6 Best RV Water System Winterizing Kits For Beginners For A Foolproof Process

The first hard freeze of the season always catches someone off guard, and in the RV world, that oversight can lead to a catastrophic mess. I’ve seen it happen: a hairline crack in a water line from a single cold night expands into a full-blown flood the moment you reconnect to city water in the spring. A simple winterizing kit is the only thing standing between you and a repair bill that can easily run into the thousands.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Why Winterizing Your RV Water System is Crucial

Water is unique. When it freezes, it expands by about 9 percent, and it does so with incredible force. That force is more than enough to split rigid PEX tubing, crack plastic faucet housings, and destroy your water pump or water heater.

Many newcomers think simply draining the tanks is enough. It’s not. Water gets trapped in low points in the lines, inside the pump, in the toilet valve, and in the small check valves scattered throughout your system. Even a few drops left in a fitting can freeze, expand, and cause a crack that you won’t discover until it’s actively leaking inside your walls.

This isn’t just about preventing leaks; it’s about protecting the core of your RV’s livability. A compromised water system can lead to mold, floor rot, and electrical damage. Winterizing is the single most important piece of seasonal maintenance you will ever do, and a good kit makes the process nearly foolproof.

Camco 36543 Pump Converter Winterizing Kit

This is probably the most common type of kit you’ll see, and for good reason. It’s simple, effective, and gets the job done without much fuss. The kit consists of a brass valve and a siphon hose that you install on the inlet side of your water pump.

The process is straightforward. You bypass your fresh water tank, stick the siphon hose directly into a jug of RV-safe antifreeze, and turn on your pump. The pump then draws the pink antifreeze through itself and pushes it through all the water lines, faucets, and fixtures. It’s a visual process; you just open each faucet until you see pink fluid, then you know that line is protected.

The beauty of this kit is its simplicity. There’s no guesswork. If you see pink, you’re protected. The main tradeoff is that you have to thoroughly flush the system with fresh water in the spring to get rid of the antifreeze taste. But for a beginner who wants absolute certainty, this is the gold standard.

Camco 36143 Brass Blow Out Plug with Valve

This little brass fitting represents a completely different philosophy of winterizing. Instead of filling your lines with antifreeze, you use compressed air to force every last drop of water out. This is my preferred method for my own rigs, as it avoids any lingering chemical taste in the spring.

The plug screws directly into your city water inlet. You connect an air compressor (with a regulator!) and introduce low-pressure air—typically no more than 40 PSI—into the system. You then go through the RV, opening each faucet one by one until it just sputters air. This process evacuates the water, leaving the lines empty and safe from freezing. The small ball valve on this specific plug is a nice touch, allowing you to shut off the air right at the source without running back to your compressor.

The downside? You need an air compressor, and you have to be careful not to use too much pressure, which can damage the lines. It also requires a bit more diligence, as you can’t see that the lines are empty. Still, for those who want a clean, chemical-free system, this is the way to go.

Valterra P23501LF Winterizing Kit for Pumps

The Valterra kit functions almost identically to the Camco pump converter. It’s a three-way valve that allows your pump to draw from either the fresh tank or a jug of antifreeze. So why choose one over the other? It often comes down to build quality and brand preference.

Valterra is a trusted name in RV plumbing, and this kit features a sturdy, lead-free brass valve that feels substantial. The installation is permanent, meaning once it’s in, you just have to turn the valve handle each season. This is a small but significant quality-of-life improvement over temporary setups you have to screw on and off.

If you’re looking for a reliable, no-nonsense antifreeze siphoning kit that you install once and use for years, the Valterra is a fantastic choice. It’s a workhorse product designed for durability, perfect for someone who plans to own their RV for the long haul.

SHURFLO 94-591-01 Permanent Winterizing Kit

This kit is all about integration. SHURFLO is one of the biggest names in RV water pumps, and this kit is designed to seamlessly connect to their products. If you look at your pump and see the SHURFLO name, this is likely the easiest and cleanest installation you can get.

Instead of cutting into your water lines, this kit often uses the existing threaded ports on the pump itself. This minimizes potential leak points and simplifies the install. Like the other pump converters, it allows you to easily siphon antifreeze through your system.

The key benefit here is the guaranteed compatibility and ease of installation with SHURFLO pumps. If you don’t have a SHURFLO pump, this isn’t for you. But if you do, it’s a specialized tool that makes the job incredibly slick and professional.

RecPro RV Winterizing Kit with Blowout Plug

For the beginner who isn’t sure which method to use, this combo kit is the perfect solution. It includes both a pump converter for siphoning antifreeze and a brass blowout plug for using compressed air. This gives you ultimate flexibility.

Why would you want both? Some people (myself included) use a hybrid approach. First, I use the blowout plug to force most of the water out with compressed air. Then, I run a small amount of antifreeze through the system with the pump converter, just to protect the pump itself and any stubborn low points I might have missed. This gives me total peace of mind while using far less antifreeze.

This kit empowers you to experiment and find the process that works best for your rig and your comfort level. It’s an excellent value and a smart purchase for any new RV owner. You’re essentially getting two tools for the price of one, covering all your bases from day one.

Flojet 18555-000A Winterizing Port Kit

Much like the SHURFLO kit, this is a brand-specific solution designed for Flojet water pumps. Flojet is another major player in the RV world, and this kit provides a clean, permanent port for winterizing. It’s designed to make the process as simple as flipping a lever.

The main advantage is the custom-fit design. It integrates directly with the pump, often requiring no cutting of PEX lines. This makes for a very tidy and reliable installation. It’s a high-quality component built to last the life of the pump.

If your RV is equipped with a Flojet pump, this is the most elegant way to add a winterizing function. It takes a seasonal chore and turns it into a simple, two-minute task. For those who value efficiency and a factory-finish look, this is the kit to get.

Step-by-Step: Using Your New Winterizing Kit

Once you’ve chosen your kit, the process itself is quite simple. Always start by draining your entire system: the fresh, gray, and black tanks, as well as the low-point drains for your hot and cold water lines. Don’t forget to drain and bypass your water heater—you do not want to fill that with six or ten gallons of antifreeze.

For the Antifreeze (Siphoning) Method:

1. Install your pump converter kit per the instructions.
2. Turn the valve to bypass the fresh water tank and draw from the siphon hose.
3. Place the end of the siphon hose into a jug of RV-safe, non-toxic antifreeze.
4. Turn on your water pump.
5. Go to the faucet furthest from the pump. Open the hot tap first, and let it run until you see pink fluid. Then close it and open the cold tap until it also runs pink.
6. Repeat this process for every faucet, including the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, indoor/outdoor showers, and the toilet. Flush the toilet until you see pink in the bowl.
7. Turn off the pump, and you’re done. You’ve successfully displaced all the water with freeze-proof antifreeze.

For the Compressed Air (Blowout) Method:

1. Screw the blowout plug into your city water inlet.
2. Set your air compressor’s regulator to no more than 40 PSI. This is critical.
3. Connect the compressor to the blowout plug and introduce air into the system.
4. Go to the furthest faucet and open both taps. You’ll see water sputter out, eventually turning to just air. Close the taps.
5. Repeat this for every single faucet, shower, and the toilet.
6. Once all lines are blowing air, disconnect the compressor. As a final step, pour a cup of RV antifreeze down each drain to protect the P-traps and into the toilet bowl to protect the valve seal.

Regardless of the method, the goal is the same: get the water out. Taking 30 minutes to do this properly in the fall saves you from weeks of repairs and a massive headache in the spring. It’s the cheapest insurance you can buy for your rig.

Ultimately, the best kit is the one you’ll actually use. Don’t overthink it; pick one that matches your pump or your preferred method and make it a non-negotiable part of your fall routine. Your future self—and your wallet—will thank you for it.