black water tank freeze
- Thread starter adameee
- Start date
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geodrake
Moderator Emeritus
Hello Adameee & welcome to The RV forum.
Folks on the forum are passionate RVers and we love to help other RVers. People new to RVing frequently have questions or need a little assistance in troubleshooting. We have a large pool of collective knowledge and can address most items. Much information has been collected and stored in our library. If not there, a search on previous discussions (threads) can be fruitful. And of course posting the question here works too.
To your question; You didn't indicate what part of the country you are in however the question it's self would indicate that you are in hard winter country. Keeping plumbing thawed can be both expensive and difficult. If the weather dips below 32 and stays there for a few days you could have major problems.
The answer is always heat. Many RVs have the plumbing running along side of the heat ducts. For this reason it is wise to heat the RV with the furnace. If you choose to heat by another means, then run the furnace fan to circulate the warm air near the pipes. If you rig has the plumbing running beneath the floor and exposed to the outside it is going to be a real problem.
Holding tanks are another issue, and need to be considered. But you can keep antifreeze in them.
The fresh water holding tank can also be a problem. However a trouble light placed in the compartment with the fresh water tank can generate a lot of heat and in most cases it will protect the fresh water tank.
If you get into sub zero temps, you are going to have problems. Some sort of barrier like skirting, hay bales, etc. will do a lot of good.
Plan on using tons of propane!
Aside from being a great go-to place for answers, this is a great place to get to know other RVers. Join our discussions and you will soon have many new RV friends.
Welcome aboard!
Folks on the forum are passionate RVers and we love to help other RVers. People new to RVing frequently have questions or need a little assistance in troubleshooting. We have a large pool of collective knowledge and can address most items. Much information has been collected and stored in our library. If not there, a search on previous discussions (threads) can be fruitful. And of course posting the question here works too.
To your question; You didn't indicate what part of the country you are in however the question it's self would indicate that you are in hard winter country. Keeping plumbing thawed can be both expensive and difficult. If the weather dips below 32 and stays there for a few days you could have major problems.
The answer is always heat. Many RVs have the plumbing running along side of the heat ducts. For this reason it is wise to heat the RV with the furnace. If you choose to heat by another means, then run the furnace fan to circulate the warm air near the pipes. If you rig has the plumbing running beneath the floor and exposed to the outside it is going to be a real problem.
Holding tanks are another issue, and need to be considered. But you can keep antifreeze in them.
The fresh water holding tank can also be a problem. However a trouble light placed in the compartment with the fresh water tank can generate a lot of heat and in most cases it will protect the fresh water tank.
If you get into sub zero temps, you are going to have problems. Some sort of barrier like skirting, hay bales, etc. will do a lot of good.
Plan on using tons of propane!
Aside from being a great go-to place for answers, this is a great place to get to know other RVers. Join our discussions and you will soon have many new RV friends.
Welcome aboard!
Tony_Alberta
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 9, 2010
- Posts
- 1,297
I'd suggest straw bales rather than hay bales. Mice and such don't like straw as much as they would hay. And I suspect straw bales to be cheaper.geodrake said:
maddog348
Well-known member
Straw MUCH less $$
thanks--this is very helpful.
BTW, location is Santa Fe NM--winter has below freezing nights (not usually below twenties), afternoons in the forties and up.
Also:
Using electric oil-filled radiator for heat, but may fire up propane heater, which has not been used in a while, and with which I am unfamiliar. Are there issues with fumes/o2 depletion in the small space? Camper is a 90's dolphin.
Is there a special antifreeze for the holding tanks? (septic guy comes out to empty.)
Thanks again in advance.
BTW, location is Santa Fe NM--winter has below freezing nights (not usually below twenties), afternoons in the forties and up.
Also:
Using electric oil-filled radiator for heat, but may fire up propane heater, which has not been used in a while, and with which I am unfamiliar. Are there issues with fumes/o2 depletion in the small space? Camper is a 90's dolphin.
Is there a special antifreeze for the holding tanks? (septic guy comes out to empty.)
Thanks again in advance.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
You have already asked this question elsewhere - answer can be found HERE
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