How to Winterize a Hardside Camper

When camping season comes to an end and cooler weather starts to set in, it is time to think about winterizing your hardside camper. It is best to winterize your camper early, before temperatures drop below freezing. Freezing temperatures can cause a lot of damage to your camper, which may be costly to repair. Winterizing your camper can be done in a few steps.

Things You'll Need

  • Air-compressor with adaptor
  • Antifreeze specifically made for recreational vehicles, or RVs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Refer to your camper's Owners Guide. The guide will have a section on winterizing your camper. This will show you the exact location of your water tanks, pumps and valves, and will give you any instructions that are specific to the make and model of your camper.

    • 2

      Drain all of the water from the pipes, hoses and pumps. Begin by draining the fresh water tank and the hot water heater. Your camper will have two water-holding tanks, one black and one gray. Dump and flush both holding tanks. Leave the valve on the gray tank open.

    • 3

      Apply compressed air to completely empty all water lines. Do so by attaching a compressed air adaptor to the fresh water inlet. Keep the pressure at less than 20 lbs. per square inch. As the compressed air is flowing, open each valve one at a time. This will allow the compressed air to blow all of the water out of the lines. Be sure to do the toilet and shower valves as well. Remove the drain plug from the hot water tank and allow the air to blow the water out of this tank as well. Replace the plug once the tank is empty. Remove the compressed air source and adaptor, and close the fresh water inlet valve.

    • 4

      Replace the water with RV antifreeze. To replace the water, fill the now-empty fresh-water tank with the antifreeze. Start the fresh-water pump to circulate the antifreeze throughout the camper. Turn on each faucet one at a time until red antifreeze begins to pour out. Once the antifreeze appears, shut the faucet off. Flush the toilet and run the shower as well.