There are a number of key steps to take that will ensure that your caravan makes it through the cold and rain in one piece. If you do not take adequate steps to prevent the onset of damp, infestation and weather damage then you may find that your caravan will need a lot of work doing on it in the spring and of course that could cost a lot of money, at worst your caravan could become completely unusable

But do not panic! These eventualities are avoidable if you are careful.

Deal With the Water Systems

• Drain the hot and cold water systems completely. Open the taps and remove the drain plug (often located on the outside of the caravan). It is a good idea to do this at the last place that you use your caravan as the journey home should clear out any excess water.

• Empty the toilet tank, then clean and dry thoroughly. If you have a cassette toilet you should apply lubricant to the seals and blade, this can be a specific maintenance product, silicon spray or olive oil. This will help to avoid corrosion and sticking.

Remove All Accessories

• Remove all upholstery if possible. The best place to store it is in a dry place in your house. If you do not the risk of damp and mould is high.

• Remove gas cylinders if possible. Make sure that they are turned off, stored in an adequately ventilated place and keep them securely locked away. Remember that butane freezes below -4°C and it is not usable at less than 3°C. Propane does not have this problem.

• Remove the leisure battery, it is advisable to recharge it every couple of months to keep it at maximum efficiency. Ensure that the battery you remove does not power the alarm system in your caravan. Most alarm systems have a dedicated power source.

Prevent Damp Setting In

• Open all of the cupboards and storage places in the caravan, including the fridge and freezer if you have one. This will ensure that air circulates through the whole caravan, which will help to prevent damp and ensure that the air does not get stale.

• Open all of the vents and windows and lightly lubricate them. When you have done this make sure that they are all closed and locked, to avoid the weather and vandals getting in. Air circulation is important to ensure that damp does not set in, so do not cover vents. You can also place dehumidifiers in the caravan to combat damp.

Clean Thoroughly

• Clean everything thoroughly, taking special care to ensure that there are no traces of food anywhere. You could leave non perishables, like tinned food, in the caravan, but in case of damp and the potential of tins to rust, this is not strictly advisable.

• Clean and dry the awning, ideally you should store it in your house. If you do not it is likely that it will go mouldy.

• Clean and polish the outside of the caravan. There are specialist products available for the winterising of caravans if you wish to protect your caravan as much as possible.

Store Carefully

• Plug all of the water and waste outlets and inlets. This will stop creatures using your caravan as their home.

• Taking the weight off the wheels for even a few weeks will increase the life of the suspension, running gear and tyres. Remove the wheels and support the axles with axle stands. Store the wheels and bolts securely. Check with your insurance company that your caravan is still covered when you do this. If this is not possible try to move the caravan every month or so to even out the wear on the tyres.

• If necessary purchase a cover for your caravan, make sure that it is made from a breathable material otherwise it will do more harm than good. This is particularly a good idea if your caravan is stored under a tree.

• Leave the handbrake off.

• Check the caravan regularly for damp, vandalism and other damage.

1. Caravan storage can affect your insurance premiums.
2. Most caravan theft occurs in the months when caravans are not being used.

3. Bad weather can damage your caravan.

4. You are likely to want to do some work on your caravan when you are not using it.

5. You may want to take spontaneous trips with your caravan.

There are a number of options for seasonal caravan storage available to you, depending on your priorities. It is a good idea to look into all of the available caravan storage options before making a decision, you may find that it is cost effective to store your caravan in a secure site as your insurance premiums may drop but this can be inconvenient in other ways. Always read the small print in your insurance documentation as there are likely to be clauses that specify how winter caravan storage must be done.

Home Storage

Many people choose to store their caravan at home, normally on a driveway. This is the cheapest place that you can store your caravan and it has the advantage that your caravan is easily accessible. You can carry out routine maintenance without much hassle, you can go away for the weekend without having to sign out and into a secure site. But there are disadvantages, firstly the presence of your caravan becomes an indicator for thieves whether or not you are at home. Secondly your neighbours may not like your caravan being visible on your driveway. There may also be legal issues with storing your caravan on your drive, it is forbidden in the deeds of some houses. Always check before you begin storing your caravan at home. Insurance premiums are likely to be higher if you are storing your touring caravan at home, contact your insurance provider and ask them their policy about home storage.

Open Air Storage

If you do not have room or do not want to store your caravan at home storing it at an open air facility is likely to be the next cheapest option. Prices start from around £3 per week. Not all of these facilities will have hard standing areas on which you can secure your caravan. Those that do will be more expensive. If your caravan is placed on the earth you need to ensure that it is firmly anchored. One of the major drawbacks to this type of storage is that your caravan will be exposed to the elements whenever it is not being used. The chance of weather damage, particularly in the winter, is quite high. Additionally a lot of these sites do not have great security measures in place, increasing the risk of theft. Ultimately if there are any issues with damage or with theft it is likely to take longer for them to be noticed, unless you regularly go and check your caravan.

Permanent Siting

If you consistently return to the same caravan site you could consider getting a permanent siting on that site. This will mean that you do not have to move your caravan when you wish to go on holiday. It is likely to be relatively inexpensive to do this but the drawbacks of storing your caravan in the open air are still present. Weather damage and potentially low levels of security are issues with permanent sitings. On the plus side if it is a busy location there are likely to be lots of people around who will inform you if there are any problems.

Undercover Storage Sites

There are now many facilities which over undercover storage for touring caravans. Across the country there are large warehouses and barns which have been converted into caravan storage areas. The main advantage of these undercover caravan storage sites is that the caravan is kept away from potentially being damaged by the weather and it is kept under lock and key meaning that it is extremely unlikely that you will be the victim of theft. These sites cost substantially more, but they are monitored and will have a varying number of security measures in place. Some sites will pick up your caravan for you, which is especially useful if you are uncomfortable reversing it into tight spaces.

Registered Undercover Storage Sites

There are a number of organisations that offer exceptionally good security and are regulated by trusted organisations. The Caravan Club, the Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) all offer high standards of undercover storage. Protecting your caravan from both theft and weather damage. Although the cost may seem at first glance to be prohibitive you may find that your insurance premium will drop substantially if you use one of these accredited sites. It is advisable to contact your insurance provider and ask them what their policies are about storage sites. The waiting lists can be long for a spot at one of these sites so it is worth contacting your local caravan storage site in order to check availability of places and to be added to a waiting list if necessary.