How to Sanitize a Freshwater Tank in a Travel Trailer

Motor homes, fifth wheel vehicles and travel trailers use a self-contained water supply system that supplies utility and drinking water. Sanitizing and purging the tanks of all foreign contaminants keeps the water quality safe from mold and harmful bacteria. Sanitizing the water supply and plumbing becomes necessary during seasonal use, when renting travel trailers, and even before a new travel trailer has been taken on the road. Harmful bacterial elements in the water supply can cause a variety of ills, including stomach ailments, nausea and diuretic disturbances. Precaution and water supply maintenance should be a regular routine of every travel trailer owner.

Instructions

1

Turn off the heater and pump at the control panel. Refer to your owner's manual for the location of your trailer's water heater. Look for the water heater behind an exterior door panel on the outside of the trailer. Open the pressure relief valve on the heater.

2

Locate the drain plug or valve on the heater and open it manually or use a socket and wrench to remove the plug. Open the petcock valve to the water tank and let it drain. After draining, shut all the valves, including the heater pressure relief valve.

3

Refer to your owner's manual for the location of any in-line water filter in the plumbing lines, including any faucet filter or screen. Remove the in-line filters with a screwdriver and remove the faucet cap screens with pliers.

4

Hook up the water tank inlet to a water source and fill the tank to 90 percent capacity. Do not turn on the water pump or heater. Mix 1/4 cup of household bleach for every 15 gallons of water tank capacity into a one gallon jug. Example: if you have a 30-gallon water tank, you will add 1/2 cup of bleach to a one-gallon jug. Mix the bleach and water solution thoroughly, and pour it into the water tank supply.

5

Turn on the water pump. Go to each individual faucet and open them separately for a several minutes. Open and close only one faucet at a time, to benefit from the full pressure. Wait until you smell a bleach odor from each faucet before closing it. Refill the water tank to full capacity from an outside source and let it sit overnight.

6

Open the faucets for several minutes each. Drain the main water tank by opening the petcock valve. Open the drain to the water heater and drain it. Shut all the valves. Use the appropriate tool to tighten any drain plug you removed, if so equipped. Fill the water tank to full capacity. Turn on the water pump. Let all the faucets run for several minutes each. Open the water tank and water heater valves and let the water drain.

7

Refill the water tank again from an outside source. Open the faucets individually and smell for bleach. If you detect a mild or strong odor of bleach, repeat the fill and drain procedure again. Fill and drain the system several times until you smell little or no bleach coming from the faucets.

8

Replace any in-line filters or faucet screens with new ones. Use pliers or a screwdriver to secure them in place. Turn the water pump on and check for leaks at all faucet locations and drain valves.