It's Snowing!

[Stefrobrts]

I may have made a horrible mistake! Because it's so mild here in the winter, I didn't winterize, I just emptied all the water I could out of the trailer and put a small heater in there to keep it warm (about 55 degrees), so it would be ready to use all winter. Now it's snowed about 6 inches today and the power has been blinking off! So if we lose power for a time, and the trailer freezes, I guess I could be really regretting not winterizing it! I think this is going to be our roughest winter in a long time - snow in November is just unheard of around here.

[Porky Pig]

Makes me shiver just to look at your photo.

Hope your trailer is OK.

Since I'm a newbie at this stuff ... What happens to a trailer that is not winterized? What type of damage can occur?

[KIMILI]

I guess it's just like a house...pipes freeze!!

Stef,
your baby looks awfully pretty in the snow!

[diesel]

What is your elevation?

It was so warm, 68 degrees, here yesterday we opened the windows and shut off the furnace. We are leaving for Portland in a few minutes and it is still warm here. We will be coming down I-84 and will look for snow in the hills.

Since it is so warm here, I expect the winds off the Pacific to start blowing up the Gorge and will probably melt your snow on the way.

However they expect to open Mt Hood for skiing friday.

[Pahaska]

Originally posted by Porky Pig
Since I'm a newbie at this stuff ... What happens to a trailer that is not winterized? What type of damage can occur?

The extent depends somewhat on the type of plumbing. Copper pipe doesn't stand up well at all to freezing; the current PEX does pretty well. Other things will be damaged however, such as the water heater, the P-traps under sinks and shower, the commode, the water pump, and even the tanks if they aren't pretty empty.

Best to drain everything and either blow out or put antifreeze in the lines.

Do a search ... there are several good threads on winterizing from last fall.

Some winters, we can just get by without winterizing. We have a predicted light freeze next week, so I'll have to watch the situation carefully. If it looks to be a hard freeze, I'll go out to the trailer with the generator, the compressor, and the jug of RV antifreeze and do a quick job.

[Cracker]

I agree about the early winter! Our lake froze over last weekend by 8 AM Sunday morning. All day Saturday the wind had been gusting to 40 mph and there were whitecaps on the lake. I've never seen it freeze that fast. The weather has since warmed up (Wednesday) but the lake was still frozen over when I checked at noon. Something strange is going on here and I'm ready to head South! I do have the Airstream thoroughly winterized - but I wish I could have found covered storage.

[Moonshot]

Stephanie,

The picture would make a nice looking Christmas card!

Scott

[Stefrobrts]

Well, the power seems to have stabilized, so hopefully it will stay on! The trailer does look cozy with the snow on it. I'm sure it's fine inside for now. I do worry about it a lot though. I figure it made it 35 years, I don't want to be the one to ruin it! But the worst that could happen is I end up replacing some pipes next year. No fun, but not too tragic. It is pretty well empty of water, so I think it will be ok in there, especially as long as the heat stays on...

I just can't believe it's snowing here! I had plans to go to a rally at Land Yacht Harbor in Lacey, WA in early December, and figured it would be no problem. This winter sure is being wierd. This is our second snow of the year already, yet just two weekends ago I was drving the convertible with the top down!

[85MH325]

Stephanie...

Kimili said "your baby looks awfully pretty in the snow!" but I gotta tell you that the snow looks pretty awful to me!

However, for one of the few times we, here in Iowa, EVER get to gloat about our weather... we had sunshine and a high of 62 today and we're looking for a high in the high 60s tomorrow! Undoubtedly the calm before the storm... however we take 'em as we can get 'em!

Actually, it's a very nice photo... very Currier & Ives!

Roger

BTW, DON'T LET YOUR PIPES FREEZE! most of them are reasonably easy to replace, but take it from experience (my Bambi had broken shower pipes), the shower pipes in the walls are a seriously-not-fun replacement issue!

[JodynJeep]

You will probably be ok Steph. I have had my trailers out in freezing in freezing temps without ever doing real winterization. - one thing you can do is just keep one of the faucets on a drip (pump off) or at least open if all the tanks are empty. This will usually allow the moisture to expand and contract and have an out... While I am not saying it is safe to do so, I do not go through the winterization process due to its in use at a givens moment at times..However it is best to have it somewhat heated (I usually keep it at around 40 degrees) to prevent pipes freezing inside at least and it keeps the wood from contracting and expanding to suddenly which will cause failures in the laminates prematurely. I do also pour some RV antifreeze down the drains on occassion as well... but unless we get a 20 degree below zero out here for several days ... you should be ok I hope... We got about 1/2 to an inch here even in Redmond... Seems ANYWHERE I go I can not escape the ice and snow... but the I have good news tho, I lowered my cholesterol by having my TT fixed at Airstream lol

[sd90mac]

Steph,
The airstream looks beautiful in the snow.
We're in southwest florida and our high today was in the 80's. You're welcome to bring your baby here to thaw her out. she'll look good out on the farm with our argosy.
Marie

[john hd]

steph

send some of that snow my way!

our deer season opens saturday, sure would like some snow! glad to hear your lights are staying on!

seriously, consider winterizing your trailer now, it really doesn't take that long to do. if you use it again, all you are out is half an hour and less than 5 bucks of antifreeze!

whole lot cheaper than pipes!

adding a tee to your water intake pipe before the pump makes adding anti freeze a snap.

i posted a thread showing how mine works, just can't remember where it is.

good luck!

john

[Stefrobrts]

Before the last trip I sanitized the main tank with bleach, and despite repeated flushings, the water still tasted bad on our last trip. So I am hesitant to run antifreeze through the system unless I absolutely have to.

I think Jody has about the same climate as we do here - normally mild and wet. Also I talked to another RVing friend here in town and she said they've never had a pipe freeze doing what I'm doing (the space heater inside was her idea). I think it will be ok, I'm just really paranoid. I probably should go ahead and do it just for peace of mind!

Hey Diesel, I'll bet you hit snow coming up 84 to Portland. Probably just slush on the roads though. It's a little higher elevation here. so we've got a little depth.

[overlander63]

Originally posted by Stefrobrts
Before the last trip I sanitized the main tank with bleach, and despite repeated flushings, the water still tasted bad on our last trip. So I am hesitant to run antifreeze through the system unless I absolutely have to.

I think Jody has about the same climate as we do here - normally mild and wet. Also I talked to another RVing friend here in town and she said they've never had a pipe freeze doing what I'm doing (the space heater inside was her idea). I think it will be ok, I'm just really paranoid. I probably should go ahead and do it just for peace of mind!

Hey Diesel, I'll bet you hit snow coming up 84 to Portland. Probably just slush on the roads though. It's a little higher elevation here. so we've got a little depth.

Umm, this may be too simple an idea for you to have thought of, why not run the furnace in your trailer?
Terry

[Davydd]

John HD,

It may be in the 60s tomorrow (Thursday) but snow is on the way this Saturday north of Madison if our weather guy is right. Happy hunting. Just what the gods ordered.

[wahoonc]

Originally posted by argosy20


Umm, this may be too simple an idea for you to have thought of, why not run the furnace in your trailer?
Terry

That is what I am doing with mine, trying to empty out a partial LP tank so I can get it recertified and OPDed, the other one is full so who knows when I will get it done

Aaron

[Pick]

I winterized mine several weeks ago. Since then we had one night that hit 20, so I am glad I did it.

May be heading to Florida in a week or two, so I'll have to do it again

[overlander63]

Originally posted by Pick
I winterized mine several weeks ago. Since then we had one night that hit 20, so I am glad I did it.

May be heading to Florida in a week or two, so I'll have to do it again

It was 75 here today, with a low of 60. will be back up to 80 by Sunday.
Terry

[diesel]

Stefrobrts

It was dry when we left The Dalles. Hit rain at Hood River as usual. The temperature went down to 38 degrees most of the way. At Cascade Locks the temperature went to 35 degrees for a short while. If the rain were snow, it would have been very deep. What snow there was, was confined to the west end of the Gorge.

I see Portland got scared and closed some schools

Coming back last night, the temperatures stayed at 40 degrees and the rain stopped once we got east of Hood River. Sure is nice to live east of the Cascades.

Mount Hood is opening today and Mt Bachelor is opening tomorrrow for skiing. From our windows, it looks like both Mt Hood and Mt Adams got plenty of snow yesterday. It is presently 44 degrees and I turned the furnace back on.

Hope your pipes survived!