Preparing Your RV Holding Tanks for Winter Storage

Properly winterizing your RV’s holding tanks is one of the most important steps in preparing for off-season storage. Skipping this process can lead to cracked tanks, damaged valves, and a messy start to your next camping season.

Start With a Professional Cleaning

Before winterizing, have your tanks professionally cleaned. Starting the storage season with clean tanks prevents residue from hardening over the winter months, which can make it much more difficult to remove in spring.

Dump and Flush Thoroughly

After cleaning, dump both your black and gray tanks completely. Use your built-in tank rinser or a dedicated flush wand to rinse until the water runs clear. This step removes any remaining loose debris.

Add RV Antifreeze

Once the tanks are empty and clean, add a small amount of non-toxic RV antifreeze to each tank. Pour enough antifreeze into each drain to ensure the antifreeze reaches the valves and low points in the plumbing.

• Black tank: Pour antifreeze down the toilet.
• Gray tank: Pour antifreeze down each sink and shower drain
• Fresh tank: If not using a blowout plug method, pump antifreeze through the water lines

Leave Valves Closed

Keep your dump valves closed during storage. This prevents pests from entering through the sewer connection and keeps antifreeze where it needs to be.

Additional Tips

RV antifreeze can evaporate over a long winter. Here are some tips to help keep that from happening:

• Toilet: Add antifreeze to the bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap
• Sinks: Make sure to close off the drains to your sinks, this keeps evaporation in check
• Shower: Make sure the shower drain is also covered to minimize evaporation

Need help getting your RV ready for winter storage? Get in touch and we’ll help make sure your RV is set for a worry-free winter.