EarthCruiser Water Heater Replacement: Why Winterizing Your Rig Matters

We recently had an EarthCruiser camper in the shop for a water heater replacement and it turned into a valuable lesson on the importance of winterizing your rig.

This EarthCruiser was running an Elgena water heater, a high-quality, German-made unit. Fortunately, we were able to source a replacement here in the States, but the reason for the swap was one we see far too often: the original tank had burst. Why? Because it wasn’t properly winterized.

If you’re not familiar with what happens when water is left in your system over the winter, here’s the short version: water expands when it freezes. And when that happens inside your plumbing or tank, things crack, burst, and break—leading to costly repairs or full replacements like this one.

In this case, it’s unclear if the system had been fully blown out, but it definitely wasn’t protected enough for an Idaho winter. And out here, the cold hits hard and deep.

The takeaway?

If you’re parking your rig for the winter and not using it regularly, make sure to winterize all your plumbing components, especially your water heater. It’s a simple step that can save you hundreds of dollars (and a lot of hassle) down the road.

Need help winterizing your rig? Want us to inspect your setup before the cold weather hits? Or maybe you are having plumbing issues in your rig due to lack of winterization this last winter? Reach out, we’re happy to help.