Its spring, time to get your RV out of storage. We suggest that you should sanitize the freshwater system. It is easy to do and doesn’t require any special tools. Here is what you need, a measuring cup, a funnel, household bleach and a bucket. Just a few simple steps:
Step 1: Turn Off Your Water Heater, remove any filters and Drain Your Freshwater System
Step 2: Calculate the Amount of Bleach You’ll Need and Add It to the Fresh water Tank.
You’ll need 1/4 cup of bleach for every 16 gallons of water in your freshwater tank. This also equates to one ounce per eight gallons. Make the calculations based on those ratios. That means. If you have a 20-gallon freshwater tank, you would need 2.5 ounces of bleach to sanitize your system. Don’t add the bleach straight to your freshwater tank. Add the bleach you’ve calculated and add it to at least gallon of water in your bucket. Then pour this water-bleach mixture into the freshwater tank with the help of a funnel.
Step 3: Fill the Freshwater Tank with Potable Water and Pump It through the System Make sure the water with the bleach solution gets all the way through the system.
Turn on both cold and hot sides of all faucets, shower and outside faucets and showers.
Step 4: Let the Water Sit For +- 12 Hours. The solution will take time to really sanitize your system well.
This is a good time to sit and listen for the water pump. If the pump cycles you either have a faucet dripping or a leak somewhere in your water system.
Step 5: Drain the Tank and Then Flush the System. After +- 12 hours, drain all the water out from the fresh water tank.
Then refill it with fresh water and your water pump. Open all the faucets and showers and flush the system until you can no longer smell the bleach.
It may take a few times for you to get all of the bleach smell out. Once that’s all done, replace any water filters. After you’ve replaced those filters you are ready for the camping season!
