How to Prepare your Caravan for Winter Storage

Summers on its way out and winters on its way in so you might be thinking of preparing your caravan for storage so it will ready to go when you get it back out next year.

Whether you're storing your caravan inside or on your driveway, here are several things to consider to get it ready.

The body Work

Whether you're storing your caravan, putting it under a cover, or treating it with an overwinter wax coating. It's vital to give it a thorough cleaning to help protect it and allows you to check the bodywork for any damage.

The tyres

You should think about rotating your tyres every couple of months, it's not a good idea to leave them standing in the same place for long periods. You can use this tie to also make sure that they have sufficient pressure in them. If outside find a way to shield your tyres from direct sunlight to avoid degradation.

The exterior fittings

Check any car to caravan connectors for signs of damage or wear, and wipe electrical contacts with petroleum jelly or a water dispersant.

Any moving parts or mechanical linkages will benefit from an application of grease.

Any exterior light fittings will need to be checked and cleaned, remove and wipe the lens and seals before checking any electrical connections and replace if necessary.

The interior

  • Use latches to keep fridge doors ajar to avoid build-up
  • If you have spring-loaded blinds, leave them open to avoid stretching the springs.
  • Aid circulation by leaving fixed beds in the open position
  • Leave wardrobe and lockers open and make sure any windows are closed.
  • Use a water dispersant to coat hinges and protect against rust

The toilets

Drain cassette toilets and clean, and flush water through the system (as much as possible) into the cassette waste tank.

Remove the tank and clean that out.

Clean the valve blade that seals the toilet with a seal lubricant and leave slightly open to avoid it sticking shut.

The water systems

  • Drain the water system fully to protect from frost damage.
  • Remove the showerhead and open all the taps
  • Open drain valves and remove drainage plugs (including any external plugs)
  • Remove any filters and store in a safe place
  • If you have an on-board pump run it to clear it of water. It is best to check your handbook for more details on this. If you have an external pump this can be shaken free of water.

The electrics

If leaving the battery in your caravan then make sure to isolate it from all 12V equipment either by using the isolation switch or by disconnecting it. Disconnect any plugs and leave any electrical interior items in the ‘off’ position.

If possible, remove the battery unit and take it home to charge periodically. Even when a battery has been disconnected, it will still discharge over time.

If your caravan has a security system or tracker, it will need a source of power which will mean leaving your battery in situ. If this is the case, you will need to charge it onsite or have a replacement to swap over.

The gas

Close the valves on top of gas cylinders or regulators disconnected from cylinders. Fit caps over the neds of any open pipes.

Store any cylinders ideally in the open rather than your garage or shed, this will help avoid any fire risks in the event of an actual fire in the future. If you have a dedicated gas locker, that is also appropriate. Either way, they should be kept away from sources of heat, corrosion and toxic materials.

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