How to Winterize a Jayco 1021 Camper for Winter Storage

32°F (0°C) is the point to winterize a Jayco RV before storage or any expected freezing-weather exposure. Jayco uses two plumbing-protection methods: blowing water from the supply lines with air, or pumping non-toxic RV antifreeze through the plumbing. Your RV may use one of two winterizing methods.

Situation	What to Do
RV may be exposed to freezing temperatures	Winterize before temperatures reach 32°F (0°C)
Jayco set up for an air blowout	Blow out water lines, then protect every drain P-trap with RV antifreeze
Jayco with demand or power plumbing	Bypass the water heater and circulate RV antifreeze through each water line
RV going into long-term storage	Prepare black and gray tanks separately after the plumbing is protected

What Winterizing a Jayco Protects

Winterizing protects two different parts of your RV plumbing:

Pressurized water lines, including the kitchen faucet, bathroom faucet, shower, outside shower, toilet valve, and related plumbing.
Drain P-traps, which hold water beneath sinks and showers even after the supply system is drained.

Blowing out supply lines does not winterize drain traps, so those traps still need RV antifreeze.

Do not rely on draining the fresh tank alone. Water can remain in faucets, low sections of plumbing, the toilet valve, outside shower lines, and drain traps. Freezing water expands and can crack fittings, lines, valves, and fixtures.

Use only non-toxic RV antifreeze intended for RV plumbing. It is different from automotive antifreeze and is the product Jayco specifies for winterizing its plumbing system.

Identify Your Jayco Plumbing Setup

Before starting, locate the components your RV has. Choose the winterizing method that matches your plumbing components.

Look for these items:

The city water connection or City Water Fill.
The water pump and its controls.
Fresh-tank drain and low-point drains.
Water-heater bypass valves.
A water-filter housing, if equipped.
Indoor faucets, shower controls, toilet, and an outside shower if your RV has one.

The air-pressure method uses an air hose and a suitable adapter at the city water connection. The demand or power plumbing method uses a garden hose placed in the RV-antifreeze container and connected to the City Water Fill.

If your Jayco has an outside shower, treat it as a regular fixture. It is easy to miss because it is outside the living area, but its hot and cold lines can hold water.

How to Winterize a Jayco RV

Use the air-pressure blowout method for a city-water connection, or the RV-antifreeze method for demand or power plumbing. Both methods finish with protected supply plumbing and prepared drain traps, but the steps are different.

Your Jayco Plumbing Setup	Winterizing Method
You have an air hose and adapter for the city water connection	Air-pressure blowout method
Your Jayco has demand or power plumbing set up to draw antifreeze through the City Water Fill	RV-antifreeze method
You have a water filter	Water-filter bypass hose
You have a Jayco Motorized product	“Sanitize/Winterize Lines” valve position

Step 1: Gather the Needed Supplies

For the air-pressure method, have an air hose and the correct adapter for the city water connection, plus non-toxic RV antifreeze for drain traps.

For the RV-antifreeze method, have:

Non-toxic RV antifreeze.
A garden hose that can reach from the antifreeze container to the City Water Fill.
The clear plastic water-filter bypass hose if your Jayco is equipped with a water filter.
A soft, dry cloth for wiping antifreeze from sinks, the shower, and the toilet.

Air-Pressure Blowout Method

Use this method when your Jayco is set up to clear the water system through the city water connection.

Empty all holding tanks and leave the drain valves OPEN.
Run the water pump until it is dry. For Jayco RVs using this method, this takes approximately 15–20 seconds.
Open all faucets and drains, including the toilet. Open both hot and cold sides of faucet fixtures where applicable.
Prepare the city water inlet connection according to your RV’s winterizing instructions. Blow air through the system for five to ten minutes so remaining water is pushed from the supply lines.
Pour one cup of non-toxic RV antifreeze into every drain P-trap, including the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and shower or tub drain.
Wipe any RV antifreeze splashes from finished surfaces with a soft, dry cloth.

At this point, the supply plumbing has been blown out. After the supply plumbing is protected, prepare the black and gray tanks for storage.

RV-Antifreeze Method for Demand or Power Plumbing

Use this method when your Jayco’s plumbing arrangement is designed to circulate RV antifreeze through the water lines.

Level the RV and drain the fresh-water plumbing system.
If your RV has a water filter, remove the filter cartridge and install the clear plastic bypass hose in its place. This keeps RV antifreeze out of the filter cartridge. Confirm the correct bypass connection at the water-filter housing on your specific Jayco.
Turn OFF both the 12-volt and 120-volt interior water-heater control switches. Keep both switches off while winterizing.
Set the water-heater bypass valves to the BYPASS position. On Jayco Motorized products, use the valve position labeled “Sanitize/Winterize Lines” instead. Confirm the labeling directly at the water-heater valve assembly before moving any valves.
Close the fresh-tank drain and the low-point drains. On Jayco Motorized products, the low-point drains must be closed or the antifreeze will not siphon through the plumbing lines.
Put one end of a garden hose into the RV-antifreeze container and attach the other end to the City Water Fill.
Turn the water pump ON.
Open the hot-water side of every faucet one at a time. Do the kitchen faucet, lavatory or bathroom sink, shower, and outside shower if equipped. Let RV antifreeze flow continuously from each fixture, then close its hot-water side.
Repeat the process with the cold-water side of every faucet. Let the antifreeze flow continuously before closing each cold-water side.
Flush the toilet until RV antifreeze runs through it.
Remove the garden hose from the antifreeze container after all fixtures have been treated. Wipe RV antifreeze from sinks, the shower or tub, and the toilet with a soft, dry cloth to help prevent staining.

RV antifreeze has reached each fixture line. After the fixture lines are protected, prepare the black and gray tanks for storage.

Prepare Black and Gray Tanks for Storage

Treat holding-tank storage as a separate job from protecting the freshwater plumbing. Empty and rinse the tanks before storage, then prepare them so residue does not harden or create odors.

After emptying and rinsing the tanks, follow your RV manufacturer’s winterizing instructions to protect the black and gray tanks and valves from freezing during storage. This is a holding-tank treatment step; it does not replace winterizing the fresh-water supply lines, faucets, toilet valve, or drain traps.

Make sure the tank treatment you use is intended for RV holding tanks. Keep the freshwater system isolated from black- and gray-tank products.

Confirm Your Jayco Is Ready for Winter Storage

Before closing up the RV, walk through this checklist:

The toilet has been treated.
RV-antifreeze systems have continuous antifreeze flow from hot and cold sides of every fixture.
Fresh-tank and low-point drains are closed if you used the RV-antifreeze method.
Black and gray tanks have been emptied, rinsed, and prepared for storage.

Leave the plumbing in its winter configuration until you are ready to de-winterize, flush the system, reinstall the water filter cartridge if applicable, and return the water-heater valves to normal operation.

Before winterizing, identify the valves and connections in your RV and follow the instructions for your plumbing system.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I winterize my RV?

Winterize before the RV will be exposed to temperatures at or below 32°F (0°C). Do it at the end of camping season if the RV will be stored through freezing weather, even if you expect to use it again before spring.

How do I winterize a Jayco fifth wheel or travel trailer?

To winterize a Jayco fifth wheel or travel trailer, use the air-pressure method if its plumbing is set up for a blowout through the city water connection, or use the RV-antifreeze method if it has demand or power plumbing. After an air blowout, put one cup of non-toxic RV antifreeze into every drain P-trap. With the RV-antifreeze method, bypass the water heater and circulate RV antifreeze through each water line.

Do I need RV antifreeze if I blow out the water lines?

Yes. After an air blowout, put one cup of non-toxic RV antifreeze into each drain P-trap. Air can clear supply lines, but the P-traps below sinks and showers are designed to retain liquid.

How many gallons of RV antifreeze do I need for a Jayco camper?

The amount needed depends on the winterizing method and the fixtures that need treatment. Have enough non-toxic RV antifreeze to produce a continuous flow from the hot and cold sides of every faucet, the shower, outside shower if equipped, and the toilet.

Can I use these instructions for a Jayco 16RK, bunkhouse, or Jay Feather?

Yes, provided the plumbing components match the method you choose. Check for an outside shower, water-filter housing, and the water-heater valve labels, since those features can change which fixtures or bypass components need attention.