How to Prepare Your Caravan for Winter
January isn’t a very popular time of year to go on a caravanning holiday. That’s why a lot of people will store it until spring arrives. If you’re new to caravanning, you might not be aware of some of the maintenance that’s required both before, during and after storing your caravan for long periods over the winter. Here’s how you can prepare properly:
Clean the inside, from top to bottom
Much like how you’d clean your house from top to bottom before going on holiday, you should clean the inside of your caravan. This will help to keep bugs and rodents at bay, but it will also make sure your caravan space is comfortable, clean and hygienic to use, almost right away. You must also clean the outside of your caravan, especially if you’d like to cover it whilst the harsh weather sets in.
Check the onboard water filter
This is important, more so over the winter than at any other time of year. This is because, as the temperature drops, moisture will sit next to the threads and then freeze. This could cause the cracking or fracturing of the housing the filter sits in. Remove the filter before storing your caravan for winter or replace it just before the caravanning season picks up again.
Refrain from keeping the blinds closed for long periods of time
It’s not advisable to keep the blinds shut if you’re storing your caravan for the winter. This is because it might end up compromising the integrity of the internal springs. You’d be far better off, if you do want to keep prying eyes out, closing the curtains instead or putting up bed sheets as a way of ensuring privacy, if you don’t have any curtains.
Keep a moisture trap inside the caravan
The cold weather can bring damp with it, especially when indoor areas aren’t kept warm. Caravans aren’t as well-insulated as homes and other buildings, but things like condensation can cause damp to occur and, when the warmer seasons set in, mould could also form. Keep dehumidifiers in the caravan if you aren’t going to use it for a few months to avoid the aforementioned problems.
Remove the battery or charge it every few weeks
Batteries, in general, don’t perform well in cold conditions, so either remove it altogether or make sure it’s topped up by charging it once every so often. If you don’t do this, then you could risk coming to start it during the peak season and it won’t run. If your caravan is one that you have to tow, then you’ll still have this issue, because you’ll need electricity to power your lights and appliances, for example.
Keep your caravan covered, if it’s been cleaned thoroughly
If you have cleaned your caravan well, externally, then it would be ideal to cover it over whilst it’s not in use, especially over the winter period. Not only will this mean you won’t have to keep the curtains closed, but it also protects it from frost, snow and ice; all of which can affect the integrity of the caravan itself, depending on what it’s made from. Do not use a cover on your caravan if it is still dirty. Don’t forget to cover the hitch as well when covering your clean caravan.
Regal Furnishings are highly-experienced professionals with extensive knowledge and expertise regarding the reupholstering of soft furnishings in caravans, motorhomes, static caravans, boats, campervans and horseboxes. For more information about how we can breathe new life into your caravan or otherwise, get in touch with a member of our specialist, friendly team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.
