If you own an RV, you know that there is a lot of equipment to keep track of, including the RV water hose. This hose connects your RV to the campground water spigot and, while it looks similar to a garden hose, it serves a much more important purpose.
One thing you’ll need to learn as an RV owner is how to keep your water hose from freezing. When you’re traveling during the fall and winter, the nights can get very cold and if you fail to protect your water hose, you could run into some serious issues.
One way to prevent your water hose from freezing is to insulate it with heat tape. Make sure to wrap the entire hose so that it stays insulated. You can also keep the water moving by keeping your faucet running, as it is harder for moving water to freeze.
It’s important to be aware of the temperature at which your RV water lines can freeze. Water can start to freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius, but it won’t instantly freeze at this temperature. If the temperature is hovering around freezing and you are using water regularly, there isn’t a high risk of the water freezing. However, the colder it gets, the quicker water will freeze, so it’s important to take extra precautions in very cold weather.
If your water hose does freeze, you’ll need to unfreeze it before you can use it again. One way to do this is to use a heat gun on the hose connections for 5-10 minutes, making sure to heat all sides of the connection. Once the connections are thawed, you can unscrew the hose from the RV and water supply, bring it inside to warm up, and check for damage before reattaching it. If the hose is damaged, you’ll need to purchase a new one.
While RV skirting can help prevent your water lines under the RV from freezing, it won’t do anything to protect your water hose. To keep your hose from freezing, you can use heat tape or keep the water moving. It’s also a good idea to check the temperature and take extra precautions in very cold weather. If your hose does freeze, use a heat gun to thaw the connections and bring the hose inside to warm up before reattaching it. Remember to check for damage before using the hose again.
