I work at a camper shop and we started winterizing campers last week. Definitely drain all the tanks and water heater. See if you can divert water from the water heater and we use a boondocking port to pump RV antifreeze through all the faucets/shower. Oh and make sure some antifreeze goes down each drain because water stays in the P traps and those can freeze
If you have a fridge in your camper, be sure to dry out the inside and leave that door open so you don't get mold. You probably already knew this, but want to save you from any future problems. Enjoy your family so much.
Looking sharp there, Mr. Stivers! I always love to see your sweet kiddos! It brings so much joy to see families who value each other and work together. It feels like a rare thing now. Loved this video. Thank you for all you share.
Those are beautiful pumpkins and the smoked chicken looked good. Your camera picked the Autumn colours beautifully, it is my favourite season of the year. Have a great day.
We live in Southern MN and my husband just did our camper last weekend. he drains everything but also does use antifreeze. Also we remove anything that can freeze and explode inside the camper. Fridge needs to be turned off, cleaned out and left open to prevent molding.
An extreme rare cold is coming something we have never experienced before just like the extreme summer heat that we’ve never experienced before….All part of Gods perfect plan for what he is about to do coming real soon so fasten your seatbelts for what’s to come…. stay warm, stay safe and God Bless ya cute little family and homestead
I usually blow the lines out with some low pressure air as well - just to make sure lol. Specially to make sure I get all the water out of the line to the toilet. They make an adapter with a schrader valve that screws into your water fill inlet. 10 or 15 lbs of pressure is all you want to use. Pour some RV antifreeze in the traps and the toilet and you are good to go. Love the tater cam! 🤠
We do our hay/feed backwards from y’all. We give hay in the morning, so they’ll eat more forage. We give feed in the evening to help them keep themselves warm overnight.
One last thing to ensure your camper is winterized is to open all your faucets, take an air hose and blow your low point drains. This ensures that there is no water hanging out in those lines. It is pretty imperative that you put rv antifreeze in your drain traps and I always put a little bit in the toilet to keep the seals from freezing. I have a 2006 camper that I have always done this to and it is still in perfect shape. One thing I also recommend is that you put a small heater in your camper and run it when the temps get down low, not for water freezing issues, but to keep all the plastics inside from turning yellow. One winter we decided not to do this and regretted it. It will keep your camper looking new longer. The plastic becomes very brittle and cracks and breaks easier.
Hubby turns down the pressure on his air compressor and blows everything out. He does put RV antifreeze down the toilet, shower and sinks; but of course NOT in the water tank or hot water heater. But it gets pretty cold here. -25 is not too unusual! PS-don’t forget the “Mother-In-Law” shower!!! Also watch for mice getting in all those open orifices; including when you periodically plug in the trailer!
I used the hog and cluck seasoning on a pork roast, cooked in the instant pot, yesterday. Very yummy. My husband has five years of firewood in the wood shed and cutting more wood this winter. You're right about not having enough wood. We've been married forty years and have our winter check list, almost checked off. Got to get more feed for the chickens. Steers are taken care of.
On our travel trailer, we open the low point drains, open all faucets, drain the water heater leaving the plug out, and make sure all holding tanks are empty. Now, if you have used your water pump at all, you will need to access it to put some RV anti-freeze in it to prevent it from busting. We also have an adapter that threads into the city water connection that we connect an air compressor to blow out the lines.
I would definitely do a little more on your winterizing of your RV. Once the hot water tank is drained close it back up and bypass it if you can then with the appropriate fitting take your air compressor pressurize your lines and blow all the water out of your primary lines like your sinks and toilets etc. Then put some RV fluid in your traps of all of your sinks. Your black and gray tanks are no big deal once they’re drained since any ice expansion will not be an issue. Last thing you want is cracked pipes next time you go on a camping adventure
Just winterized my RV, have plenty of firewood, and put a little fuel in the generator and made sure it's operating just in case of ice storms and power loss.
Leave your fridge door open, and also my hubby always stuffed Downey Dryer sheets around - apparently it will keep the mice away, where he stored his mustang, the other people swore by it.
MMMMMM that chicken looked delicious!!!! RE: camper winterize. We still put antifreeze in our lines but if you choose not to do that just be sure you pour a little in the goosenecks since water still holds in there. See ya next time!
it's funny that 150 years ago homesteading was the way of life for most of all of America,,, and with all the modern Technologies nowadays homesteading still seems very pleasing over the hustle and bustle of City Life maybe I should make a change LOL
I put camper antifreeze in the sink because it has a pea-trap. Water will stay in the pea-trap unless you blow air through the system. And I also blow air through the system. All you need is a small little air compressor. You can buy a fitting for like $5.00. That screws into the line that you use when hooking up at a site. Easy peasy.
We live in NW Indiana. My husband just winterized our RV last weekend. We definitely added antifreeze. Our trailer has the Nautilus system, so it’s super easy to just suck the antifreeze directly into the system. I know some people do blow air into the system to blow all of the water out and then they don’t use antifreeze. Good luck!! ~Angela
This was a great video you guys. Transitions were smooth and enjoyable. Cheers was a perfect ending to this video. I get so busy on my homestead I don't get much time to sit down and watch other youtubers. The kids have grown so much. The farm is lookin great. And you two are beautiful as always. God bless.
They sell a connector on Amazon that attaches to your compressor line to the water inlet ,it blows any water left in lines out completely,! It will save you a lot of trouble !
I don't have a camper, but have several family members here in Michigan that do. They drain and blow out the water tanks, and use antifreeze. They have both said it might not be strictly necessary, but they do it. They also throw rodent repellent packs in there to keep mice from making as many nests in and around the camper. Both have said they don't think it's fool-proof but have fewer issues than if the don't use it.
Jen, we made your Butternut Squash Pasta with Smoke Sausage tonight. I wanted to tell you, it was a hit.....everyome loved it. We will be making it again😊 Zach, I caught the intro welcome to Texas with your accent. 👍 There's more to winterizing your RV. Several of your other followers mentioned the process. I'm not going to repeat what they've already suggested. Y'all stay warm, were going to be freezing in OK in the morning. Our RV is already stored and set for winter.
I have a gas fireplace, love it,it never goes out,cook with it, water heater….. who was it that passed away. So sorry for your loss,lost my hubby 10 months ago on his 90 th BIRTHDAY, IT IS NEVER GONNA BE THE SAME,YOU JUST LEARN TO DEAL WITH IT,WITH THE HELP OF OUR LORD,HE SURE HELPS ME, THANK YOU JESUS, WITH OUT YIU NONE OF US WOULD COULD HANDLE LOSS AMEN…❤🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Just figured out you all are only about an hour drive from where I live, I love Kentucky it is such a beautiful state. I have lived here most of my life.
We put smell good stuff in septic. To keep rancid smell. I agree on antifreeze. We live in Alabama. The weather around here does it to winterize theirs
My kids are about thirty miles from Bardstown Kentucky and she said they had snow last night. I was back fishing them a coup,e if weeks ago and the nights were sure cold! Told them they need to get a wood stove purchased soon!
If your camper sits outside, better to be safe than sorry and winterize. Ours sits in our shop, so we don’t anymore. Leave fridge doors open for air flow
If you dont have a log splitter definitely put log splitter research on the definite list. Research current and past models while stuffing some cash aside each month and keeping your eyes open. Many get a log splitter after thier back is trashed. The time to get a logbsplitter is BEFORE your back has needless wear and tear but especially before your back is trashed. While slower, there is an advantage to some of the smaller log splitters capable of taking on-site of the fallen tree.
Double check the toilet, flush if applicable. Open the faucets. Check the fridge and leave the door open to avoid condensation and odors. Check the cupboards for food or liquids. Check to be sure no food is left in there to attract rodents.
Make sure to blow the lines out after they are drained. Leave a faucet on whenever you blow them out. We never used antifreeze in ours, blowing them out made sure they were dry for winter.
OMG lol. Sorry but puttin "Nanny" in the jar was hilarious! I've elected to be cremated also and I just wish and hope that my remains could be handled in just this manner so it would be entertaining hehe. I love you guys! Love Jen's hands when it was suggested to use a funnel. HAHAHAHHA...sorry if it seems sick to get a laugh at this but I can just see my two girls struggling with this very issue. Looks like I'm the only one who found this entertaining hehe. I'm guessing your sweet "Nanna" would also! God bless!
LOL Love yalls Tater Cam got a good laugh from it. Also thanks for all the other great tips from cooking to winterizing the Hideout and the garden stuff. Stay warm Stivers, if we're getting what we're going to be getting here in Middle GA in Zone 8a of cold for the next few days overnight, then I am more than sure you all up there are going to be getting some super cold weather. Nany's got a pretty place for her ashes to rest. Glad you all have her home. Chicken looked sooo good! Toast to you all Stivers❤
Here in WI, we run RV antifreeze through the pipes also, until the outputs put out the pink antifreeze. Per my husband, what we need to do to prevent any pipes or other items freezing. It has worked for us for years with our campers!
Blow the hot water line and put RV antifreeze down your sink drains the your toilet. If you have a air pump hook it up to your water intake There is a fitting you can get that screws right on to your water intake line for your air pump !
I bought a charm necklace for my fathers ashes. I went to open the cask he was in to fill the small charm and his ashes “poofed” all over me 😂😂 I’m glad to see y’all didn’t have the same experience.
