RV antifreeze (Phoenix, Mesa: Home Depot, buy, plumbing)

[Wally Sconce]

Does anyone know where I can find some in Phoenix?..north end preferably.

[crystalys]

Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, any auto parts store, any Rv parts store.

[BIG CATS]

Just find out what type of coolant it runs (green, red, or gold), and pick up some at LaMesa RV. Just dont mix colors and you should be fine. What engine is in the RV? Detroit? Cummins? International? Is it gas or diesel?

[nestorb98]

Safeway...just use "distilled water".

Ain't gonna freeze around here for a while.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Just find out what type of coolant it runs (green, red, or gold), and pick up some at LaMesa RV. Just dont mix colors and you should be fine. What engine is in the RV? Detroit? Cummins? International? Is it gas or diesel?

RV antifreeze typically refers to the kind used in RV water supply systems. It is propylene glycol as opposed to regular car anti-freeze which is ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol is non-toxic and is used as a food additive as well. The other kind will kill you dead. What a difference a carbon molecule can make!

As the poster above stated, RV antifreeze can be found in all sorts of places in Phoenix, in spite of the fact that it rarely freezes and RV owners here do not winterize.

[Wally Sconce]

Not for an RV, just want to put some in my household drains while I'm away.

[AZtrails]

Originally Posted by Wally Sconce

Not for an RV, just want to put some in my household drains while I'm away.

It's cheap at Walmart -- like $4/gal. Just out of curiosity, why do you put it in the drains? I'm guessing because it won't evaporate like water, but I've never had a problem with sewer odor even after extended absences. Have I just been blessed with a poor sense of smell?

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Wally Sconce

Not for an RV, just want to put some in my household drains while I'm away.

Home depot also has it as well.

For future reference, buy it in October or November. There is always a run on it come Spring time (especially near the retirement areas of town). I THOUGHT I had a gallon in the garage but after looking closer the day I needed it, I learned it was washer fluid. I went to 3 Walmart's and finally got one remaining gallon at Home Depot.

I also had some RV fluid to the toilet so the trap doesn't go dry.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by AZtrails

It's cheap at Walmart -- like $4/gal. Just out of curiosity, why do you put it in the drains? I'm guessing because it won't evaporate like water, but I've never had a problem with sewer odor even after extended absences. Have I just been blessed with a poor sense of smell?

Your plumbing system has vents through the roof that are designed to allow sewer gas to escape without coming into the house, and they'll still do a pretty good job of it even if the sink-traps are all empty. The issue with the traps drying up is when the weather hits 100+ & stays there - the sanitary sewers *also* warm up & produce more gas. The sewer gas is stank, even to a cockroach & if there are roaches in the "lateral lines" going to your house, *and* if the traps are empty, they'll run for the fresh air & you'll get a few big un's around your sinks & tubs.. (the big ones won't colonize in your house, but they are still disturbing to see)

they're usually half-dead from the sewer-gas by the time they emerge, but even a half-dozen fully-dead ones may make the significant other flip-out on your first day back in Az, and no one really needs that kind of excitement.. lol. especially if you can reduce the chances of them coming in for under $10..

On a side note, one symptom of a plumbing vent problem is if you hear a "burping" sound a few seconds after flushing a toilet or sending water down a sink. On a toilet, the "burp" means the wax-gasket is leaking & air is following the water down the pipe, through the leak in the gasket. On a sink, the burp usually indicates a plugged vent through the roof, or a cobbled plumbing system without adequate venting.

[AZtrails]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

Your plumbing system has vents through the roof that are designed to allow sewer gas to escape without coming into the house, and they'll still do a pretty good job of it even if the sink-traps are all empty. The issue with the traps drying up is when the weather hits 100+ & stays there - the sanitary sewers *also* warm up & produce more gas. The sewer gas is stank, even to a cockroach & if there are roaches in the "lateral lines" going to your house, *and* if the traps are empty, they'll run for the fresh air & you'll get a few big un's around your sinks & tubs.. (the big ones won't colonize in your house, but they are still disturbing to see)

they're usually half-dead from the sewer-gas by the time they emerge, but even a half-dozen fully-dead ones may make the significant other flip-out on your first day back in Az, and no one really needs that kind of excitement.. lol. especially if you can reduce the chances of them coming in for under $10..

On a side note, one symptom of a plumbing vent problem is if you hear a "burping" sound a few seconds after flushing a toilet or sending water down a sink. On a toilet, the "burp" means the wax-gasket is leaking & air is following the water down the pipe, through the leak in the gasket. On a sink, the burp usually indicates a plugged vent through the roof, or a cobbled plumbing system without adequate venting.

Thanks for the good info -- I hadn't thought about the bug potential. In the RV you generally blow out the lines first. In the house, do you just add enough antifreeze to ensure the existing water has been displaced?