Winterizing/Long Term Storage Tips

Wintertime is here, and if you plan to store your living quarters horse trailer for an extended period of time, there are some precautions that, if taken, can prolong the life of your interior.

• Drain all water from the trailer by opening all low point drains. It’s important that the trailer is level when draining the water from it. The plumbing is installed so the low point drains are the lowest points in the system. If the trailer is not level when draining, some water may remain in the system. Open all sink and shower faucets and hold down the flush lever on the toilet for several seconds. The faucets and drains should remain open until you use your trailer again. If your trailer is equipped with a water heater bypass, it must also be open to completely drain the water system. Disconnect the supply and outlet lines from the water pump, run the pump until water stops flowing from it, then turn the pump off. Leave the supply and outlet lines disconnected until you use your trailer again.
• Drain the water from the water heater by removing the drain plug from the tank and opening the pressure relief valve. Important: Insure that the water heater has been turned off and that the water in the water heater is cool prior to draining.
• Drain and flush black and grey holding tanks.
• Pour 1 cup of RV antifreeze into all sink drains. Pour 2 cups into the shower drain. This will force antifreeze into the gray water holding tank to protect the drain valve.  While holding down the flush pedal on the toilet, pour 2 cups of antifreeze into the toilet.  This will allow antifreeze to enter the black water holding tank to protect the drain valve. Use only non-toxic RV antifreeze that is specifically made for potable water systems. Automotive antifreeze, if ingested, can cause blindness, deafness or death.
• Remove the batteries, fully charge if necessary (never store batteries in a discharged state). Fill with distilled water if needed. Store the batteries in a cool dry location. Charge as needed during the storage period (approx. every 6 weeks of storage).
• Close the window blinds or cover the windows by other means to prevent the sun from fading fabrics.
• If your trailer is equipped with an air conditioner, clean or replace the air filters and cover the shroud.

If you live in a climate that encounters freezing temperatures, or are not confident that all the water has been completely drained from the water system, you may fill the system with RV antifreeze. This is done by using the fresh water pump to fill the water lines, faucets, and toilets. If your trailer is not equipped with a water heater bypass, we recommend getting one added. Not bypassing the water heater will require 6 additional gallons of antifreeze. Use only non-toxic RV antifreeze that is specifically made for potable water systems. Automotive antifreeze, if ingested, can cause blindness, deafness or death. If you winterize your trailer using this method, make sure the antifreeze is completely flushed from the fresh water system before using next season.

If you do not feel comfortable winterizing your trailer yourself, many dealers offer this as a service. Contact your dealer for more information.

For a more detailed description of long term storage and/or winterizing specific component parts of your horse trailer, see the owner’s manual specific to each component.

This checklist is a basic guide that is intended to assist you in winterizing/storing your living quarters trailer. As this is a general guide, it is not possible to cover every living quarters trailer and floorplan. It is extremely important that you read the owner’s manuals specific to your trailer.