With temperatures dropping, most of us are packing our caravans and motorhomes away and starting to focus on getting warm and festive. Although you might not be out and about in your caravans and motorhomes now, it doesn’t change the fact that they can be your pride and joy. This means continuing to look after them while in motorhome or caravan storage so that they are ready to use at the first signs of spring.
There are a few important things that need to be done before your campervan or motorhome goes into hibernation for the winter.
In this article, we share 8 tips to keep your beloved motorhome or caravan in tip top shape, while in caravan or motorhome storage.
Drain the water tank
Whether you are using outdoor storage or undercover storage for your motorhome or caravan, it is important that you drain the internal water system before putting it away for winter. This is because if water is left in the tank, it can freeze and expand. The expansion of the ice is what causes the problems, as it can cause cracks in the pipework meaning the water system will leak when you come to fill it up again in the spring. Not ideal!
Empty the fridge
This one may sound obvious, but make sure that you empty any food and drink from the caravan or motorhome. You don’t want to have to deal with the smell of mouldy food when you go on your first exciting adventure next year! And of course you don’t want to risk attracting rodents to your caravan or motorhome while it is in storage.
We suggest that you prop the fridge door open using the latch while it isn’t on, so that it can be aired while not in use.
Turn off your gas taps
This one also feels a little bit obvious, but we think it is still worth mentioning. It can be easy to forget something when there are so many other things to think about while putting your motorhome or caravan into storage for winter.
To do this you will need to turn your on-board gas supply off at the cylinder in the rear gas locker. Run any remaining gas in the system through the grill, hob or oven, but when doing this make sure that you have windows open and leave them open for a little bit to air out the space and dispel the gas.
You might also need to detach all removable gas cylinders, and we recommend that you store that separately to your caravan, especially if you are putting your caravan or motorhome in outdoor or undercover storage. At Hogleaze Storage it is a requirement to remove all gas bottles and store them in our secure gas storage area.
Finally, turn off interior gas taps.
Remove bedding, clothing and soft furnishing
If you leave any clothing or soft furnishings in your caravan or motorhome while it is in storage they can become musty and sometimes a little damp when not moved for a long period of time.
No matter if you are using outdoor storage or indoor storage for your caravan or motorhome, we recommend that you take all clothing and soft furnishings out and air them for a little bit before putting them away for storage, or back in your wardrobe.
Wash it
When the daffodils spring and the sun starts to warm up, you want to be able to just jump in your caravan or motorhome and drive it straight out of storage to your first destination of the year. You don’t want to waste precious ‘adventure time’ cleaning it.
So take some time, before putting it into caravan or motorhome storage, to give it a good clean. Get your bucket and sponge or pressure washer out to clean the paintwork, alloy wheels, and roof. Try to remove as much dirt and road grime as possible as just a little bit of bird poo can cause paintwork damage that you really don’t want.
At Hogleaze Storage, you will have access to a pressure washer with a mounting platform making cleaning your caravan or motorhome easy.
Once the caravan or motorhome is clean, make sure you dry it thoroughly; you will be especially grateful for this if you are putting a cover on while using caravan or motorhome storage.
Which leads us onto our next tip…
Cover your caravan or motorhome
Caravans or motorhomes that are sat for extended periods of time can accumulate dirt and grim, especially if stored in outdoor storage.
If you are able to, it is recommended that you invest in a bespoke vehicle cover as this will fit your caravan or motorhome perfectly and stop leaf debris, dirt and water streaks from forming on your van’s paintwork.
If you have a solar panel, a cover will also protect that from any potential damage that the elements could cause. Although you will need to remember that a cover will mean the solar panel isn’t being charged while in storage. This will also be the case if you are using undercover storage for motorhomes or caravans but then trickle charging should be available.
If you can’t get a cover, then make sure that you have closed all the blinds or curtains to guard the interior from UV rays.
Charge the battery
If not in regular use, you will need to make sure that the leisure and vehicle batteries are being charged.
If you are planning on using caravan or motorhome storage for a long period of time, we suggest that you place the van on charge using the electric hook-up.
Keeping the leisure battery charged this way will also help to pass a trickle charge to the vehicle battery, keeping both healthy and ready to be used when you want to go out.
If you leave your motorhome or caravan for long periods of time, minor draw on the vehicle and leisure batteries can lead to battery sulphation, which in a lot of cases cannot be reversed.
Consider your tyres
When left for large amounts of time, tyres can get flat spots where they have been sitting in the same place for too long.
If you are planning on putting your caravan or motorhome in storage for a long time, then you should shift the position of the vehicle every so often, so that the pressure isn’t on one spot for all that time.
You could also consider getting wheel covers as they will prevent UV and weather damage.
Where to store your caravan or motorhome
At Hogleaze Storage we make caravan and motorhome storage affordable and simple.
Security of your vehicle is our priority, whether in outdoor storage or undercover storage. We have 24/7 security with CCTV cameras in place and automatic number plate registration (ANPR).
With undercover storage you will be given your own fob to open the alarmed roller doors with 24/7 access to your caravan or motorhome.
You will also have access to a pressure washer with mounting platform, so that you can wash your motorhome or caravan, including the roof, before going into storage. We also have a grey/blackwater discharge point and a waste skip, so that you can thoroughly clear out your caravan or motorhome.
Of course getting your caravan ready for winter storage can be a fair amount of work, so we have a drinking water refill point and on-site toilets.
Based just outside of Dorchester, we are perfectly located for caravan storage, with easy access to the world heritage coastline just off the A35 and A37.
If you are interested in our motorhome or caravan storage, get in touch with us by calling 01305 889777 or completing the form on our contact us page.