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Do RV Antifreeze Evaporate – RVs are great for the outdoors, but they can be tough to winterize. The truth is that RV antifreeze evaporates from your system over time – and you should know how to deal with it.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about what causes RV antifreeze to evaporate and why it’s so detrimental to your rig.
We’ll also provide a few tips on how you can preserve your RVs coolant without spending too much money.
Join us as we take a look at this important topic in detail…
Table of Contents
Do RV Antifreeze Evaporate?
Some RV antifreeze manufacturers claim that their products are guaranteed not to evaporate. But what does “evaporate” mean?
The dictionary defines it as “to change from a liquid into a vapour.” A liquid, by definition, is any of various homogeneous substances that conforms to the shape of its container and has mass but takes up no space because it occupies only the volume of its container.
So if you have an antifreeze leak in your RV’s cooling system and it drips onto pavement or gravel instead of asphalt or concrete, some may evaporate even though the manufacturer claims otherwise. You need to be aware of this possibility when using any type of antifreeze for your vehicle.
How Long Does Antifreeze Last In A Recreational Vehicle?
It’s winter and you’re on the road. You’ve got your camper with a fresh tank of antifreeze and it’s cold out, but how long does that last?
The answer depends on what kind of antifreeze you have in there! There are two different types: ethylene glycol (EGB) and propylene glycol (PG).
EGB is more commonly used because it has a higher boiling point than PG. So if you’re using PG, make sure to top off your tank when it gets near empty to keep it from causing any damage to your engine.
If you use EGB, the manufacturer will usually recommend topping off when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). On average, it takes 3 years before antifreeze needs to be replaced.
What Causes RV Antifreeze To Evaporate?
It seems like a no-brainer that RV antifreeze should be keeping your engine from freezing. But what exactly causes this liquid to evaporate?
The answer is simple: heat and time. In order for the antifreeze in your RV to do its job, it needs to stay outside of the radiator cap, which means that it can’t go into the engine block itself.
This makes sense because you’re going to want all of those coolant fluids circulating inside, not just sitting there waiting for something bad to happen.
How many gallons of water does RV antifreeze treat?
As the winter months approach, we all start to think about what we need to do in preparation for cold days and freezing nights. One thing that is often overlooked during this process is our RV’s antifreeze system. So how much water can you get from a gallon of RV antifreeze? Read on to find out!
The average person uses around 100 gallons of water per day. The amount differs depending on your location and habits, but it’s safe to say that most people use at least 100 gallons each day.
So the typical recommendation for RV antifreeze is 2 gallons of water per quart of antifreeze. So if you’re pouring 1 gallon into your radiator, just add 4 more gallons of water! This should be enough for most situations.
Conclusion
Other than draining and flushing RV freshwater tanks, antifreeze prevents expansion from taken place in sub-freezing temperatures by lowering the freezing point. And some types of antifreeze are used as a lubricant to protect seals inside toilets and faucets.
Talking of the types of antifreeze out there, we have Propylene glycol-based, Propylene blend and ethanol-based antifreeze for RV.
You can find different types of antifreeze on Amazon starting from as low as $50, depending on the formula and size.
Own an RV? bookmark our Recreational vehicle resource page. And you can also read our previous content on different answers to common RV questions: Can RV Refrigerator Fans Make Your Fridge Cooler? , How Often Should I Change My RV Water Filter?, Do RVs Really Need to Slide Out Stabilizers? and so on!