Can I Use My Camp Trailer During The Winter?
Spring, Summer, and Fall are amazing times to go camping. But what about winter? For those of you who have always questioned whether or not it is possible to camp in the winter with your camp trailer, look no further.
We reached out to a few camp trailer manufacturers and dealers to find out if camp trailers can be used during the winter months, and if so, how to do it. The short answer - yes, you absolutely can use your camp trailer during the winter months. It just takes a little more work than the other 3 seasons.
Winterization
When water freezes, it expands, promising to damage just about any pipe or pump that it is in. Your camp trailer is not immune to this type of damage when it gets cold outside, so it is critically important to winterize your trailer before the freezing months - regardless if you plan to camp during the winter months or not. The last thing you want to discover in the springtime is cracked pipes and running water throughout your trailer.
You can either winterize your trailer yourself or have an RV service center or dealership take care of it for you. Once that winterization is taken care of, though, you are good to camp during the winter months so long as you do not put any water in the lines while camping.
Antifreeze
One RV dealership mentioned that you are able to use jugs of water to do things such as washing your hands or operating the toilet, so long as the water is going directly into your gray or black tank. The key here, though, is to put some antifreeze down whatever line you are dumping water into so that it does not freeze. When you finish your trip, ensure that the tanks are drained and a small amount of antifreeze is put back into the tanks to prevent any remaining water from freezing.
Camping
Camping in your trailer during the winter months without running water throughout your trailer is easier than you might think. Thankfully, the only thing that is altered from the colder temperatures is the water system. As long as you have propane, you should be able to cook in your trailer, heat your trailer with its furnace, and sleep in your trailer with peace of mind knowing you won’t have any water damage to deal with.
Stabilizing Jacks
One thing to keep in mind during the winter months is that things will undoubtedly freeze. An example of this is the stabilizing jacks on your camp trailer. If they are down and any moisture collects on the bottom where they meet the ground, it is highly likely they will freeze to the ground. The best workaround here is to put pieces of wood underneath (one of our favorites is a section of 2x6). It is much harder for the jack to freeze to the wood, and if the wood freezes to the ground it is much easier to break free. The upside is that if the wood is damaged, it is easily replaceable whereas the stabilizing jack is not.
Keep in mind that anything water touches during winter months will more than likely be exposed to freezing. As long as your water lines are clear and your trailer is winterized, you are good to go for winter camping. If anything, just try to avoid driving on snowy and icy roads with your camp trailer. Happy camping!