Essential Winterization and Freeze Protection for Plumbing in RVs, Tiny Homes, and Seasonal Cabins

Let’s be honest: a burst pipe is a special kind of nightmare. It’s not just the mess—it’s the sinking feeling that you could have, should have, prevented it. And for those of us with mobile or part-time dwellings—your RV, your tiny home, that charming seasonal cabin—the stakes feel even higher. These places are often left unattended for weeks, just sitting there in the cold, waiting for a single weak spot to give way.

That’s the deal. Winterizing isn’t just a chore; it’s an act of preservation. A bit of work now saves you thousands in repairs and heartache later. So, let’s dive into the how and why, tailored for these three unique lifestyles. We’ll talk principles, steps, and a few pro-tips you might not have considered.

Table of Contents

Why Your Plumbing is Begging for Attention

Water expands when it freezes. Simple science, devastating results. In a traditional house, you often have heat tracing the walls. But in an RV, a tiny home on a foundation (or wheels), or a cabin built for summer breezes? The plumbing is often exposed, running through uninsulated underbellies or exterior walls. A single night’s hard freeze is all it takes.

The goal isn’t just to avoid freezing, though. It’s to protect the entire system—faucets, valves, pumps, water heaters, traps—from the destructive force of expanding ice. Think of it like putting your plumbing into a peaceful, dry hibernation.

The Universal First Steps: Draining is Key

No matter your structure, this is non-negotiable. You have to get the water out. Start by locating all your drain valves. Know where your low points are.

1. The Main Event: Draining the System

Turn off your water supply. For RVs and some tiny homes, that’s the main valve and your freshwater tank. For cabins, it might be a well pump or a main shut-off from a utility. Open every single faucet—hot and cold—inside and out. Flush toilets. This relieves pressure and starts the gravity flow.

Now, find those drain valves. They’re usually on the water heater (bypass it first if you can!), on the main lines, and at the lowest point in the system. Let it all run out. Don’t forget the outside shower, if you have one.

2. The Often-Forgotten Culprits: Traps and Toilets

Water left in sink P-traps, shower drains, and the toilet bowl and seal can crack porcelain and PVC. Pour a cup of RV & marine-grade antifreeze (the pink, non-toxic propylene glycol stuff—never automotive antifreeze) down each drain. For toilets, flush a bit into the bowl and the holding tank (black water tank in RVs).

Tailored Tactics for Your Type of Dwelling

For the Road Warriors: RV & Travel Trailer Winterization

RVs are arguably the most vulnerable. Their plumbing is a spaghetti network of skinny pipes in a freezing underbelly. After draining, you have a choice: blow out the lines with air or use antifreeze.

Many pros swear by the air compressor method—it’s clean and effective. Attach it to the city water inlet (with a proper adapter!) and blow out the lines at moderate pressure (around 40-50 PSI). You’ll hear the sputter at the faucets.

The other method is using the water pump to draw antifreeze through the entire system. You’ll need a winterizing kit or hose to siphon from the antifreeze jug into the pump. Run each faucet until you see that distinctive pink color. This ensures every nook and cranny—the water pump itself, the ice maker line—is protected.

For the Minimalists: Tiny Home Freeze Protection

Tiny homes can be tricky. Is it on a permanent foundation? On wheels and left for winter? The strategy shifts. For unoccupied tiny homes, a full winterization—drain and antifreeze—is safest.

But if you’re living in it or heating it sporadically, you’re into freeze protection. This means insulating all exposed pipes—especially where they enter the home from below. Use heat tape (UL-listed, with a thermostat) on pipes, and then wrap them in foam insulation. It’s a good, no, essential practice to keep a cabinet door open on a frigid night to let warm air circulate around under-sink plumbing.

For the Weekend Escape: Seasonal Cabin Winterization

Cabins often have a well and a pressure tank to contend with. That’s a big, expensive piece of equipment to protect. After shutting off the pump and power, you must drain the pressure tank completely using the drain valve at the bottom. Blow out or drain the line from the well to the house.

Inside, it’s the same drill: drain, antifreeze traps, and don’t forget appliances! The dishwasher, washing machine, and water filter housings all hold water. Run antifreeze through dishwasher and washer cycles or manually drain them according to the manual.

A Quick-Reference Checklist Table

Step	RV/Travel Trailer	Tiny Home (Unoccupied)	Seasonal Cabin
Water Supply Off & Drained	✓ Freshwater tank & city water	✓ Main valve & any holding tank	✓ Well pump/power off, main valve
Water Heater Drained	✓ (Bypass if possible)	✓	✓
Lines Drained/Blown	✓ Air compressor or antifreeze	✓ Open low-point drains	✓ Blow out well line, drain interior
Antifreeze in Traps & Toilets	✓	✓	✓
Appliance Protection	✓ Water pump, fridge icemaker	✓ Water heater, optional appliances	✓ Dishwasher, washer, water filter
Special Considerations	Underbelly insulation, slide-out seals	Skirting, heat tape on exposed lines	Drain pressure tank, outdoor pumps

Beyond the Basics: The “Oh, Right!” Moments

You’ve drained everything. Great. But winter has a way of finding the one thing you missed. Here are those sneaky spots:

The outdoor shower: Honestly, this is the champion of burst pipes. You have to get the water out of that vertical pipe and the showerhead.
Water filters: The housing can hold a surprising amount of water. Remove the cartridge and drain it.
Your washing machine: Run it on a drain/spin cycle to clear the pump, and consider feeding antifreeze into the detergent tray.
Central heating systems (in some cabins): If it’s a hot water (hydronic) system, it needs to be serviced and potentially filled with antifreeze by a pro.

And a word on that pink antifreeze: it’s safe for plumbing but you still need to flush the system thoroughly come spring. The taste… well, you won’t forget it if you don’t.

Wrapping Up (And Tucking In)

In the end, winterization is a ritual. It’s a final, caring act before the quiet of the off-season. It’s acknowledging the power of a deep freeze and outsmarting it with preparation. Whether you’re buttoning up a cabin after the last fall weekend or parking the RV for a few snowy months, that peace of mind is worth every minute spent crawling under sinks and opening valves.

Because the goal isn’t just to avoid disaster. It’s to ensure that when the thaw comes, and you turn that key or drive down that familiar road, everything inside is just as you left it—ready, and waiting, for your return.