If you don’t plan to use your motorhome over the colder months then make sure you prepare it well for winter storage to protect it from the elements, and to reduce the risk of theft and damp.
A well-looked after motorhome left hibernating in winter storage will be easier to get ready for the new season ahead. Alternatively, if you use your motorhome throughout winter then why not read our six tips for motorhoming in winter.
Winter storage
Choose where you store your motorhome in winter carefully, remembering it’s only the motorhome that’s hibernating, not a determined thief or thieves!
If storing at home, if possible, park your motorhome so it’s not visible from the roadside. Park it nose-first against a wall so would-be thieves can’t attempt to tow it. Think about creating a barrier with locked gates or a drive post so thieves would have to break it down to drive the motorhome away. Good security lighting and a carefully placed CCTV camera could also be a turn off for criminals.
If storing on a storage facility, take a careful look at the security measures in place at your storage site and check that they meet your motorhome’s insurer requirements. As a minimum make sure the site has a 24-hour locked access control gates or barrier and high perimeter fencing.
Try to avoid obvious risk factors like storing your motorhome beneath trees, where branches could fall on it or on an area with a high water table. Consider a motorhome cover to save your motorhome from getting covered in leaves and tree sap. The cover itself could also act as a further deterrent with thieves less likely to know the make and model of what lies beneath.
Motorhome security
There are other physical security devices to slow down a thief such as steering wheel locks, clutch locks, motorhome wheel clamps and gear stick locks. See our motorhome security guide for tips on how to protect your motorhome or campervan from theft: www.caravanguard.co.uk/motorhome-security-guide.
Check your motorhome insurance policy to see if there are any specific terms and conditions for when you leave your vehicle unattended, such as security devices and systems
At Caravan Guard we ask for extra security on motorhomes insured for over £45,000. That can be a Thatcham Category 1 approved alarm system or an approved tracking device (a tracking device is a requirement on motorhomes insured for over £65,000).
If you do have electronic security such as an alarm or motorhome tracking device it’s vital to make sure the battery that is powering them is kept charged. This might mean you have to occasionally charge the battery. Some tracking devices and alarms will alert you if there’s been a power failure but by then it could be too late.
Also make sure any tracking system subscriptions are up-to-date so your motorhome is being monitored and so you remain insured.
Avoiding frost damage
Draining down your motorhome’s water system is of paramount importance to avoid any frost damage when putting your leisure vehicle into winter storage. It’s also a condition of your motorhome insurance policy to drain down between November 1st and March 15th.
It helps to tilt your motorhome so the drain valves are at the lowest point. Check the manufacturer’s handbook if you are unsure where the valves are. Open the outlets to your fresh and waste water tanks and open all internal taps, including the shower. You might want to use a device such as Floe, with an air compressor to blow out every last drop of water.
Remove the shower handset, give it a good shake and leave the head and tube on the shower tray.
While you’re in the shower room clean the shower and the basin, put plugs in the drains to stop any smells entering the interior and drain the water from the toilet. You’ll find out how to do this in the manufacturer’s handbook.
Remember any external shower too! You’ll need to drain the water heater, the on-board tank and the grey water tank. Don’t forget the external pump; you can keep this in the motorhome, and remember to drain any internal pump. If you have a “wet” heating system, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for winterising.
Winter storage housekeeping
A little bit of housework is called for when laying up your motorhome in winter.
Empty and clean the fridge using the manufacturer’s guidelines, leaving the fridge door slightly ajar. Also give the hob, oven and grill a final clean.
Empty and clean out all the cupboards, getting rid of any crumbs to avoid vermin squeezing in to look for food and have a good run round with a vacuum cleaner, not forgetting the upholstery and curtains.
You can either take out the soft furnishings if you have somewhere warm or dry to store them at home or move them into the middle of your ‘van so that air can circulate around them.
Leaving blinds, curtains and cupboard doors open will show any potential thieves there is nothing worth breaking in for.
Don’t forget to remove any valuable electrical items, portable equipment or personal documents like the ownership handbook and motorhome insurance certificates.
Moisture absorbing crystals help to reduce the risk of condensation but they’ll need changing quite often.
If you’re able to hook up to an electric source, you could consider running the heating on a very low setting to take the chill off.
Gas cylinders are best removed and stored in a ventilated and cool place.
Finally lock up, check when your motorhome insurance is due, book a motorhome service and habitation check and plan your next trips.
Oh and keep your keys hidden in a safe place!
Regular maintenance checks
If you’re not going to be going on any winter adventures in your motorhome it’s worth carrying out some regular checks so it’s ready to go when you are and to catch any issues nice and early.
Once a month, start up the engine and allow it to run for up to 30 minutes to help keep the battery charged – or better still, take it for a short run.
To avoid pressure on a single area of your tyres and flat spots developing, move your motorhome a little bit each month or jack it up to rotate the wheels. Also release the parking brake and move it back and forth to prevent it from seizing up.
Check those security devices are still working, so your insurance remains valid, and look for any signs of damp or mould developing, giving windows and wallboards a wipe down if necessary.
Have you got any further tips for winter storage? Post your suggestions in the comments box below.
We use plug in rodent repellers which also seem to get rid of spiders .These are run from a separate electric supply as solar panels keep batteries charged .we also cover tyres wheels with plastic cover Cost around 12pounds on ebay
The advice you offered can be a little conflicting as you correctly state that the system must be fully drained down and is a condition of insurance however you then suggest that ” if you’re able to hook up to an electric source, you could consider running the heating on a very low setting to take the chill off”. It should be pointed out that most motorhomes have a heating system that require the boiler to be filled with water to operate and trying to run that without water can cause damage or even be dangerous. It should be obvious but not necessarily to a newcomer to owning a motorhome.
Thanks for this Bob. Truma’s Combi heater can be used independently of the water system: https://www.truma.com/uk/en/faq/operate-truma-combi-heater-without-water so it’s always worth checking to see what system you have.
Pro-Tech make bespoke covers with a plastic window so you can still charge your leisure batteries they are also breathable. Better still they are a British company and based in Yorkshire
anybody had their clutch not work after winter storage
We were told at the end of the season that we needed to replace our leisure batteries as they were not holding their charge, and so were at the end of their useful life. As yet we have not replaced them. I would like advice as to which would be best – remove them and not have any batteries on until we start using the mh regularly again, remove them and replace with new batteries and leave winterised, leave the old ones on until we start into regular use again. We do not have a solar panel, and as newbies we are not sure what happens with the batteries when the mh is laid up. We have an Autotrail Cheyenne 840, on a 2006 plate.
Hi Kathryn, you could continue to use them through winter, whilst budgeting to replace them at the start of the season. That might depend on what means you have to keep them topped up. All depends on your storage regime and whether your vehicle relies on any 12V power whilst not in use – eg alarm system, tracker etc. Why not book your vehicle in for a service and see what your specialist motorhome workshop advises?
I have a motorhome cover but now have a different new van with solar panel and tracker, is there a problem to cover the solar panel and obviously will cover the tracker for the winter?
It’s unlikely the solar panel will work with the cover on so you need to make sure the battery is regularly topped up to power the tracking device.
After draining the boiler, grey & fresh water tanks I open all the taps fully including the shower, blow up a large balloon and fit it on the tap. This blows any remains water out of the pipes. Make sure you do it for cold and hot.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I will be wintering my Fiat Ducato 2.8 diesel (Model: Eden 202) Year 2000. It is a French vehicle (with 80,000 kilometres). The vehicle will be housed for eight months in a barn in Central France. I will be draining all water out of the vehicle (including the solar tank) except the engine which will have anti-freeze.
I would like your advise as to whether I should disconnect the batteries, or would it be advisable to leave them connected and plug in the electricity. It also has a solar panel but under cover in the barn it will not get direct sunlight although light will be shining in. I understand that the solar panel has a trickle charge and will top up the batteries and also the electricity if it is plugged in.
The farmer (whose barn I will be renting) has offered to start the engine up periodically and I would greatly appreciate your advice in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph Hart.
Hi Joseph, thanks for getting in touch.
I passed your query on to motorhome enthusiast and journalist Nick Harding. In response to your query, Nick gave this advice: “It’s great if you can have the engine turned over occasionally, great if you can stay plugged into mains, otherwise, do keep a close eye on battery levels. I’d recommend that you speak to your solar panel fitter for more advice on this. Lastly, it’s not good for your tyres to be sat around for so long, so again great if the motorhome can be moved occasionally.”
We hope this helps.
Thanks
hi i have put my camper on axel stands to keep weight of the tyres and to stop damp
I turn the engine over a couple of times and move the van a little so that the pressure is not on the same part of the tyres all over winter.
Hi Neil, Do you have any opinions on the best way of avoiding Damp Ingress. Early this year my most affected area was a section in the kitchen window area where i had thought my motorhome would have good protection that section being parked in the winter alongside the gable end of house. Do you consider the addition of a carport type cover being worth the expense.Frank
Hi John,
providing you purchase a breathable cover, we think they do offer added protection over leaving your motorhome uncovered over winter.
The most important thing is that the cover is breathable, otherwise condensation can build up between the motorhome and the cover, and even inside the motorhome (causing damp).
Neil
Caravan Guard
What do you think of overall covers for winter storage. Advantage or disadvantage.
Some great advice guys.
Further to John’s comment you can also use a Floe (http://www.keepfloeing.com/products-motorhome.html) air pump to flush out the system, or simply close all your taps, remove your show head and blow down the pipe. This should force any last drops out.
thanks again for your tips guys and keep em coming!
Neil
Caravan Guard
On the outside of the motorhome where the fridge vents are, dont forget to put the winter grill devices on to limit the ammount of air and moisture going into the vehicle.
Chock the wheels, don’t use the hand brake
Good advice you cannot be to carefull .
Your Motorhome is a big investment so look after it and USE it to justyfy the cost of keeping it on the road.
Don’t just drain your tanks, open the drain taps and drive around for a few miles before parking up, it’s surprising how much water a static tank will retain. Where possible leave cupboard / locker doors slightly open so the air can circulate.
WD 40 ALL EXTERNAL LOCKS,PULL CURTAINS TOGETHER, DO NOT PULL DOWN BLINDS, WASH WHEELS AND TYRES THEN USE MER TYRE DRESSING ON WALLS ALSO CHECK TYRE PRESSURE