Winterization Reminder

Just a quick reminder that if you live in a 4-season climate, it is time to winterize your RVs, OHVs, and camping equipment.  Since I have covered winterization in detail in previous posts I won't repeat it here, just cover a few basic topics to help remind you of what you need to be doing.  Not properly winterizing your RVs, OHVs, boats, and camping equipment can expose them to severe damage caused by freezing in cold climates and may invite mold and mildew or damage by pests everywhere.  Water systems are usually a primary focus of winterization.  In cold climates unprotected systems can freeze and since water expands when it freezes, freezing can cause significant damage that can be expensive, sometimes impossible, to repair.  In milder climates water systems stagnant water may develop bad odors and can even accumulate toxic mold and mildew.  Winterization focuses mainly on freeze protection because that is most likely to cause severe damage, but properly cleaning and storing everything is critical to keeping it in good working condition and prevent unwanted damage during storage.  Soiled tents, sleeping bags, and clothing will attract pests that can wreak severe damage on the soft materials.  Bugs (including moths) eat holes in things; mice chew things up and leave nasty droppings everywhere;  mold and mildew weaken fabrics as well as giving them bad odors that are sometimes impossible to get rid of.  A little extra care in preparing your items for storage and prevent a lot of this kind of damage.

Keep an eye on the weather, especially dropping temperatures.   You want to make sure you have winterized all your camping gear and recreational vehicles BEFORE you get regular freezing days and nights.  As long as the temp remains above 32F water and water-based products won't freeze but below 32F they will begin to freeze.  RVs will usually withstand a little freezing overnight temperatures but when it drops below 24F or so at night and never gets above freezing during the day they will be very likely to experience frozen water systems if they have not been properly protected.  Water expands when it freezes with enough force to rupture even sturdy steel pipes.  The plastic pipes and water tanks on RVs are even more susceptible to freeze damage if not protected.

Any vehicle or piece of equipment that includes water needs to be freeze protected.  Either completely drain any water based systems or replace the water with potable RV antifreeze.  Engine cooling systems should be protected with automotive antifreeze of the proper concentration, usually 50-50.

RVs and OHVs that will be stored for next season need to be cleaned and serviced.  If they have water cooled engines, make sure the coolant contains enough antifreeze to protect them against freezing.  Today's gasoline with ethanol deteriorates quickly so it is best to drain fuel and purge fuel from fuel systems.  Turning off the fuel at the tank and letting the engine run until it runs out of fuel usually does the job.  Then drain the tank.   Additives such as Stabil can extend the usable life of gasoline but draining the tank is more reliable.

Camping equipment needs to be clean and dry when put in storage for the winter.  Damp and/or dirty items are subject to rot, mold, mildew, and insect damage.  Perishable provisions should be removed and each one stored appropriately.  Gasoline fueled appliances liked stoves and lanterns need proper fuel treatment.  Camping and OHV clothing along with tents and bedding should be cleaned and stored where it will be safe from pests (insects and rodents mostly).  Adding moth balls or used dryer cloths to the storage container will help deter pests.   Using dryer cloths avoid having the unpleasant smell of moth balls on your clothing or linens.

Camping tools, such as axes, hatchets, shovels, etc. should be properly cleaned, repaired, and oiled before storage.  Metal parts that are not protected are likely to rust.  Wooden handles benefit from being wiped down with linseed oil to prevent them from getting over dried out while in storage.  Canopies and camp furniture should be clean and dry before being put into storage.  Any moving parts should be lightly lubricated.

The off season is usually a good time to perform preventative maintenance and/or upgrades to your equipment.  Doing so during this time lets you take advantage of  "down time" to work on stuff without impacting normal usage and gives you something related to your hobbies to do during the off season.  You might also be able to take advantage of reduced off-season prices.  Or, if you snagged some bargains during year-end clearance sales, now is a good time to get them assembled and or installed.  You might have to wait until next season to try them out, but you will have them ready to go when weather does permit taking out your rig.  Go over your "to do" list for your camping stuff.  Winter is a really good time to make repairs or improvements without impacting your camping schedule.  It is also a fun way to stay involved with your hobbies when heading outside isn't desirable or practical.

You can also use the off season to review and catalog the last season's activities and do research and make plans for next year.   The sooner you document your activities, the better chance you will capture accurate memories of them.  Converting camping log books into more detailed histories for example.  You might be able to expand on some of your camping notes before the memories fade.   Or copying hand written logs into electronic format for easy long-term storage and retrieval. Researching new equipment and new destinations can be a fun way to use the time you normally spend participating in your chosen activities the rest of the year.  Finding things to add interest, fun, or convenience to your camping experience is always a productive use of time.  Identifying new places to go and explore expands your options along with bolstering your knowledge of your environment.  I found it was a lot of fun to learn more of the history of the mining camps and communities where we went dirt biking in the Mojave Desert.   We even got to visit the crash site of one of the X-1 test planes.

Make good use of your off time!