Storing Your RV Over an Alberta Winter the Right Way

Freeze damage starts with water that never got drained. Before storage, empty the fresh water tank, the water heater, and both holding tanks, then open the low point drains and either blow out the lines with compressed air or fill them with RV antifreeze rated for plumbing. Even a small amount of water left in a fitting or valve can split it once Calgary temperatures drop well below freezing, and the crack usually will not show itself until you pressurize the system in spring.

Check the spots people forget. The outside shower, the toilet valve, the water pump head, and any ice maker or washer hookups all hold water. Pour antifreeze into the sink and shower P-traps and leave some in the toilet bowl so the seals do not dry out over the winter.

A cracked fitting inside a wall or under the floor is worse than a burst pipe in a house, because you often cannot see it. It just drips slowly into the structure every time you use the system. If you skipped winterizing last year or are not sure it was done right, a plumbing check before storage is worth the visit.

Freeze damage is dramatic, but moisture does more harm to stored RVs over an Alberta winter. Humidity trapped inside the unit condenses on cold windows, wall corners, and the inside of cabinets. Over four or five months that condensation soaks into wood framing and fabric, and you come back in April to black spotting, stained ceiling panels, or a musty smell that is hard to get rid of.

Dry the interior out before you close it up. Remove bedding, towels, paper goods, and anything else that holds moisture. Prop cupboard doors open, stand the mattress up so air can reach underneath it, and set out a few moisture absorber tubs, checking and replacing them once or twice through the winter if you can. If the RV is stored under cover, cracking a roof vent that has a rain cover helps air keep moving.

Southern Alberta winters are not one long deep freeze. Chinooks melt snow on the roof, then the temperature crashes and that water refreezes. If it has found its way into a cracked bead of sealant, the ice expands and opens the gap wider each cycle. Before storage, inspect the roof and every seam, including vents, skylights, the front and rear caps, and around windows and doors, and reseal anything that is cracked, lifting, or pulling away.

If you cover the RV, use a breathable cover made for RVs, not a hardware store tarp. Tarps trap condensation against the body and grind against the finish every time the wind moves them. Tie the cover down properly, and if the unit is parked where you can reach it, knock heavy snow off the roof a few times over the winter so the weight and meltwater do not sit on your seams for months.

A discharged battery can freeze and be ruined, so either remove the batteries and store them somewhere above freezing on a maintainer, or make sure they stay fully charged in the RV with all parasitic draws switched off. For motorhomes, fill the fuel tank and add stabilizer, and follow the engine manufacturer's cold storage guidance.

Inflate tires to the pressure on the sidewall or placard, park on boards or pads rather than bare ground, and cover the tires to protect them from sun. Seal up pest entry points, since mice looking for winter shelter will chew wiring and insulation. Park on a slight grade or with the nose slightly up so meltwater runs off the roof instead of pooling.

If fall inspection turns up a soft floor spot, a water stain, lifting sealant you are not comfortable redoing, or cracked plumbing from a past winter, that is the time to bring it to Horton RV Services in Calgary. Fixing a leak or a small structural issue before the RV sits for five months stops the damage from spreading while it is parked.