Magical All Year Touring or Winterising Your Caravan?

All Year Touring

All year touring is becoming an ever increasing past time for many of our caravan and motorhome customers. Why pack your unit away when you can make use of it all year round with all year touring! With The Caravan & Motorhome Club offering more than 50 sites which are open all year round that is just the start. Many of The Camping & Caravanning Club’s most popular sites are now open all year round and both clubs offer all year touring with rallies and meets for club members as well as affiliated Certified Locations and Certified Sites which are open all year. That is not to mention the vast number of commercial sites which are open for all year touring.

Here are 10 reasons to do all year touring:-

1. Quieter, more peaceful sites
2. Cheaper sites
3. Winter breaks
4. Themed camping breaks
5. Christmas markets
6. Convenient accommodation for events
7. Warmer climates (depending on where you travel)
8. No children!
9. Private Sites – if members of a club
10. Dark sky viewing – The UK has many areas where there is excellent sky viewing

Wintering Your Caravan

If all year camping is not for you, then it is important that you winterise your caravan or motorhome properly so that it doesn’t incur problems when opening it up for the season. Follow this guide to ensure you are keeping your vehicle at its best.

• Bodywork/Exterior – Clean the exterior bodywork using appropriate products removing signs or green or black mould. If using a pressure washer use very low pressure at this can break seals. Consider turning wheels every 6-8 weeks and increasing the tyre pressure to keep them in good condition. Ensure locks are used for security (wheel locks, hitch locks, external door locks). Check 13pin hook up for wear and tear and spray with WD40. Store your caravan with the leg steadies down and the handbrake off. Use chocks to aid security if needed.
• Interior – Clean the interior of the caravan, clean the fridge using appropriate products and leave to door ajar (some caravan fridges have a latch to keep the door open), stand cushions upright away from wall boarding to aid air circulation, if you have a fixed bed, store this in an upright position to aid air circulation (consider a temporary strut to hold the weight), blinds with a spring mechanism need to be open to stop straining, consider using curtains instead, leave locker and wardrobe doors open to aid circulation, ensure roof lights and windows are all fully closed and secure.
• Water Systems – Follow the drain down procedure (even a small amount of water in the system can freeze and split the pipework). Open all the taps (for mixer taps put in the middle position to drain hot and cold water, open all drain down valves and plugs, remove shower head and shake water out, drain down internal water tank (if you have one), if you have an onboard pump run it for a few moments to clear water from the system (good pumps can run momentarily without water), external submersible pumps need to be shaken of water, drain down your aqua roll and waste container thoroughly (wash out if necessary).
• Toilet – If your caravan or motorhome has a toilet cassette ensure that you thoroughly empty and wash it out, drain the flush tank using the external tube, clean and wipe the valve blade and lubricate with a seal lubricant, leave the value in a partially shut position to avoid sticking.
• Electrics – If you can hook up to 240V mains periodically throughout the winer, this can benefit your systems by running appliances and heating and charging the battery, leisure batteries can decharge over a long period of time (consider charging periodically), ensure all lights and equipment are fully switched off and to in standby mode, alternatively take the battery home and charge every 6 weeks.
• Gas System – Close all gas valves on the top of the cylinders, if your vehicle is in storage check their rules on storing gas cylinders.
• Covers – If you are considering a cover always ensure that the caravan is fully cleaned first and choose a soft, breathable cover, choose a good quality cover that will last weathering effects and one which has doors, protrusions in the correct places, take care with windows as these can scratch easily.

Checking on your vehicle periodically will ensure that it is kept safe and useable for the forthcoming touring season.

Wintertime is a good time to have your caravan serviced or motorhome habitation checked by an industry recognised service centre. You need to look for AWS (Approved Workshop) standard. Neil The Caravan Medic is fully insured and an AWS approved service centre and so we can service your vehicle keeping your manufacturers warranty. Click here to make your booking. Alternative dates and times may be available by calling 0116 2352575. Ensure that the date booked is in line with your original date of registration of the caravan or motorhome and check your manufacturers service schedule.

Follow this link for further information on wintering your caravan.