So, you’ve enjoyed a glorious summer travelling in your campervan but now it’s sadly time to think about what you’re going to do with it over winter.
How you prepare your campervan for winter depends on what you plan on doing with your campervan during winter. The first question you should ask yourself is, are you going to be travelling throughout winter or will you be storing it? As providers of campervan insurance, we’ve put together this handy guide to help you prepare your campervan for winter storage.
If You’re Storing Your Campervan Over Winter
Where Are You Storing It?
Driveway or CaSSOA?
This is an important thing to consider; storing your campervan in a CaSSOA assured site allows you the peace of mind in knowing your pride and joy is safe. There’s plenty of CaSSOA sites across the UK and you can use their handy tool to find your nearest approved location.
Drain all water from the system to avoid any frost damage in shower heads, taps and pipes
When putting your campervan into storage, the first thing you need to do is ensure all water is fully drained from the vehicle. This will help protect your campervan from any damaged taps, shower heads and burst pipes which can be costly.
Keep All Doors, Cupboards and Fridge Open
By keeping all the cupboard doors and fridge open you allow air to circulate throughout the campervan, reducing the chances of damp and mould.
Shut Windscreen Demister and Put It On Recirculate Instead
This will ensure no damp air enters the campervan by only allowing the air to recirculate throughout the campervan.
Use Damp-Catcher / Silicone Crystals To Absorb Any Moisture In The Air.
If you’re planning on storing your campervan for a long time, then you can invest in some damp-catchers or silicone crystal bags which absorb any excess moisture in the air.
Remove Leisure Batteries
If you have any leisure batteries installed, then you may want to either disconnect or remove them from the campervan as the extremely low temperatures over winter can cause batteries to become damaged.
Thoroughly Clean Kitchen And Ensure All Food Is Removed
It’s important you give the inside of your campervan a good clean and pay close attention to any crumbs left out. You don’t want to return to your campervan after winter to find out a family of mice have moved in due to food being left in the vehicle.
Shut Curtains To Avoid Upholstery Bleaching
If your campervan is going to be stored in a location where sunlight will be directly shining on it then you’ll want to make sure all the curtains are closed to help prevent your upholstery in the van being bleached out by sunlight.
Clean Outside Of Vehicle As Mud Holds Moisture Causing Rust
Before putting your campervan into storage you’ll want to give it a good and thorough clean on the outside. Make sure you get rid of any mud and moss as these both retain moisture which can then cause rust on your vehicle.
Avoid Parking Under Trees
If you’re not storing your campervan in a covered location then avoid parking it under any trees, this will reduce the amount of bird poo on your campervan which can damage the exterior if not cleaned off promptly. It will also help to avoid any tree sap or branches damaging the paint and bodywork on your vehicle which can end up a costly repair.
Should I Use A Campervan Cover?
There are both positives and negatives to using a cover for your campervan, but if you are going to use a cover then many people will advise you to make sure it is a breathable one otherwise the cover can cause damp and mould to grow. The benefits of using a cover are that your campervan is protected from the weather, dirt and any bird poo which can damage your vehicle, so your van is looking fresh and clean for when you come to use it next year.
Using your campervan over winter?
If you’re not planning on storing your campervan over winter and you’re thinking of going on some wonderful winter camping trips, then here’s some things you may want to consider:
- Check oil and coolant levels before every trip.
- Check your tyre condition, if you’re unsure how to do this then pop to your local garage who can do this for you.
- Consider getting winter tyres fitted to your campervan if you’re planning on travelling to particularly cold areas of the country.
- Check all lights are working and free from dirt
- Make sure water is fully drained after each trip to avoid any damaged pipes due to frost.
Winter Emergency Survival Kit
In the event of an emergency you should invest some time in preparing a winter survival kit to be kept in your campervan:
- Blanket / sleeping bag
- Snow Shovel
- De-icer spray & Ice Scraper
- Torch with spare batteries
- Snacks & Water
- Grit / Sand
- Phone charger
- Breakdown Cover
If you don’t already have breakdown cover then give us a call on 03333707777 and you can get a quote in minutes. Read more about our breakdown cover.
Staying Warm
Windscreen Cover
You may want to purchase a windscreen cover to help keep the heat in your campervan over winter and avoid a frosty windscreen in the mornings.
Bubble Wrap Windows For Insulation
You can use bubble wrap on the inside of windows to help insulate your campervan and keep it warmer over winter months. Simply use a spray bottle with water on the window and apply bubble wrap.
Carpet Floor
Having carpet on the floor can make your campervan much warmer, if you don’t have carpet then consider getting a rug.
Winter Duvet
If your camping over winter and you’re not using a sleeping bag, then you may want to consider getting a duvet with a tog rating of 10 or higher as this will help to keep you warm.
Do you have any other tips on preparing your campervan for winter? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and tag us in your photos on Instagram.
