Preparing Your Caravan for Winter

What Precautions Should You Take?

It is important to ensure that you winterise your Static Caravan each year to minimise the risk of any frost damage occurring – A Static Owners worst nightmare!

Many insurers have conditions on when they will require the caravan to be drained down, and when it can be re-opened – some insurers will remove the drain down conditions for an additional premium.

Draining Down

Most sites offer a service in which they will drain down your caravan for you (usually at a fee). This includes;

·       Draining all pipework of any remaining water

·       Disconnecting the water & gas from the caravan, and putting anti-freeze down all drains

·       Checking the anti-freeze level in the central heating system (and topping up if required)

Protecting the Inside of the Caravan

There are also precautions you can take to protect the inside of your caravan against the cold weather;

·       Ensure the vents of the caravan are not covered

·       Switch off all electrical switches and lights

·       Switch off your fridge and freezer

·       Move all furniture to the centre of the room to improve airflow and reduce risk of mould and mildew

·       Wedge open any inside doors and drawers such as cupboards, the fridge etc. This will help airflow of the caravan

·       Salt is a particularly useful tool. Placing bowls of salt around the caravan will help to absorb any moisture

Protecting the Outside of the Caravan

As well as the inside, there are precautions you can take to protect the outside of the caravan this winter;

·       Ensure the vents of the caravan are not covered

·       Check the seams and seals to ensure there are no gaps for the cold weather to easily get into

·       Lag any exposed pipes to help stop them from freezing over

·       Leave any external drainage plugs open to allow any excess water to drain if needed

·       There are various options for an exterior protector covering which can be used to prevent a build-up of dirt and algae