Motorhome Maintenance with Mike (Pt. 2)

Freezing Water Hose

If you stay in your RV in a campground or otherwise have it hooked to water during freezing weather you need to be aware of the possibility that the water hose that feeds your unit is susceptible to freezing unless you provide some protection. 

It still a disaster if you are freeze protected inside if you can't get any water TO the unit.

I went to Lowe's Home Improvement and bought a hose fitting first of all so that I could shorten my hose. No need to try to freeze protect 25 feet of hose if all I need to reach my unit is 12 feet! 

Next, in the plumbing section I found 110 volt heat tape in various lengths. It comes equipped with a thermostat built in that makes the tape begin heating around 32 degrees F. 

I bought a 12' roll. I also bought 12' of 1" ID foam pipe insulation. I wrapped the hose in aluminum foil, then I wrapped the heat tape around my that securing with zip ties and then wrapped the hose in the pipe insulation. I left enough heat tape exposed at the faucet end that I could wrap the exposed faucet too. 

Voila! Freezing weather? Bring it on!
All the stuff together cost me about $20.00. I've seen heated hoses in RV stores selling for upward of $300.00

Mike M. 

Motorhomes of Texas