What this checklist is for
This is a winterizing checklist for your RV (motorhome, fifth wheel, travel trailer). Complete it in the screen, then get a CSV or PDF back to print or work from. Check off the Done, Skip, or N/A items while parking the tires, the cover, the interior, the propane, the batteries, treating the traps & fixtures, choosing how to drain the tanks, protecting the water heater, and more.
US makers think of winterizing as a storage task, not camping at a campground hookup. According to Forest River's manual, if you store the unit in cold weather without heat, then the water system must be winterized; otherwise components will freeze.
Winnebago has two plumbing options: Fill the water system with non-toxic RV water-system antifreeze or use regulated compressed air to blow out the lines. This information is in the owner's packet for your specific floor plan and year. Models vary on valve location and siphon kits.
RV Industry Association members construct their vehicles in accordance with NFPA 1192 Standard for RVs. It’s a factory construction rule. It is not a consumer winterizing worksheet. This is followed by Ready.gov winter weather and EPA antifreeze disposal notes applicable when the unit is sitting empty, and pages from manufacturers’ storage.
Rig and storage. Where will it be? Enter the year, make, model, and type (Class A, B, C; travel trailer; fifth-wheel). Enter the VIN or unit. Enter the date. Enter the lowest actual expected temperature from the forecast, not a number made up by this form.
Which plumbing method will you use? Choose one: antifreeze in the lines, blow-out then traps, both, or a dealer does the plumbing. Tick if you have the OEM manual handy before opening valves.
Empty tanks: At an approved dump, Forest River drains black first, rinses, then pulls gray last so soapy water cleans the hose. This allows soapy water to run through and clean the hose. Also, Winnebago wants all holding tanks emptied before winterizing.
Open the low-point drains and empty the fresh tank. Remove city water. Push in the city-inlet check valve to drain the inlet. If equipped with an exterior shower, drain it too. Replace dump valves and reinstall dust caps to prevent rodents and insects from entering the outlet. Never empty tanks into a stream, river or on the ground, Forest River says.
This is the water heater. Let the tank cool down, turn off the gas and/or electric and follow the instructions from Winnebago and Forest River: "Relieve pressure, remove anode or drain plug and empty tank."
What it is not
- It is not de-winterizing. Do not power the water heater or drink from the plumbing until you flush pink residue, sanitize, and refill the heater per the OEM. Forest River and Winnebago both say to de-winterize, flush, and sanitize before use. One reminder row is enough. The spring start-up steps stay in your manual.
- It is not an RV maintenance log. Oil, chassis service intervals, and year-round repairs belong on the published vehicle maintenance log, or on an RV-specific service record if you keep one. This page is the freeze-storage pass.
- It is not a campsite setup list. City-water hookup, sewer hose at a site, leveling for a weekend, and slide rooms for camping are a different job. Name that campsite sheet in plain text if you need it later. Do not mix those ticks into this storage form.
- It is not a household road-trip packing list. Documents, house-leaving, and a light-vehicle once-over sit on the published road trip checklist.
- It is not legal advice, a storage-contract form, or a substitute for the water-heater, toilet, washer, ice maker, or hydronic pages in your packet.
How to fill each block
The water-heater manual from Suburban (commonly found on Forest Rivers) notes that antifreeze is bad for the anode and leaves sediment in the tank. It therefore advises against using antifreeze if there's no way to bypass the heater. Instead, it says to remove the anode during the winter and plug it with a 3/4 inch plug. An empty heater should never be lit or powered.
The Winnebago operator chart says, "When blowing air only, leave heater bypass in the normal-flow position. When pumping antifreeze, move the bypass to the bypass-only position. Both of Forest River's printed methods list the bypass first and then continue. Read the valve drawing from your book instead of using a neighbor's picture with three valves.
This is the plumbing method. Two makers say you can run both dry (blow out with compressed air via the city inlet’s blow-out plug) or wet (with non-toxic RV antifreeze). Some suggest running air first, followed by treating your traps. Still two options, though, not a required gallon count.
Both the Winnebago and Forest River operator manuals limit coach-line air pressure to 30 psi max. Add air gradually. Don't blow up the pump. Rock each handle of a single-handle faucet fully left and right. Open fixtures one at a time, hot then cold.
If your manual mentions it, empty the water-pump strainer bowl during a blow-out. Next, add RV antifreeze to traps. The Winnebago Resa book suggests roughly one cup per drain for that rig. Forest River says fill P-traps with enough to do so. Use whichever number is in your book.
Only use RV/marine non-toxic antifreeze that's marked safe for potable plumbing when pumping. Neither Forest River nor Winnebago allow automotive ethylene glycol in the fresh system.
If you pump antifreeze, close the low-point drains first. A factory siphon/winterize kit draws from the jug. You don't need to fill the fresh tank. Open every hot and cold outlet till pink fluid comes out, followed by the toilet and outdoor shower. How much? Use the amount on the jug plus what your OEM requires. For instance, Forest River has different buy quantities depending whether you get the air-plus-traps version or just antifreeze-only. Winnebago directs you to look at the container for your motorhome. This won't translate those lists into a single needed-gallon figure.
Most states continue to regulate it as a waste, as no single federal rule manages it. According to the EPA's used-antifreeze fact sheet, used antifreeze can't be poured down the sewer, poured onto the ground, or dumped in the regular trash. Keep leftovers in a covered container away from animals. Your local agency should have a way for you to drop off these items at a household hazardous waste site or a recycling center.
Fixtures and traps. Tick the toilet, indoor shower, outside wash station, kitchen, lavatory and all P-traps. If your whole house has a filter cartridge, remove it for winter. Winnebago removes or discards it, and Forest River also does. Use the appliance page for washer, ice maker, etc., if so equipped.
No tankless heater? Mark N/A. Some coaches with hydronic systems won't allow blowing out of their heat loop. For instance, Winnebago's Revel packet says don't blow out that liquid heating system.
Batteries. Winnebago and Forest River storage both need house batteries to be kept full. If your house battery is discharged, it will freeze and crack. They both have an 80 percent charge limit. Check it about monthly, even with a disconnect switch, and recharge if it is below 80 percent.
Motorhomes add the chassis battery row. Winnebago doesn’t like leaving the shoreline plugged in all the time. Options from the manufacturer are indoor battery storage, a solar maintainer where the lot permits, or a monthly charge. This form does not create a voltmeter Pass/Fail.
Turn off propane appliances, turn off service valves, or close the cylinder valve. The Manchester Tank LP-gas safety sheet (included in Forest River packets) says, "Do not store cylinders indoors or in enclosed areas. Close the valve and plug the disconnected cylinder with an ACME dust cap or POL plug, whether it is full or empty.
Also per Forest River: Do not store any flammable items such as LP containers, gasoline, etc., within the living space. Leave the regulator cover in place and point the vent downward. Never use your oven/range for comfort heat (per Forest River and Ready.gov WinterReady). Are there smoke/carbon monoxide alarms installed with battery back-up? This information comes from Ready.gov winter weather.
Pests and interior. From Winnebago’s storage list: defrost the refrigerator and clean. Prop the refrigerator door open. Remove all food, even dry goods (which may freeze). Block mouse-attracting food sources.
On Forest River: Close shades. Limit sun fade with foil or paper. Walk through later for condensation on glass. Keep vents on exterior appliances covered to keep out rodents/insects. Periodically air out while stored. If you still occupy the trailer in cold weather, Forest River's humidity page aims below 60 percent relative humidity, ideally 30 to 50 percent. This is OEM advice, not a federal storage limit.
Openings and cover. Shut roof vents, doors, windows. Check for gaps in seals and seams. If outdoors, use a breathable cover; otherwise, use a roofed shelter. According to Winnebago and Forest River, remove snow from the roof. FEMA’s winter-storm checklist is about preparing a house for weather (knowing how pipes freeze, insulate, and caulk) and is not about an RV roof-load number.
This section covers parking and tires. Park on a firm, level surface. Storage tips from Forest River: check tires and keep them at the proper pressure. Their tire-storage box also mentions lowering the pressure and blocking the trailer (which would be in conflict with those two lines). This form doesn't specify a psi for storage. See the tire and chassis pages for your unit.
Cover the tires. Don't make up a jacking height. According to your book, stabilizer jacks aren't meant to replace your storage method; they're used when camping.
Sign off. Skip anything left. Decide if it's parked and winterized, partially complete, or waiting on the dealer. Verify any remaining antifreeze was moved for recycle or household hazardous waste, not just dumped. Sign and include time.
What varies
Travel trailers mark the chassis-battery and generator rows N/A. Add those rows and the chassis coolant check from the chassis manual for motorhomes. The Suburban tank-and-anode script doesn’t apply to tankless or hydronic water systems.
If you store your unit in a heated building, even though it’s warm, tanks might still be drained (the maker may want the system emptied) or the dealer may tell you a different local package. Talk to the selling dealer about climate, Forest River says.
You can't just dispose of leftover antifreeze anywhere; that's up to state and local rules. There's no single federal dangerous waste listing by EPA for all used antifreeze. Don't assume that because it says "non-toxic RV" on the jug, you can pour it down the storm drain or onto soil.
This is the wrong tool if you intend to live in the RV during the winter months. If you're living in the RV, use a furnace and read the cold-weather chapter. Do not use a stovetop for heat. To prevent carbon monoxide, follow Ready.gov. Use generators outside at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, and attached garages.
After you finish
If you'd like a copy, you can download a filled PDF or CSV. It will remain here in your browser. Next time someone visits they'll see a blank form. If you're going to tick on paper in the driveway, then download a blank copy.
None of this gets sent to the dealer, dump station, storage lot, or insurance company. No spring flush gets scheduled.
At de-winterization time, follow the OEM remove-from-storage checklist: Flush ’til it’s clear, then sanitize the new system; fill the water heater before you apply power; restore bypass valves to normal flow. Above the article is the form. Below that are the printable PDF, plus a preview image.
Not a substitute for the OEM or a licensed inspection
This is a winter-storage-pass record-keeper. This is a recordkeeping template for one winter storage pass. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for the owner's manual, the water-heater or LP-gas component pages, or a dealer winterization if you do not want to open the valves yourself.
This is not legal advice. Do not make up a Pass/Fail antifreeze burst rating, stored tire pressure, or gallon count if that number does not appear on your product label or in the OEM packet.