7 Best RV Winterizing Kits For Cold Weather Nomads Swear By
These are the winterizing kits nomads actually use.
That first weather alert for a hard freeze sends a familiar chill down every RVer’s spine. It’s not just about the cold; it’s about the water sitting in your plumbing, ready to expand and wreak havoc. A single frozen, burst pipe can lead to thousands in water damage, ending a season or even a full-timing dream.
This isn’t just a chore; it’s the most critical maintenance you’ll perform all year. Protecting your mobile home from the destructive power of ice is non-negotiable. The good news is that with the right tools, the process shifts from a daunting task to a straightforward, confidence-building routine.
We’re not talking about complicated, expensive systems. The most seasoned nomads rely on a handful of simple, effective tools that get the job done right. This is about working smarter, not harder, to ensure your rig is safe, secure, and ready for whatever winter throws at it.
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Prep Your RV With These Top Winterizing Kits
Winterizing isn’t a single action, but a systematic process of removing every drop of water from your plumbing. Think of it as putting your RV’s most vulnerable system to bed for the winter. Get it right, and you’ll wake up to a perfectly functioning home in the spring.
There are two primary schools of thought: blowing the lines out with compressed air or pumping RV-specific antifreeze through the system. The truth is, the most thorough and foolproof method involves both. Air gets the bulk of the water out, and antifreeze protects against any residual moisture that could freeze in low spots.
The following tools are the building blocks of a professional-grade winterization you can easily do yourself. From the simplest plug to a powerful pump, these are the items that cold-weather nomads swear by. They represent the difference between hoping your RV is safe and knowing it is.
Start Simple with the Camco Blow Out Plug
Easily clear your RV's water lines for winterization and dewinterization with the durable Camco brass blow out plug. Simply screw it into your RV's city water inlet for quick and effective line clearing.
This little brass fitting is the undisputed starting point for any winterization job. It’s a simple adapter that screws into your city water inlet, allowing you to connect a standard air compressor. Without it, you simply can’t perform the most fundamental step.
The process is direct: with all your faucets open, you introduce a low, steady stream of air into the system. It is critical to use a regulator and keep the pressure at or below 40-50 PSI. Any higher, and you risk blowing apart your plumbing fittings from the inside out.
Even if you plan to use antifreeze, this step is essential. Blowing the lines out first ensures you get the vast majority of the water out, preventing your antifreeze from becoming diluted and ineffective. For a few dollars, this plug provides the foundation for a successful winterization.
Simplify Antifreeze with Camco’s Pump Kit
Once your lines are clear of water, adding antifreeze provides the ultimate protection. The Camco Pump Converter Winterizing Kit makes this process incredibly efficient. It saves you from pouring gallons of antifreeze into your fresh water tank, which is a messy hassle to flush in the spring.
Winterize your RV quickly and easily by using your existing water pump to fill pipes with antifreeze. This permanent kit includes a brass valve, siphon hose, Teflon tape, and pump adapters for a one-time installation. CSA Low Lead Content Certified.
This kit is just a short, flexible hose with fittings that allow you to bypass your fresh water tank entirely. You simply disconnect the inlet hose from your onboard water pump, screw this converter kit in its place, and stick the other end directly into a jug of RV antifreeze. Your own water pump does all the work.
This Aquastrong 1 HP sump pump quickly removes water from pools, basements, and more, pumping up to 4500 GPH. Its durable thermoplastic casing and bottom suction design ensure efficient and long-lasting performance.
From there, you just turn on the pump and go from faucet to faucet—hot and cold—until you see the pink fluid running through. It’s a clean, fast, and self-contained method that uses less antifreeze and guarantees it gets exactly where it needs to go. This is one of the biggest time-saving hacks in the RVer’s toolkit.
Your Manual Option: The Valterra Hand Pump
Sometimes, accessing your onboard water pump is a pain, or maybe you just prefer a more direct, non-electric method. The Valterra Antifreeze Hand Pump is a brilliant, simple machine for these scenarios. It’s a manual pump that lets you push antifreeze into the system from the outside.
It works by connecting directly to your city water inlet, the same port you use for the blowout plug. You place the siphon hose into your jug of antifreeze and simply start pumping. This manually pressurizes the system, allowing you to move through the RV and open each faucet until the antifreeze flows out.
While it requires more physical effort than using your RV’s electric pump, it’s a foolproof and reliable alternative. There are no electrical parts to fail, and it gives you a great feel for how the system is filling. For smaller rigs or as a bulletproof backup, this manual pump is an excellent piece of gear to have on hand.
Get a Pro Blowout with a VIAIR Air Compressor
Any air compressor can be used with a blowout plug, but not all are created equal. Nomads who value reliability and multi-purpose gear often turn to a portable 12V compressor like those from VIAIR. They are built for the road and provide the consistent, regulated airflow you need for a thorough blowout.
The key advantages are control and volume. A quality compressor allows you to precisely dial in a safe, low pressure and provides enough air volume to push water out of the entire system quickly, from the kitchen sink to the outdoor shower. Because its primary job is airing up massive RV tires, winterizing is an easy secondary task for it.
This is a prime example of the "buy once, cry once" philosophy that defines smart small-space living. Instead of a cheap, plastic pancake compressor that only does one thing, you get a robust, dual-use tool that is critical for both tire safety and plumbing protection. It earns its precious storage space twice over.
Choose Your Coolant: RecPro RV Antifreeze
Protect your RV, boat, or pool from freezing damage with Splash RV/Marine Antifreeze. This ready-to-use, -50°F burst protection formula is safer for people, pets, and the environment thanks to its plant-derived additive.
When you’re running a fluid through the same lines that will later carry your drinking water, the type of fluid matters immensely. All pink RV antifreeze is non-toxic, but there’s a key difference in the ingredients. Cheaper versions use an ethanol base, which can be harsh on plumbing.
The superior choice is a propylene glycol-based antifreeze, such as the kind offered by RecPro. Not only is it completely safe for potable water systems, but it also contains rust inhibitors and actually helps lubricate the rubber seals and gaskets in your faucets and toilet. Ethanol, by contrast, can dry those same seals out over time, leading to leaks.
Think of it as an investment in the long-term health of your rig. The price difference is minimal, but the benefit of protecting your plumbing’s delicate components is significant. Using a propylene glycol antifreeze ensures your system is not just protected from freezing, but also conditioned for the season ahead.
Easily Drain Your Water Heater with This Wrench
Boil water quickly and safely with the Cosori Electric Kettle. It features a stainless steel filter and spout for pure-tasting water, plus automatic shut-off for added safety.
Draining the water heater is a mandatory step, as the tank holds several gallons of water that absolutely must be removed. However, the plastic drain plug is often tucked into a tight, awkward space. Using the wrong tool can easily strip the soft plug or bloody your knuckles.
The Camco Water Heater Drain Plug Wrench is a specialty tool designed for this one specific, frustrating job. Its angled design and long reach allow you to easily access, loosen, and tighten the plug without contorting yourself or reaching for a socket set that doesn’t quite fit.
This is a perfect example of a small, inexpensive tool that solves a disproportionately large problem. It turns a dreaded part of the winterizing process into a simple, two-minute task. Having the right tool prevents damage to the water heater and ensures you get a complete drain every time.
Ensure Your Tanks Are Empty with a Flojet Pump
For many nomads, winterizing has to happen wherever you are, and that isn’t always next to a convenient dump station. If a surprise freeze is on the way, you can’t leave dozens of gallons of liquid in your black and grey tanks. The Flojet Macerator Pump is the ultimate solution for this problem.
This portable pump attaches directly to your RV’s sewer outlet. It uses a powerful grinder to liquefy waste and solids, then pumps the slurry through a standard garden hose. This allows you to empty your tanks over a much longer distance—uphill, if necessary—into a portable tote, a residential sewer cleanout, or a faraway dump station.
This tool provides freedom and flexibility when you need it most. It decouples the need to dump from the need to be at a specific location, which is a game-changer for boondockers or anyone caught off-guard by the weather. For the serious cold-weather nomad, a macerator pump is less of a convenience and more of a critical piece of survival gear.
Properly winterizing your RV isn’t about one magic tool; it’s about a system of them. It starts with a simple brass plug to blow out the lines and ends with having a plan for your holding tanks. Each piece of gear plays a specific, crucial role in protecting your investment.
By assembling a kit with these proven tools, you transform a stressful, uncertain task into a confident, repeatable process. You’re no longer just reacting to the weather; you’re proactively safeguarding your home against the harshest element.
And that’s the real payoff. It’s the peace of mind that comes from knowing, without a doubt, that when the spring thaw arrives, your systems will be intact and ready for the next adventure. That’s a feeling no RVer should go without.
