What 'winterization' means in Port St. Lucie (it's not what you think)
Up north, 'winterization' means draining water lines and adding RV antifreeze so the system survives freeze. In Port St. Lucie, freezing is rare (a few nights a year, usually). The real challenge is 5-6 months of stored heat, humidity, UV, and mildew while you're traveling north.
Most PSL snowbirds head north May-October. The coach sits at a storage facility or behind the house in 95°F+ ambient with brutal UV and 80%+ humidity. What dies during that time without prep:
- Slide-out seals (compression set from 5 months of heat)
- Tires (UV cracking on sidewalls if uncovered)
- Awning fabric (UV degradation)
- Batteries (parasitic drain + sulfation if left connected)
- Fuel (ethanol gelling in carburetor and tank)
- Refrigerator (mildew growth on closed seals)
- AC ducting (mildew if you don't air out)
The PSL summer storage checklist
Before you head north for the season:
- Tire prep: clean tires, apply 303 UV protectant, cover with breathable tire covers. UV cracking is the #1 PSL tire failure mode for stored coaches.
- Slide-out conditioning: extend each slide, clean seals with 303 Aerospace, condition with seal-specific product, retract slides in. Some owners leave slides extended under covered storage - even better for seal life.
- Battery management: disconnect house batteries OR install a maintainer. Lithium banks can stay connected at 50% state of charge. Lead-acid will sulfate without a maintainer.
- Fuel stabilization: add Sta-Bil 360 or Pri-G to the gas tank, run the generator 10 minutes after to circulate stabilized fuel through the carb.
- Water system: drain freshwater tank, sanitize with 1/4 cup bleach per 15 gallons + 12 hr soak before draining. Don't drain water heater - leave full or bypass.
- Refrigerator: empty, clean, prop the doors open with the included spacers. Closed = mildew. Open = airflow.
- Vents and covers: pop-up vent covers on roof vents, mesh covers in exhaust pipes (mud daubers love generator exhaust openings).
- Awning: clean, 303 treat, retract fully secured. Don't leave extended in PSL summer thunderstorms.
- Cover (recommended): breathable RV cover or carport. The single biggest factor in slide-seal and roof-membrane longevity.
- Set up a check-in plan: someone (us, or a neighbor) checks the coach monthly for storm damage, pests, or leaks.
Hurricane prep (June-November overlap with most snowbird absence)
If a hurricane is approaching while you're gone, your coach is vulnerable. Pre-prep:
- Move to covered storage if possible - Tradition and St. Lucie West have several covered RV facilities
- If uncovered: have someone (us or a designated friend) move the coach to high ground if storm surge is forecast
- Retract all awnings before storms - even if you're away, set up a check-in person to confirm
- Tie-down kits for travel trailers in storm-prone storage are $185-265 installed
Dewinterization (October-November - the wake-up)
When you return to PSL in October or November, the coach needs to come back to life. We do dewinterization service calls all season:
- Full system inspection - leaks, pest entry, storm damage during your absence
- Battery reconnect + load test, voltage check
- Generator start + 30-minute load run
- AC test + coil clean
- Water system flush, faucets bled, water heater filled
- Refrigerator burn-in test (24 hours to full temp)
- Tire pressure + DOT date check
- Slide-out cycle test, seal inspection
$165-225 mobile for a typical dewinterization. We schedule these 1-2 weeks before your first planned trip so any issues found can be fixed before you head out.
Skipping prep = expensive wake-up
We see roughly the same pattern every fall: snowbirds return, fire up the coach, discover any of the following:
- Generator won't start - ethanol gel in carb. $185-265 repair.
- AC won't cool - mud-dauber nest in the condenser or capacitor failure. $145-285.
- Tires cracked, must be replaced before travel. $1,200-2,800 for a full set.
- Slide seals warped, water intrusion at next storm. $345-580 fabric replacement.
- House batteries dead from sulfation. $245-485 for new AGM pair.
Prevention is $185-285 in May. Reactive repair averages $800-1,500 in October. The math is obvious. Schedule pre-storage prep through the contact page or call 772-276-6465.