Nights are drawing in, days are getting shorter, and mornings are undeniably cooler.
As much as we are not ready for it, winter is coming! It may be a couple of months off yet, and you are still planning your final trip away this Autumn, but soon, you may be gearing up to get your outfit ready for storing over winter.
Whether you store your outfit at a Facility or keep it at home, there are a few things you’ll need to do to ensure your pride and joy is protected over the cold winter period.
We have put together this simple checklist to help reduce those unexpected problems next year when you bring your outfit out of hibernation and prepare for your first adventure.
Cleaning: Cleaning is an essential part of winter preparation. Of course, it will get your tourer looking great, but once clean, use a protective finish before drying to help protect the surface over winter. Give the inside a good clean and vacuum, too. Clean and condition all the rubber window seals with silicone spray or a rubber conditioner to prevent cracking.
Water system: Flush and empty all water tanks. This is very important. You want to avoid leaving water in your fresh and waste tanks, as the water will stagnate. Flush through with a tank cleaner and then dump all the water so the tanks are empty.
Drain your water heater/Bolier. Your water heater will have a dump valve installed, allowing you to empty the tank and ensure there is no water left in the system. Open the valve, let the water drain and leave the valve open. Some vans may have two valves, so ensure all valves are left open. If you have an onboard water pump, it is a good idea to remove the pump pre-filter, clean it and store it safely; this will ensure there are no traces of water left in the filter and allow air to circulate through the pipes.
Open all taps to ensure there is no water left in the pipes, which can freeze and damage pipes and fittings. Remove the shower hose and head and allow them to drain out.
Empty all cupboards and remove all food products, even long-shelf-life dried foods. Leaving food of any kind is a sure way to attract mice and vermin to your outfit. They can easily chew through cables, pipes, and bodywork to get to the goodies inside.
Moisture control: Ideally, you would put a low-powered heater inside your outfit periodically to help with moisture control and prevent mould and mildew. However, this is impractical for most, not to mention expensive. You may want to remove and store soft furnishings such as cushions and curtains or place a few dehumidifiers around.
12v system: Leisure batteries tend to suffer during the winter months, so you'll need to disconnect them or ensure the 12v system is isolated from the battery. Most caravans will have an isolation switch to isolate the battery from the system. If you have an electric hookup nearby, you can periodically connect to charge the batteries. Investing in a Solar panel system can also help keep the batteries topped up.
Toilet system: Thoroughly clean and store your toilet cassette. Clean down the blade valve and apply silicone lubricant. This should be left partially open to prevent sticking. Clean and dry inside the cassette housing.
Gas system: Make sure your LPG gas appliances are turned off at the manifold or appliance isolation valve and your LPG cylinders are disconnected and stored appropriately. Check with your storage facility regarding their LPG policies. If you are storing your cylinders at home, store them in a secure place, in the open air, and at least 2 metres from open drains.
Here at Adventures on Wheels we offer a Winter ready Package to take the hard work out of over wintering your outfit. This includes a full valet with pro-winter wax protection, window seal clean and protection, locker box rubber clean and protection and a full drain down service for only £289 click the button below to book now or give Dave a call on 07876232521
We have also put together a line of products to help with overwintering your outfit
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