safety gloves)
- Charge the battery fully
- Store the battery in a warm, indoor location like a cellar or garage that stays above freezing.
- Attach a battery maintenance charger to keep it charged during storage. You’ll want to invest in a smart charger with a maintenance charge level to keep the battery charged in storage. Some keep their battery connected to a maintenance charger the entire time it’s in winter storage - and some connect the battery to a maintenance charger just once a month, or so.
- Check your battery monthly to make sure it is fully charged
However, if you have a multi-stage DC 12V charging converter in your Casita and you can plug into AC 120V shore power where your Casita is berthed for the winter, you may not need to remove the battery to your basement or garage if your winter low temperatures are not extreme and prolonged.
De-Winterizing for the next season of camping
Be sure to completely flush antifreeze and sanitize your fresh water system before using it again on your next camping trip! To flush your fresh water plumbing system fill your water tank and water pipes with clean potable water, then completely drain the tank and pipes of water at least once. It may be necessary to repeat this flushing precedure multiple times to deminish the lingering unpalatable aftertaste of some antifreezes. Click Here - to read about sanitizing your Casita fresh water system.
Conclusion
Consider this a basic guide intended to familiarize you with potential freeze preventative measures in winterizing your Casita. It’s important for you to follow the information provide in your Casita Owner’s Manuals for manufacturer-specific winterizing guidelines.
This content is offered for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
Casita Enterprises Factory Video on Winterizing
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