I live where winter bites hard. Michigan. First freeze hits, and my trailer groans a little. Last year I rushed and cracked a tiny PEX elbow behind the outside shower. That taught me. This year, I slowed down. I did it right. And you know what? It wasn’t bad. A little messy. A little cold. Kinda peaceful, too. If you’d like the blow-by-blow version with more photos, you can skim the detailed guide I wrote right after finishing last November.
My Rig and My Gear (Real Stuff I Used)
- 2019 Jayco Jay Flight 24BH (Suburban 6-gal water heater)
- 3 gallons pink RV/Marine antifreeze (Camco brand)
- Camco brass blowout plug for the city water inlet
- Porter-Cable 6-gallon pancake air compressor (set to 35 psi)
- 1-1/16 inch socket + breaker bar for the Suburban anode rod
- Teflon tape for re-installing the plug/rod
- Camco water heater tank rinser wand
- Battery Tender Junior trickle charger
- Two DampRid buckets and a few Fresh Cab rodent pouches
- ADCO cover and basic tire covers
- Spare 1/2" SharkBite elbow (because of last year’s oops)
The 24BH falls into the bunkhouse category—a floorplan that’s both a blessing and a puzzle on travel days. I spent a good chunk of the summer testing its limits, and I jotted down what I loved and what I didn’t for anyone considering the layout.
I did this on a Saturday. Coffee in a thermos. Gloves in my pocket. My dog watched me like I was building a rocket.
Quick Warm-Up: Power, Propane, and Safety
I turned off the water heater the night before. No power. No propane. I let it cool. Trust me, pulling a hot anode rod is a bad idea. Ask my forearm.
I also shut off the pump and opened a faucet to drop the pressure. Little hiss, then quiet.
Step 1: Drain the Tanks and Low-Point Lines
- I opened the fresh tank drain. Let it glug out on the gravel.
- I found the red and blue low-point drains under the belly. I opened both. A little surprise splash on my shoe. Fine. It happens.
I also drained the black and gray at the dump station a day before. Clean tanks make winter nicer. Less… mystery smells.
If you prefer a printable reference while you work, this straightforward RV winterizing checklist walks through the same drain-first sequence. For an even deeper dive into what every RV owner should know before the temperatures plunge, Go RVing’s in-depth primer on RV winterization is another worthwhile read.
Step 2: Water Heater—Don’t Skip This
- I pulled the pressure relief valve first.
- Then I used my 1-1/16 socket to remove the anode rod. It was crusty. I rinsed the tank with the Camco wand till the water ran clear. Little chunks came out. That’s normal.
- I installed the water heater bypass. Mine is a simple three-valve setup. I set it to bypass so the pink stuff doesn’t fill the heater. That saves money. And time.
I wrapped the anode threads with fresh Teflon tape and put it back. Snug, not gorilla tight.
Step 3: Blow Out the Lines (Gentle Air, Not Hurricane Air)
I screwed the Camco blowout plug into the city water port. Set my compressor to 35 psi. Please don’t go 80. I did that the first year and popped a faucet cartridge. Felt very smart… later.
Then I worked one line at a time:
- Kitchen sink: cold, then hot, till just air.
- Bathroom sink: cold, then hot.
- Shower: both sides. Don’t forget the handheld wand. Pull the trigger too.
- Toilet: tap the pedal and let it spit air.
- Outside shower: both knobs. This is the one I forgot last year. That’s how I cracked that elbow. Not again.
- Black tank flush: short bursts to clear the sprayer head.
It sounds fussy, but it’s simple—open, pfffft, close. Move on.
Step 4: Pull Antifreeze Through the Pump
My Jayco has a factory winterize valve on the pump. I flipped it, stuck the tube in a jug of pink, and turned the pump on. If you’re unfamiliar with drawing antifreeze through the pump, Winnebago’s clear step-by-step guide to winterizing your RV explains the process with photos.
Then I went fixture by fixture, same order:
- Kitchen cold till pink, then hot till pink.
- Bath cold, then hot.
- Shower wand till pink.
- Toilet till pink.
- Outside shower till pink.
I used about 2.5 gallons total. I saved the rest for the drains. If you don’t have a pump kit, you can add one, or use a short hose on the pump inlet. But the kit is worth it.
Step 5: Protect the Traps and Tanks
I poured about a cup of pink down each drain. That fills the P-traps so they don’t freeze and crack. A little splash in the toilet, too.
I like to add a quart of pink to both the black and gray tanks. It keeps seals wet and gives a little freeze buffer.
Tiny tip I learned from an older camper at the dump station: cycle the toilet seal once after adding pink so it coats the blade.
Step 6: Battery, Fridge, and Little Comfort Things
- I pulled the negative cable on the battery and brought the battery into the garage. Battery Tender Junior on a shelf. It hums along all winter. No dead surprise in spring.
- I propped the fridge and freezer doors open with a towel to stop mold.
- Two DampRid buckets—one on the dinette, one in the bath.
- Fresh Cab pouches in the pass-through and under the sink. I also stuffed steel wool in the small holes where pipes meet the floor. Mice hate that.
I wiped counters, cracked the roof vents under the MaxxAir covers, and called it good.
Step 7: Outside Wrap-Up
- Greased the hitch balls. Quick wipe, little dab.
- Aired the trailer tires to spec and put on the tire covers.
- ADCO cover on, gentle fit, straps snug. Not banjo tight. Just snug.
- Chocks checked. Locks checked. I snapped a photo of each step with my phone so I remember how I left it. Saves me spring panic.
What Went Wrong Before (So You Don’t Repeat It)
- I forgot the outside shower once. The PEX elbow split. I fixed it with a SharkBite in twenty minutes, but my knuckles paid the price.
- I used too much air pressure. It blew the bathroom faucet guts. 35 psi is plenty. 40 max.
- I didn’t bypass the water heater my first season. I sent two gallons of pink straight in there. Total waste. I laughed and then I swore.
Time, Cost, and Mood Check
- Time: about 2 hours, with coffee breaks and a quick chat with my neighbor about his smoker.
- Consumables cost: around $30–$40 (antifreeze, Teflon tape, DampRid, pouches).
- A local shop quoted me $189 for winterizing only. So yeah, I saved a bit.
Honestly, the job feels calm once you get rolling. It’s a little like putting the garden to bed. You tuck things in. You make spring easier for your future self. And when I start craving highway stripes in February, a quick stream of Big Rig Travels—the rolling window I lean on for road time scratches the itch until the cover comes off.
Winter downtime also means more evenings parked in the driveway than gathered around a campground fire ring. If cabin fever nudges you to look for some lighthearted human connection online, check out this candid Get It On review — it outlines the platform’s features, cost, and safety tools so you can decide whether a little casual chatting is the perfect antidote to those long, cold nights.
Motorhomers who escape the snow by pointing their rig south toward the Gulf Coast often ask where the real nightlife is once the campfire dies down; if Biloxi, Mississippi ends up on your travel map, the local scene is neatly summarized in this helpful AdultLook Biloxi guide that breaks down prices, verification steps, and common-sense safety tips so you can meet new people with confidence while you’re soaking up that warm coastal breeze.
Tiny Tips I Wish Someone Told Me
- Label your water heater valves with