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How Do I Winterize My RV's Water Heater

by Mike
(Illinois)

How To Winterize Your RV’s Water Heater

How To Winterize Your RV’s Water Heater

To winterize an RV, is it necessary to add antifreeze to the water heater or just drain as much as you can from the heater and close the bypass?

ANSWER: Hi Mike, when winterizing there is no need to add RV Antifreeze to the hot water heater. Just follow the steps listed below:

1. Make sure that the water heater is off and cool, and that the RV's water pump is off and that the RV is not hooked up to city water.

2. Open up the Water Heater's drain plug and Pressure relief valve and completely drain all the water out of the water heater.

3. Now put the water heater bypass valve into bypass position (depending on the model and make of RV you have the bypass valve is normally located on the back of the water heater)

Note: If your RV is not equipped with a water heater bypass valve you can buy an After Market Water Heater Bypass System.

Draining and bypassing the water heater is only one of the many steps you need to take to properly winterize your RV. You may want to look at the video below to understand the entire process.


Supplies Needed


RV Antifreeze

RV Antifreeze Pump

RV Blow Out Plug (if using compressed air)

I hope that this has been helpful.

Good Sam Club

Comments for How Do I Winterize My RV's Water Heater

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starstarstarstarstar 		HWT saver
by: Anonymous

after draining our tank I assumed it was empty. NOT
There was still 1.5 gallons of water left in it. If I'd have not removed it would have cracked the tank. I used a shop vac and a piece of 1/2" hose thru the drain hole to suck the tank empty.
Apparently, the drain hole isn't at the lowest point in the tank.

I was a bit surprised to find this.
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starstarstarstarstar 		winterizing the hot water heater
by: Anonymous

Make sure when you drain your water heater you relieve the pressure in it first. If you don't, you are going to get wet when you remove the drain plug. The easy way to relieve the pressure is to open the hot and cold water faucet inside. That will relieve the pressure. Make sure you do this before closing the valves on the bypass.

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