When it comes time to wave our touring holidays goodbye for the winter, it’s not just a case of locking our caravans up until the following spring. There are steps to take to ensure the new season will not bring any shocks or surprises that could end up being costly to resolve.
Preparing a touring caravan for winter
Preparation of the inside and outside of your touring caravan as well as where it will be stored, are key here.
- Cleaning the outside is important to protect against mould and mildew building up over the cold months. Specialist products such as Fenwick’s Caravan Cleaner followed by an application of Fenwick’s Overwintering will help.
- Lubricate window seals to prevent windows sticking and always store the caravan with windows shut and locked. Shut vents too as this will close off any way in for bugs and insects while the caravan is out of use. Make sure vents are clear so that air can continue to circulate or your caravan will have damp and small musty when it is opened up again.
- Thoroughly clean inside all cupboards and clean out the fridge and freezer, leaving doors open.
- Wherever possible, remove bedding and soft furnishings (cushions, throws etc.) and leave fixed beds open to encourage air to circulate.
- Empty the toilet waste tank and then flush through. The cassette should be cleaned and blades left open.
- Remove any gas cylinders and store in a well-ventilated place. Remove batteries from any electrical items (carbon monoxide alarms and smoke detectors) but replace burglar alarm batteries with new ones for the winter. Remove 12V batteries (unless they power a burglar alarm).
- Have your water system drained down professionally. This reduces the risk of damage from frosts.
- Remove the leisure battery and store in a dry, warm place indoors. Maintain the charge with a battery charger once a month and make sure terminals are clean and you have topped up levels of distilled water,
Storing your touring caravan over winter
- Where you are unable to store the caravan at home in a garage or on a driveway, choose a site with security cameras and guards and always ask what insurance is in place against damage. Check your own insurance regarding storage away from your home. The Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) lists sites that have been risk assessed for security.
- Always store the caravan with the hand brake off to prevent sticking, with steadies lowered and using wheel chocks, and always store on level ground.
- Visit the caravan at regular intervals to turn the wheels – tyres that stand in the same place will weaken and crack. Use a jack to raise the caravan to do this.
- Your caravan should be secured with a hitch lock and wheel clamps plus a corner steady lock.
- Use a weather-proof caravan cover, avoiding plastic sheets or tarpaulins which will trap moisture and encourage condensation and mildew.
- Moisture traps and crystals can also help to prevent the build up of mould, mildew and odours, if your caravan is not being used throughout the cooler months.
And finally…
Book a winter service for your caravan at an approved caravan service centre and pop back to the caravan regularly just to check it over. Following these simple steps will take the pain out of preparing for the new touring caravan season, which will be here before you know it!
For lots more helpful blog posts, check our touring caravan blog and for any other advice, give our team a call on 01754 871152 – our Ingoldmells store is open year-round.
