Spring De-Winterizing Checklist for Your Alberta RV

If you winterized with RV antifreeze, the first job in spring is getting all of it out of the lines. Start by draining the antifreeze from the fresh water tank, then connect to a water source and run every tap, the shower, the toilet and any outside spray ports until the water runs clear and you no longer smell or see the pink fluid. Do not forget the water heater, which should have been bypassed and drained for winter. Close the bypass and refill it before you light it or switch it on, because running a dry water heater can damage the element.

Once the antifreeze is gone, sanitize the system. A common method is adding a measured amount of household bleach diluted in water to the fresh tank, running it through every fixture until you smell it at the taps, letting it sit for several hours, then flushing thoroughly with fresh water until the bleach smell is gone. This clears out anything that grew over the winter and gives you safe water for the season.

While the water is running, watch closely for leaks. Alberta's freeze and thaw cycles are hard on plastic fittings and connections, and a cracked line or a split low point drain often only shows itself once the system is pressurized again. Check under the sink, around the pump and at the water heater.

Your fridge, furnace, stove and water heater all sat unused through the cold months, so test each one before you rely on it. Open the propane tank valves slowly and check for the smell of gas around regulators and fittings. A simple soapy water test along the connections will show bubbles if there is a leak. If you smell propane and cannot quickly find and fix the source, shut the tanks off and have it looked at before going any further.

Run the fridge on both propane and electric and give it a few hours to see if it actually reaches a cold temperature. Light the furnace and water heater and confirm they ignite and hold a steady flame rather than cycling or failing to catch. Mice and insects love to nest in burner tubes and furnace compartments over winter, and that debris is one of the most common reasons an appliance will not fire up in spring.

Test your carbon monoxide, propane and smoke detectors at the same time. These are easy to skip, but they are the most important safety items in the rig, and batteries fade over a winter of sitting.

Cold Alberta winters are tough on RV batteries, especially if yours sat without a charger or trickle maintainer. Reconnect the battery, check that the terminals are clean and tight, and clean off any corrosion with a baking soda and water mix. If your battery is a flooded lead acid type, check the fluid levels and top up with distilled water if needed.

Put a charger on the battery and confirm it actually holds a charge rather than dropping right back down. A battery that will not hold voltage usually needs replacing, and it is far better to find that out in your driveway than at a campsite. Once power is restored, test your interior lights, the water pump, slide outs, the awning and any 12 volt accessories.

Finish by checking the rest of the basics that winter affects. Look over your tires for cracking and correct pressure, test the running and brake lights on the trailer or motorhome, and inspect the roof and seals for any cracks that may have opened up in the cold before water gets a chance to find them.

A lot of de-winterizing is straightforward enough to do yourself in an afternoon. But some findings are worth handing to a professional rather than guessing at. If you smell propane and cannot pin down the source, if an appliance will not ignite after you have cleared the obvious debris, or if you find a soft spot on the roof or a leak you cannot trace, those are the moments to book it in.

At Horton RV Services in Calgary, we can pressure test the water system, service the propane appliances, sort out battery and electrical issues, and give the rig a full inspection so you head out for the Alberta camping season with everything working. If you would rather skip the checklist entirely, we can handle the whole de-winterizing for you.