Maintaining Your RV Water System

Having running water while camping in the middle of nowhere or even in the middle of the parking lot is one of the best things about owning an RV. In order to have running water you need to know how to properly use your RV water system and have a good understanding of how to care for the system.

If you’re new to the world of RVing, you may have no idea where to start with all of this. In that case, this is the article for you. In this piece we will discuss the ins and out of using and maintaining your RV’s water lines, pipes, and tanks so you can enjoy running water on the go.

Water Filtration

Many people feel that filtering the water coming into their rig is not necessary. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Campground water supplies are sometimes not as clean you you would like.

Even if you aren’t using the tap water for drinking, you will want to remove dirt and debris from the incoming water in order to protect your water lines from buildup. A filter will prevent this from happening.

Wondering what kind of filter you need? Well, there are a wide variety of options out there, but for the weekend camper, this simple Camco RV water filter should do the trick just fine.

Water Pressure Regulator

Another thing many people don’t understand is the importance of a water pressure regulator. In fact, some people they didn’t even realize these tools exist. Believe me, this is one gadget you should definitely invest in right away.

Most RV water lines can only withstand so much water pressure prior to start leaking. Unfortunately, campgrounds do not always take this into account, and sometimes the spigots will put out some intense pressure that could easily burst one of your lines. A water pressure regulator prevents this from happening by lowering the water pressure.

Water Softener

In addition to a filter, you may also want to invest in a water softener system for your RV. Especially if you are living or traveling for months. This is because campground water often contains an elevated level of mineral ions.

For the most part, these tend to be magnesium and calcium and both make your water hard. Hard water is bad for all water systems and especially RV’s water system.

The reason it’s so bad for your RV system – it’s buildup! Over time, hard water creates solid buildup that is nearly impossible to remove. Luckily, a water softener will take care of this issue.

Freshwater Maintenance

If you mostly stay in campgrounds with water hookups, you may never use your freshwater tank or pump. That said, those who camp off-grid will use their fresh tank and pump often and should take good care of it. This is very easy to do and only involves a little bit of cleaning once in a while to ensure water coming from the tank is safe to consume.

To clean your tank, all you need is a bottle of bleach and a bit of extra time. You’ll begin by emptying the fresh tank. Once that is done, the tank will be filled with a bleach and water mixture which is then left to sit. After sitting for an hour, turn on your pump and circulate this water through your whole system. After that, just drain the tank and rinse your whole system. Your fresh water system is now ready to use.

Waste Water Holding Tank Maintenance

Yes, you also have waste water tanks to worry about. These two tanks, black and gray, are less pleasant to deal with but as long as you use them correctly they should never get hard to handle.

• Use tank chemicals to control smell and help break down solids.

• Don’t dump until black tank is at least two-thirds full.

• Dump the black tank first, then close it before using gray water to flush out the sewer hose.

• Keep valves closed until time to dump to prevent buildup of solids. This is especially important with the black tank.

• Always rinse both tanks after dumping.

Winterization

RV winterization is important in order to keep your lines, tanks, and pipes from freezing and/or bursting. Unfortunately, many people find this task overwhelming resulting in water disasters once spring rolls around.

The truth is that RV winterization isn’t that difficult, and most RV owners can probably figure it out. The process involves completely emptying the entire RV of any water and filling all lines with RV antifreeze. A bit of antifreeze in the holding tanks is also a good idea.

Want detailed instructions on how to take care of winterization in your own RV? We recommend this awesome video, which takes you through the entire process step by step, making it feel nice and manageable.

For de-winterizing your rig, we recommend watching this video.

Keep all of these tips in mind and put them to use and you will have a long-lasting healthy drinking water system no matter where you roam.