winter prep

[kevsterjw]

If planning in using caravan through winter, what should i do to it between trips, worried about water cracking pipes etc.

 

[Gareth111278]

Make sure to turn the gas off at the bottle & make sure there's enough left for next time.

 

[Sproket]

If you make sure everything is drained properly before leaving site & leave all of the taps & draindown valves open till the next time you use the van just like you would do for winter everything should be ok.

The pipes / taps / water filter if fitted / hot water boiler will only crack if there is water still inside and it freezes due to the taps & valves being left closed with water still inside of them.

 

[Raywood]

When leaving a site I would drain down there and leave the taps open ond the drain valve too so that all water in the system escapes as you drive. Blow down the taps to clear water in them and don't forget the toilet. If it is not too full it is best to empty the toilet flush water into the toilet.

 

[Gareth111278]

Just a tiny bit 'off topic' , i'd keep a fan heater with you if you are planning to be on hook up, just incase the caravan 'gas fire' fails!
Of course you can ignore this if you have a 'dual-fuel' heater!
We also have a small gas fire that runs off one of those areosol type gas canisters but if we ever used it inside the caravan we'd be VERY VERY carefull. also i'd recomend a CO alarm in this situation.

 

[Damian]

Quote " We also have a small gas fire that runs off one of those areosol type gas canisters but if we ever used it inside the caravan we'd be VERY VERY carefull. also i'd recomend a CO alarm in this situation."

I would suggest , very strongly, that you NEVER use that inside the van, CO alarm or not!

The best place for those things is the local rubbish tip.

 

[Mel]

If you keep the van at home and can plug it in or use the on board gas heater; you could *** in and run the heating for a short period every now and then; also open the windows on a nice dry day. Helps to stop it getting musty.
mel

 

[Raywood]

Generally speaking the coldest temperatures are during the night so I would not do this unless you leave the heater on overnight and the cost would certainly add up. If the gas ran out you would also be in trouble.

If you keep the van at home and can plug it in or use the on board gas heater; you could *** in and run the heating for a short period every now and then; also open the windows on a nice dry day. Helps to stop it getting musty.
mel

 

[Gareth111278]

Quote " We also have a small gas fire that runs off one of those areosol type gas canisters but if we ever used it inside the caravan we'd be VERY VERY carefull. also i'd recomend a CO alarm in this situation."

I would suggest , very strongly, that you NEVER use that inside the van, CO alarm or not!

The best place for those things is the local rubbish tip.

I'll get my coat...................................................

 

[Mel]

Generally speaking the coldest temperatures are during the night so I would not do this unless you leave the heater on overnight and the cost would certainly add up. If the gas ran out you would also be in trouble.

If you keep the van at home and can plug it in or use the on board gas heater; you could *** in and run the heating for a short period every now and then; also open the windows on a nice dry day. Helps to stop it getting musty.
mel

Wasn't suggesting this as a way of stopping the pipes freezing, the cost would be exorbitant! Merely as a way of keeping some of the dampness at bay. If you are using the van during the winter, a little top up "use" by way of short spells of heating and ventilation in between trips is, in my experience, not a bad thing.

On a different note, my friend uses a "greenhouse heater"? (some low output electrical heater?) in her van and says that this works well.
mel