CARAVAN CHECKLIST AFTER WINTER HIBERNATION

Take a look at our most recent blog, ‘Caravan Checklist After Winter Hibernation’. We’re sure you’ll find this useful, before embarking on those long awaited-adventures planned for the year ahead.

Caravan Checklist

The new caravanning season is upon us, and it’s time to prepare yourself and your caravan for the exciting road trips to come. Winter is over, the sun is shining, you can now bring your caravan out of its winter hibernation and start to plan those future getaways.

However, before you do, you must make the right checks. After it has spent so much time out of use and sitting in storage, it’s advised that the caravan is checked thoroughly.

We’ve taken a look at some of the important steps in preparing your caravan for the season ahead.

Check for Damp

Since your caravan has been in storage, you may find it has a bit of a musty smell. This can be solved by airing out your caravan, but it is wise to check that there are not any underlying issues. Check for any broken seals on doors and windows and make sure these are replaced if required. Check whether any soft furnishings need replacing as they could be affected by the damp over the period as well.

Check Tyres

Check your tyre tread depth and look for any cracks or splits. Ideally, you would have checked the tyres every few weeks when the caravan was in storage and therefore will not have too much damage. Your caravan will do a fair few miles over the Spring/Summer season and they must be up to the job. It’s best to check the tyre pressures with a digital tyre pressure gauge yourself rather than a pressure gauge at a petrol station as this can be unreliable.

Clean and Reconnect the Water System

At the end of last season, you should hopefully have remembered to drain the system, disconnect all of the pipes and leave the taps open. This stops trapped water from freezing, expanding and cracking pipes. To get the system back up and running you will need to firstly reconnect all pipes, fill the tank with water and run it through. Check for any leaks. You then need to sterilise the system for 12 hours before flushing it with fresh water. The old water filter should then be replaced with a new one. If you find leaks, you will need to drain the system and replace any leaky pipes or cracked joints before refilling.

Reconnect the Battery

The battery should have been removed before going into hibernation last season. Hopefully, you remembered to charge this every few weeks to keep it healthy. Your battery should therefore be ready to reconnect. Clean the caravan leads and battery terminals with contact cleaner. You should then reconnect the battery and check it by testing the water pump and interior lights.

Check the Road Lights

Your road lights are extremely important for the safety of yourself and other road users, so it’s important to check that they’re fully working. Inspect the plug for any cracks in the housing or broken or corroded pins, before connecting the caravan to the car.

General Spring clean

Whilst your caravan has been in storage for any length of time you’ll probably find that you will need to give it a good clean before setting off on your travels. Spend some time washing and polishing the exterior and interior, paying special attention to windows, vents and electrical appliances like the fridge, as well as oiling all of the hinges. Make sure it is in tip-top condition.

Get a Professional Caravan Service

For peace of mind, it’s always advisable to get a professional service completed before getting your caravan back on the road again. Our NCC Approved caravan service centre in Plymouth, Devon is a one-stop shop for all of your caravan and trailer servicing and repairs. Staffed by our highly trained and experienced team of mechanics and technicians, you can be sure that you’re getting a high quality, thorough and professional service when you choose our caravan service centre for your touring caravan service.

Check You’ve Got Everything You Need

Make sure you have all the touring essentials such as gas bottles, caravan towing mirrors or motorhome mirror protectors, Aquaroll and pipe, toilet pink and blue, electric hook up cables, step, levelling ramps, security devices, such as wheel locks, pots, pans, plates and cutlery, bedding and lastly food and drink. Remember such items you forget might not be as easy to get hold of as usual whilst on holiday. With a wide range of caravan accessories, awnings, appliances & spare parts that can be delivered direct to your door or campsite, the Tamar Caravan Centre online shop is a one-stop-shop for all your caravan and motorhome needs.

Your Trusted Caravan Centre in Devon

Are you thinking of upgrading your trusty old caravan for a new model, or considering buying your first ever new touring caravan? We are always looking to add more quality, used caravans to our showroom and the process couldn’t be simpler. We pay top prices for pre-owned vans – simply submit the details of your vehicle and we will be in touch.

Our range of new caravans is exclusively made up of Swift caravans, as we firmly believe they’re the best quality caravans on the market. For the more adventurous caravanner, we now stock the Swift Basecamp – the sporty, exciting and stylish range. Or you may prefer our more traditional Swift 2022 Range or the Swift Mayflower Special Edition – we have the perfect solution for you!

Here at Tamar Caravan Centre, we’re proud to have the largest indoor touring caravan showroom in the South West. We have a great selection of new caravans for sale in Devon, plus a well-stocked caravan accessory shop, a selection of used caravans for sale and an AWS approved caravan service centre. We can offer you caravan finance to help make buying a new caravan or used caravan as easy as possible.

If you’re planning on taking a staycation this year but need to upgrade your current van or purchase your first vehicle, our friendly sales team can help! You can reach us on 01752 341133 to schedule an appointment at our showroom.

You can stay in touch with us via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get our latest news and updates. Take a look through our caravan tours, maintenance tutorials and how-to guides on YouTube, or via our Help & Advice page.