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dgray · 02-03-2011, 08:03 AM

I got caught unprepared by the winter freeze that hit Central Texas - it is in the teens and 20's which is colder than it has been in 50 years! I have a 2009 International CCD 27' which I keep in covered storage with no access to electricity. It has been a while since I have taken her out and I can't remember what all I dumped after last usage. Anyway, the weather plummetted and by the time I got to her with some RV antifreeze she was frozen. I tried to pour the antifreeze down the sinks and shower drain - a little went in and then it stopped going down. What do I do to prevent the pipes from bursting or I am just too late. Please help me - I am new at this and I am freaked out about this. Thanks in advance for all of your help. Dara

ventport · 02-03-2011, 08:19 AM

Sounds like you are too late.

deauxrite · 02-03-2011, 08:46 AM

You are too late. Now the thing to do is to wait until the weather changes, then have towels ready and some tools to fix what is going to leak. Have your flashlight and do a thorough inspection of all of the PEX and especially around your pump and surrounding lines. If you have water in the fresh tank run the pump and do your inspection. If not, I recommend that you not add water to the fresh tank until you have inspected using the city water inlet.

Good luck.

Silverhobby · 02-03-2011, 08:51 AM

The best way to check for burst water lines is using air pressure. It's less messy to clean up than if you have a leak and are using water to test with.

handn · 02-03-2011, 08:51 AM

I am in the same boat.
It hit an all time low here in Tucson (19) and I am dreading checking my trailer out.
The only thing you can do is let everything thaw out, in a heated garage if you have one. Then visually check for leaks. The water hoses expand a little so you might get lucky there. Valves on the sinks, toilets and showers are vulnerable as well as the water pump.
Try to pressurize the system by turning on the pump. If it pressurizes and the pump shuts off--you got lucky. If the pump keeps running, there is a leak and you need to find it before running water does damage. Fixing things is not too expensive, just a matter of replacing parts.

dgray · 02-03-2011, 10:04 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. We have 2 - 3 more days of this artic temperatures. Should I leave it as is until the weather gets better or should I try to work on warming up the trailer now? I could bring it home, plug it in and try to thaw it now if that would be better. Any ideas?

ventport · 02-03-2011, 10:26 AM

I would try to thaw in now. It may get colder and freeze harder. The harder it freezes the more the water expands, and the more likely you will have damage. Get it home and turn on the furnace and any plug in electric heaters that you have. Open all the cabinet doors to let the heat circulate to the pipes. Good luck

Bird's Nest · 02-03-2011, 12:28 PM

Ours froze once and the only damage was to the kitchen faucet. We found the same model at Lowes. We only had to switch out the wands. We got off real easy. Hope you do too.

handn · 02-04-2011, 04:53 PM

I got lucky.
After a night in the teens (all time low for the date here in Tucson), I got the airstream out of storage checked into a campground yesterday plugged it in and fired up the the furnace and space heater.
The water in the dog bowl was frozen on the top but not all the way through. No sound from the pump.
This morning after another night in the low 20's, I went in the Airstream and turned on the pump. It was toasty warm, had thawed out, the water system pressurized and I was able to winterize successfully.
Next time I will listen to good advice from my spouse who tells me to winterize.
I hope everyone has the same good luck.

JitneyBead · 02-04-2011, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handn

I got lucky.
After a night in the teens (all time low for the date here in Tucson), I got the airstream out of storage checked into a campground yesterday plugged it in and fired up the the furnace and space heater.
The water in the dog bowl was frozen on the top but not all the way through. No sound from the pump.
This morning after another night in the low 20's, I went in the Airstream and turned on the pump. It was toasty warm, had thawed out, the water system pressurized and I was able to winterize successfully.
Next time I will listen to good advice from my spouse who tells me to winterize.
I hope everyone has the same good luck.

We've been living in the Airstream this week east of Tuscon and I've had a few freeze/thaw cycles! We only have an electric space heater and am using a single 110v outlet to just power the essentials (heater and laptop). In the mornings we turn all of the propane on to heat water for coffee and morning catbaths. It heats up pretty quick, but of course the underside gets much colder and I've been in and out, tightening and checking fittings, releasing pressure. It's not bad if you stay on top of it. And I definitely understand where everything is much better, so my winterizng after this trip should be a breeze.

**blmitch5** · 02-04-2011, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JitneyBead

We've been living in the Airstream this week east of Tuscon and I've had a few freeze/thaw cycles! We only have an electric space heater and am using a single 110v outlet to just power the essentials (heater and laptop). In the mornings we turn all of the propane on to heat water for coffee and morning catbaths. It heats up pretty quick, but of course the underside gets much colder and I've been in and out, tightening and checking fittings, releasing pressure. It's not bad if you stay on top of it. And I definitely understand where everything is much better, so my winterizng after this trip should be a breeze.

Hey Jitney,

That's very cold for AZ! Winterizing is pretty easy to do I blow the lines and then add anifreez gave fun in AZ.

benjisgal · 02-04-2011, 08:33 PM

Speaking of winterizing, I met a gentleman while camping in GA who suggested that if I am using my trailer on a frequent basis and want to ensure that my lines do not freeze up during non-use to poor the RV fluid in my freshwater tank and then cut on the water pump and run the faucets (etc) until pink comes out and leave it. He also mentioned that I bypass the water heater during this process. What do you all think? Is this a safe way to temporary winterize. I am using my trailer almost biweekly and do not want to winterize since the weather here in GA is just above freezing.

TBRich · 02-04-2011, 09:50 PM

We are also in Tucson, and are currently living in our Bambi in our front yard while our home is going through major repairs after returning home from a 10-day holiday trip to a burst pipe in our kitchen and dining area ceilings, caved in ceilings, and 5" of standing water...due to an unexpected hard freeze over New Year's ... when we had the first bad cold snap of the season. We were at the 4CU New Year's rally that weekend... we thought we had the pipes secured, but were we wrong! What a surprise and what a mess. We have been fine in the Bambi during this week's hard freezes. We are running the furnace a lot and that keeps everything above freezing. The only good thing in all this is that we didn't have to worry about the pipes in our house freezing this time around...there was no water in them! We're surviving, but man, it is a huge hassle and disruptive beyond description. Guess we're going to have to move further south.

eldin · 02-19-2011, 09:36 AM

Water leak somewhere around commode (floor is wet)can hear water running , commode flushes ok. commode sits up on small platform. help

1976 argosy 26 ft rear bath.

TG Twinkie · 02-19-2011, 12:23 PM

Is the plumbing in the Argosy the original copper? If so there are three lines running behind the toilet. The toilet supply line along with the hot an cold for the shower. If the moisture is on top of the platform and the holding tank below the toilet is not full. I would suspect and inspect the connection for the water supply on the back of the toilet. Also check the two lines going to the shower.

dgray · 02-22-2011, 11:08 AM

Thank you for all of your help. I did take her to my house, pluggled her in and turned on the furnace. When things thawed out I poured in RV antifreeze at all the drains and just waited with crossed fingers. Things got a little warmer so I hooked up the water and turned it on. Water spewed everywhere from the back of the toilet. But I got really lucky - all i had was a busted valve on the back of the toilet. When that was fixed we hooked it up again and tested everything which was all right. I will be much more vigilant about winterizing in the future.