Ten essential checks to prepare your caravan for winter
In this handy video we go through 10 essential winter checks for your caravan.
Step 1
Drain down your water systems, including the hot water tank. Don’t forget to flush the toilet and maintenance spray on the toilet seals. Leave water taps, draining cocks and and toilet blades open.
Check anti-freeze levels in sealed central heating systems.
Step 2
Empty and clean the fridge thoroughly with bicarbonate of soda. Leave the door ajar and use an old tea towel to make sure the freezer compartment stays open.
Step 3
Use moisture traps during your caravan’s lay-up, placing them around your caravan, and leave locker doors open to let air circulate.
Step 4
Remove all foodstuffs so as not to attract vermin and give everything a good vacuum and clean. Also remove any bedding and towels so vermin does not have anywhere to nest.
Step 5
Clean and polish the outside of your caravan to protect your paintwork from winter weather.
Step 6
Remove and store your soft furnishings at home in a warm, dry place if you can – if not stand cushions on their sides to prevent mould and mildew.
Step 7
Remove any valuables from your caravan, like the TV, speakers and other appliances.
Step 8
Check your caravan tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and try to move your caravan a few inches every six weeks to prevent uneven wear.
Step 9
Turn off any gas cylinders and remove the leisure battery to keep it on a trickle charge at home. Remember if you have a leisure battery powered alarm or tracking device you’ll need to leave it in situ and check the voltage every six weeks if possible and top up the charge where necessary. A solar panel will help keep your leisure battery topped up over winter.
Step 10
Finally, check your paperwork is up-to-date, making sure your caravan insurance policy includes has any new caravanning equipment you might have bought added to the sums insured.
Over to you…
Do you have any other essential checks you want to share when you’re preparing your caravan for winter?
Excellent, All done , non in hibernation. Roll on the spring.
Although Neil Little seems to think everyone is already aware of this information he is forgetting there are lots of “newbies” out there who need guidance
Great advice & reminder. What do you recommend for window roller & fly screen blinds as we left them down on previous caravan & had mould on the roller blinds which we could not remove. Also with roof lights is it best to close black out & / or fly screens. My thoughts are close all flyscreens but leave blackout / roller blinds open to assist air circulation but would be pleased to hear your thoughts.
Great advice but season campers must know all these things but a reminder is never lost
Excellent information and already done most of it but what can you recommend as a maintenance spray is that the normal silicone spray you can purchase for all of the seals etc
Thanks Joh. Yes it’s the usual spray, such as Thetford Seal Lubricant Spray.
Yep done that, and leave the eco heating on low.
Thanx for the advice.
Thank you for the reminder although I have done all draining but forgot the loo (oop’s)
Again another great article.
Brilliant thankyou
Very useful information about winter on caravan
Thanks James. Glad you found it useful.
Very good video good tips clearly explained.
Thanks for the great feedback John.
Thanks all done & Wheels off the ground
Great work Alan.
All done wheels off the ground