The first two sections below (Internal Pre-Winter Guide and External Pre-Winter Guide) should be followed if
 you are not going to be using your van during the winter, the last section (Care for your van if using over the winter
 period) should be followed if you plan to carry on using it throughout the colder months.

1.  The Water System – completely drain the hot and cold water system in the van, you can do this by ensuring all the
     taps are open and removing the drain plug, normally on the outside of the van (see owners handbook). This process
     can take a while so be patient.  Once drained, ensure that the bung is replaced in the drain plugs but leave the taps open
     to stop the build up of pressure in the system.

 2. If your van has a water filter fitted either fully remove it or leave a note to replace it next season. If the filter is not
     removed, it is likely to retain residual water and could crack if allowed to freeze. If you fit the new one before the
     worst of the winter period it is susceptible to damp and may be damaged by the frost.

 3. Drain all water carriers completely and leave the plugs off to avoid unwanted smells.

 4. The Toilet – Completely drain the water holding tank into the cassette and remove the cassette for draining and
     cleaning.  Once the cassette is fully cleaned out and rinsed use Thetford’s Maintenance Spray or similar Silicone product
     to coat the cassette seal and blade. This will help avoid corrosion and warping over the winter months
     Using alternative non-silicone chemicals may result in permanent damage to the seals. Leave the blade open to avoid
     sticking, this may also help prevent the cassette from being stolen.

 5. Plug all water inlets and waste outlets to avoid smell and insect ingress.

 6. Take care of your upholstery by removing all cushions, pillows and bedding and if possible, store them in your home.
     If not remove the seats and back cushions and place them, end on end in the centre walkway of the caravan.

 7. Open all internal doors and cupboards to allow the air to circulate.

 8. Thoroughly clean out all cupboards and ensure that no crumbs, opened packets remain in the van. Storing tinned
     foods and non-perishable items should be OK over winter.

 9. Thoroughly clean the fridge/freezer with bicarbonate of soda or anti-bacterial liquid. Leave the door propped open to
     avoid pressure build up and a stagnant smell.

 10. Ensure all windows and vents are locked shut and unobstructed and are secure from mice, spiders etc. Close all
      blinds/curtains for extra security.

 11. Remove your leisure battery if you can and keep the charge topped up every 5-6 weeks, please note if you van has
      an alarm these normally are run off their own separate batteries, so removal of the leisure battery should not affect
      the security, (you will need to check out your own van to ensure this is the case)

 12. If you can remove all gas cylinders do so and store in an adequately ventilated location.  If not ensure that all
      cylinders are fully turned off and the gas compartment is locked. Remember when storing Butane gas, it begins to
      freeze at temperatures below 4 degrees C. Propane does not.

 13. Multi-pin plug sockets should be protected from the weather, but not fully sealed as this can encourage
      condensation. Some moisture repellent sprays, such as WD40 can damage plastics so use Vaseline applied around the
      sockets.

 14. If the radio is of the removable type, take it out over winter and store in the house.

External Pre-Winter Guide
 

 1. You can increase the tyre life, suspension and the running gear on your van if you take the weight off the wheels for
     just a few weeks of the year. To do this support the axles with axles stands and remove the wheels and bolts for
     storage (Please note some insurance companies may not cover this in the policy).
     If this is done store the wheels out of direct sunlight and in a place where contact with oils and greases is avoided
     and cover with natural materials such as Hessian, not plastic.

 2. If your van is fitted with shock absorbers clean the rods and coat in Vaseline, don’t forget to remove the Vaseline at
     the beginning of next season.

 3. Wherever possible ensure that the handbrake is left off, to avoid the drums sticking.

 4. Ensure that the awning is washed and clean and completely dry before storing for winter, if you do not do this it
     could result in mouldy patches on the awning, or worse. It is better to store the awning in the house rather than the
     van if you can.

 5. Thoroughly cleaning and polishing your van makes it easier after winter to keep the van looking shiny. There are many
     products on the market such as Fenwick’s Over-wintering. Using a product like this or similar protects your caravan
     during winter storage, it helps to protect against algae, mould, fungus, airborne pollutants, acid rain and bird lime.

 6. You can cover your van and if you do this use a breathable cover because if it is not, the cover will do more harm
     than good.

 7. Coat window seals with olive oil to help prevent subsequent sticking.

 2. If you wish to leave water in the system over winter use pipe lagging to protect the water pipes.

 3. As Butane Gas freezes at below 4 degrees C, you must use Propane.

 4. Keep the leisure battery charged and if in the same place for long periods, move the electric hook up cable to avoid
     it freezing.

 5. Ensure that all mechanical parts of the van are in top working order, including the brakes, the jockey wheel, the
     levellers, handbrake etc.