Propane odor or an alarm? Leave the RV immediately. Do not operate electrical switches, use a phone inside or start the engine or generator. Call for help from a safe location. For a carbon-monoxide alarm, get everyone into fresh air and call emergency services. Do not re-enter until it is safe.
Use your model’s manual. These are general owner checks and planning notes. The installed equipment’s instructions govern operation, maintenance and winterization.

Choose a procedure for your exact RV

Gather the coach manual and instructions for the water heater, refrigerator, washer, toilet and water-treatment equipment. List every item connected to water. A basic sink-and-shower checklist is not enough for a rig with an ice maker, washer or tankless heater.

Use only a winterizing product labeled for potable RV plumbing and compatible with your equipment. Never use automotive antifreeze in the fresh-water system. If using compressed air, follow the lowest applicable manufacturer pressure limit and required air-quality precautions; do not borrow a universal pressure setting from another RV.

Prepare the water system safely

Switch off every water-heater energy source, let the heater cool, disconnect city water and turn the water pump off. Relieve system pressure using the appliance’s procedure before opening drains or removing a plug. Hot, pressurized water can cause serious burns.

Drain and service the tanks and plumbing as instructed, using an approved dump location for waste. Identify the water-heater bypass and filter instructions before introducing antifreeze. The right process for a conventional tank heater may be wrong for a tankless or combination unit.

Check every water branch

  • Kitchen and bathroom faucets, both hot and cold sides.
  • Interior and exterior showers, including hoses and spray heads.
  • Toilet supply, sprayer and any additional toilet.
  • Water pump, strainer, low-point drains and city-water connection.
  • Refrigerator water dispenser and ice-maker feed, if fitted.
  • Washer, dishwasher, filtered-water tap and other installed appliances.
  • Black-tank flush plumbing, handled separately to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Drain traps and toilet seals, protected as their manufacturers specify.

Mark an item complete only after following its procedure. Seeing colored fluid at one faucet does not prove every branch is protected. Do not force inlet check valves or assume that opening low-point drains empties pumps and appliance passages.

Treat tankless and combination heaters separately

Built-in freeze protection may depend on power, fuel or operating mode and may protect only the heater itself. It is not a substitute for storage winterization. For example, Truma instructs owners to drain the Combi water container when frost threatens an unused RV and advises against high-pressure air or antifreeze solutions in that unit. Check your exact model rather than generalizing this procedure to other heaters.

If you cannot identify all drain points, bypass valves or the correct appliance process, book winterization service before temperatures fall.

Plan battery care and inspect the exterior

Follow the battery and charger manuals for storage charge, temperature limits, disconnection and periodic checks. Confirm whether a disconnect switch leaves loads such as alarms or electronics connected. Do not disable required detectors in an occupied RV. House and chassis batteries may have different charging paths.

Inspect accessible roof edges, window seals and compartment seals from a safe position. Address leaks with compatible materials; do not walk on an icy or unsupported roof. Remove food, clean the interior and plan moisture control. Keep required ventilation and appliance openings clear.

Leave a record for spring

Photograph valve positions and label the winterization date, product used and any incomplete items. Keep water-heater power disabled while the tank is empty. Schedule storage inspections after storms and temperature changes. Before returning to use, restore valves, flush and sanitize as instructed, check for leaks and verify the heater is ready before energizing it.

Use the maintenance checklists to keep notes alongside your normal seasonal inspection. If you will continue traveling, read the cold-weather camping checklist as well.

Keep preparing for colder weather

Sources and model-specific instructions

Published September 28, 2026. Calculations are illustrative planning examples. See our editorial policy for how we prepare and update repair content.