Winterise your motorhome
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Did you know that most of the damage done to motorhomes happens over the winter months?
Most of it completely preventable if owners took the most basic of precautions when they winterised their ’vans. Repairs and replacement parts don’t come cheap, so draw up a checklist of things to do before the grass and pavements start turning white with frost and snow.Water makes ice, makes damage
First and most important, drain all water from your fresh water and waste tanks. Find the dump valves for both water tanks, then open them. Remember always to open all the taps in the ’van – kitchen and bathroom – this lets air into the pipes and helps the water to drain.
When the outflow has reduced to the odd drip, try either to blow compressed air into your taps, forcing water droplets out of the pipes or, where you have a removable tap (or showerhead), lift it out and tilt it to make sure all water has drained. If there is a loop of supply hose underneath, lift the tap until the hose drains fully. Ice takes no prisoners, so leave no water for it to freeze.
Next, drain your water heater, which is likely to be a Truma version. The handbook – or your dealer – will show you where the dump valve is. Most modern ’vans have an automatic thermostatically controlled valve which releases the Truma system’s water when the temperature falls below four or six degrees Celsius. But it’s better to get into the habit yourself, in case the system fails, because the cost of repairs/replacements would make the Bank of England sweat.
What if the water is only dampness?
Water in any form spells winter trouble, not least water ingress or damp. Buy a cheap hydrometer to do a regular check around rooflights or inside cupboards and, if you find a problem caused by leakage get it fixed. The longer you wait, the greater the damage and the more extensive the repair.
The cheapest way to keep damp at bay is to open the doors and windows and let fresh air circulate, on days when temperatures are decently high. You will be surprised how effective this is.
Trapped air breeds dampness, so also open your roof lockers and cupboards, where damp loves the dark.
More expensive, but you can see the difference on hydrometer readings, is to keep a small heater working at little over the freezing mark on its thermostat. Not only does this prevent icing-up, it stops dampness entering furnishings and fabrics. You only need to switch on when the cold bites deep for weeks on end.
Even more effective is to lift out all your cushions etc and store them somewhere warm inside the house. That way, you don’t get that cold and sinking feeling when you lie down to sleep in a ‘van which has grown damp from lack of use.
Conclusions
None of the above is rocket science. Look after your ’van in winter, and it will respond by looking after your wallet when spring comes around. Jack Frost will come visiting each year – but for all his threats he can’t damage your ’van if you follow the old football adage and get your retaliation in first.
This is an extract from an article in December 2013 MMM magazine. To get your copy, click here.
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