Spring clean your park home

The weather may have been variable recently but British Summer Time has officially begun, which means many of our customers are returning to their park homes after the winter break.

Even if you thoroughly prepared and cleaned your park home at the end of last season, it’s important to carry out a thorough check before you move back in for 2012. Small problems may not be immediately obvious, but if left untreated these niggles could develop into a larger problem – one which causes a great deal more damage.

Here is a quick list of checks to make when returning to your park home:

1 – before you enter the front door, make a full circuit around the outside to look for damage to guttering, plus cracks or dents in the roof, walls, door panels and windows. Look out also for damage to satellite dishes and exterior lights.

2 – take a deep breath when you enter the house; if it smells particularly musty then you could have a problem with damp.

3- check the walls in each room for major cracks in the paper/paint work, discoloured patches or new marks, all of which could be the sign of a water leak. Look up at the ceiling for signs of bowing.

4 – make sure there are no patches of water, discolouration or distortion around the windows and repair any loose or damaged window and door seals. Also check the seals around taps, showers and plugholes.

5 – run your hand over soft furnishings such as sofas and mattresses to make sure they are not damp.

6 – visually check all furnishings, carpets and floorings for vermin damage. If in doubt, lay traps or contact an exterminator.

7 – if you didn’t do so at the end of last year, have your boiler serviced to reduce the chance of a breakdown.

8 – give your park home a good spring clean to remove any dust and cobwebs that have gathered over the winter. Clean fixtures and furnishings are likely to last longer and are less likely to attract insects and vermin.

Even if you clean and repair your park home to the highest standard, there are still occasions when damage occurs. To protect yourself from a large repair bill, make sure you take out a dedicated park home insurance policy.

Coast’s park home insurance includes protection in the event of storm damage, theft, accidental damage and loss or damage to contents. To find out more about the benefits on offer, call our friendly sales team on Freephone 0800 614 849.