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Draining the RV’s water and securing its plumbing is a good way to winterize and can be done without any professional help if you know where bypass valves and drains are located. However, if your RV has a tankless washer, ice maker or heater, you might need to read their instructions first. If things seem confusing, better to call RV service Hutto, TX company like Overland. That said, let’s see how you can winterize on your own:
Start by emptying your RV tanks, draining the water, and protecting the lines, drains, toilet, and pump. Then you can use the RV model's approved antifreeze or air compressed method.
You’ll want this done before freezing weather arrives. Jayco recommends winterizing when your RV will face temperatures at or below 32°F. You don’t need to wait for snow or several days of freezing weather.
And Hutto does get hard freezes. On January 21, 2025, the City of Hutto reported an overnight hard freeze that affected local roads.
It’s easier to find your drains and work through the steps while the weather is still comfortable, so get this done before the cold arrives.
If you’d prefer help, Overland RVs offers RV Service Hutto TX appointments for winterization and other RV maintenance.
You’ll need antifreeze approved, food-grade, and non-toxic for your RV’s drinking-water system, access to the drains, and your RV and appliance manuals. Avoid selecting antifreeze based on its color alone and make sure to never put any automotive coolant into the drinking-water plumbing. Always check the product label before buying.
Have these supplies ready:
Your manual should show where you’ll find the bypass valves and low-point drains, along with the valve settings you’ll need when you start adding antifreeze.
Start by switching off and cooling the water heater, making sure both electric and gas heating modes are off.
You’ll also need to disconnect city water, turn off the pump, and open a faucet to release pressure before touching the heater’s drain plug. You don’t want hot, pressurized water spraying out when you remove it.
Empty and rinse your black and gray tanks at an approved dump station. You can then drain the freshwater side:
For a conventional tank-style heater, remove its drain plug or anode rod as your heater manual directs and let it drain fully. Its power needs to stay off throughout winterization.
If you have a tankless heater, you’ll need its own winterization instructions. You can’t assume the steps for a tank-style heater will work for yours.
For instance, Truma’s AquaGo instructions call for draining through its Easy Drain Lever and storing the filter cartridge separately. Truma advises against high-pressure air or antifreeze inside the appliance. The RV’s plumbing can be winterized with fluid when the required bypass kit is installed.
While home heating systems and tankless water systems use closed-loop-circulation, RV relies on manual bypass valves for antifreeze. So check your RV instruction manual to set the water heater bypass accordingly for the antifreeze to move around the heater while you work on plumbing.
Take out the water-filter cartridges and bypass or drain their housings as the manual says. After the draining finishes, block the low-point drains so the antifreeze doesn't get out.
Put your winterizing pickup hose into the antifreeze jug and set the valves so your pump draws from it. Turn the pump on, then open each faucet’s hot and cold sides separately until undiluted antifreeze flows through, closing each one before you move on.
You’ll need to do this at every sink and shower, including the outside fixtures if your RV has them. Flush the toilet until antifreeze flows through its flush valve too.
Keep checking your jug and replace it before it runs empty.
Every shower drain and sink in your RV needs antifreeze but the quantity depends on your manual. This will protect the P-traps, which are the curved elbow-like sections underneath to hold the water. Protect the toilet seal and bowl as directed too.
Your extra connections need their own checks:
Follow their winterization instructions, since some appliances shouldn’t have antifreeze pumped through them.
If you’re using compressed air, follow your RV’s pressure limit. Keystone’s air-method guide specifies a maximum of 30 PSI and still calls for antifreeze in the drains and toilet. You’ll need to clear the pump and its suction line too.
After going through steps 1 to 6, turn off the pump and leave the plugs, valves, and drains in the positions your RV manual instructs for storage. Make sure to label the water heater to avoid somebody accidentally turning it on.
Lastly, remove any consumables from the refrigerator to dry it, check storage and charging instructions from the battery manufacturer, and inspect the window and roof seals.
Once you’re finished, turn off the pump and leave drains, plugs, and valves in the positions your manual specifies for storage.
If you find leaks or damaged fittings, arrange RV repair in Hutto before putting the RV away. Overland’s RV services include plumbing, water heaters, and electrical work.
Winter requires a different plan during winter but you don’t have to abandon your camping plans. If you’re using plumbing during cold, freezing weather, see if your RV tank and water lines heat up and the propane and power this protection needs. Check how your RV heats its tanks and water lines, and what power and propane that protection needs. Disconnect and drain an ordinary water-supply hose before a freeze.
Keystone’s winter-camping guidance explains that even a heated, enclosed underbelly offers limited protection in extreme cold. A warm bedroom doesn’t tell you how cold the outside connections are.
For occasional Texas trips, you can leave the plumbing winterized and carry drinking water separately. If you refill and use the system, you’ll need to winterize it again before leaving it parked in freezing weather.
Don’t rely on an unattended heater without a plan for losing power.
You can use 100–200 as a rough reference for professional winterization, based on Go RVing’s U.S. budgeting example. You’ll need a quote for your own RV.
Here’s how the two options compare:
Option | Cost to allow for | What can add to it? |
DIY antifreeze method | About $16 for two gallons at the retailer price | More antifreeze, a pickup kit, or tools you don’t own |
Professional winterization | Roughly 100–200 as a U.S. example | Extra appliances, system complexity, and the work included |
Make sure to tell the techs at RV service Hutto TX you’re booking about your water heater type, dishwasher, ice maker, and any other washer so you get a more accurate quote estimate.
Overland RVs handles winterization, plumbing, water heaters, and furnace service at our Hutto shop. Whether you want to bring your motorhome to our garage or have our mechanics visit your place, we can arrange whatever is convenient to you. So dial 512-886-9040, tell us what you need help with and we’d love to serve you.
A cover won’t keep the water in your plumbing above freezing. An unheated garage can get cold enough to put the system at risk too. Winterize if freezing temperatures can reach your RV’s water system.
You need to check the concentration on the product’s label and mix only if directed and as per the exact quantities. For ready-to-use antifreeze, do not add water to it. Also, make sure to take all the water out of the RV’s system before putting antifreeze as that can dilute the antifreeze and reduce its protection.
Flush out all antifreeze from the system and sanitize it as per the RV manual instructions. After restoring the filters and valve settings and the water system pressurization check for any leaks. If your RV has a tank style heater, ensure it's full of water before turning the heat back on.