There is nothing more important than ensuring your caravan is ready and safe for your travels.
It is important to make sure you check every part of your caravan before you leave and continually maintain your caravan all year round even if you aren’t out and about exploring the land.
1. Cleaning your caravan is important
The inside of your caravan is as important as the inside of your home, so it is incredibly important to keep clean. It will look and feel nicer and be better for your health.
Vacuum the carpets, mop the floors and clean the bathroom. You can definitely use cleaning products you would use around the house on your caravan.
If you keep your caravan clean and maintain it whether you are using it or not, this will make it easier in the long run to keep it in great condition and will make it a lot easier to do that pre-clean before going away.
2. Cover your caravan when not in use
Caravan covers have drastically improved over the years. These days you can expect to find a high-quality lightweight cover and that will be very breathable to allow the moisture to escape, keeping your caravan undamaged from the elements while not being prone to mould and mildew.
There are plenty of places to pick up a great caravan cover. These can be used while out on the road or when your caravan is parked up and not in use. Brands will differ from each other so make sure you do plenty of research into finding the best brand and cover for your caravan.
3. Caravan undercarriage maintenance
There are a number of things you can do to ensure your caravan undercarriage maintenance and components are in tip-top shape before heading out on the road.
Here is a great list of things to check and maintain all year round to ensure when you are out on the road you are safe and have as little problems as possible.
- Remove hubs; clean and inspect wheel bearings, hub backing plate assemblies, and pads
- Re-pack wheel bearings and replace bearing seals
- Reassemble and paint hub assemblies
- Check electric brake and brake safe operation and adjust only if required
- Inspect and grease suspension components as required
- Tyre condition and wear should be inspected regularly
- Inspect jockey wheel, tow hitch, and park brake then adjust as required
These are all services that we here at offer. We can ensure your caravan is in the best shape possible before heading out on the road for those incredible life-changing adventures
4. Checking for Damp in your Caravan
Damp, mould and mildew are 3 things you definitely do not want in your home or in your caravan, things you don’t want anywhere really.
We have come up with a list of things you can do to ensure your caravan always stays fresh and dry and damp, mould and mildew free:
- Clean and vacuum the interior of your caravan regularly. Wipe down all surfaces with an anti-bacterial or disinfectant product and make sure everything is properly clean and dry before you lock up again
- Don’t leave your caravan locked up for lengthy periods of time. Even if you won’t be out and about in your caravan always remember to open up and let some air circulate every now and again
- No matter how much cleaning you have done while not using your caravan always make sure to give it a good clean before using it again. Inside and out
- A lot of heat and condensation can and will come from your bathroom and kitchen, always make sure to turn the fan on or open windows as much as they can while using these areas of your caravan. Do not let moisture build-up
- Check often for any signs of leaks, damaged seals or other issues (no matter how small) which could allow moisture, bacteria and fungus to collect and breed
- Don’t forget about your cupboards – Inside your cupboard, wardrobes and any other storage areas could easily gain moisture and allow mould to grow. Make sure you always check these areas and clean and dry them thoroughly
- If something gets spilled or water is splashed in the kitchen or bathroom, always clean it immediately
- Keep a look out for condensation on widows, doors and walls and wipe it up as soon as you spot it.
- If any soft furnishings, carpets, cushions or other materials get wet to the point of being unable to dry, remove and replace immediately
- If any areas of your caravan are particularly prone to moisture, use dehumidifying crystals and other moisture control products to keep it to a minimum
- Always ensure to clean out your caravan while on the road and before you put it away for a period of time if you do.
5. Caravan Taps, Filter and Seals Maintenance
Your taps, filters and seals around your caravan are very important to keep an eye on. If these become brittle and split this could cause major damage to parts of your caravan.
Always check your caravan door seals, window seals, pop-top seals (if you have one), boot/tailgate seals and any other moisture-protective seals. Without constant checking these could quickly fail and allow leaks to form around your caravan causing huge problems.
6. Keeping your Caravan up and running at all times
If your caravan is unused for lengthy periods, it can be damaging. And this damage is even more likely if you haven’t kept your van clean. An easy preventative is to get these wheels out on the road. Additionally, if your van is idle for too long, this practice can drain the ‘house’ batteries to the point of permanent damage. And new batteries can be expensive.
To avoid this scenario, we advise keeping idle batteries plugged into a certified battery management system or charger. Also, before you depart for a long journey, we suggest having your battery tested to ensure it’s holding charge.
If you need assistance with any of these maintenance tasks, we’re here to help.
Book a service today.