How do you prepare your van for winter?

[Admin]

What are your top tips for getting your van ready for winter?

 

[Robmac]

Use it!

 

[Mr and Mrs Tupcox]

Change cellar from beer to whiskey.
Prosecco to red wine.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Warmer bedding, and store the outside chairs at home.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

When I put my van together five years ago I made sure it was well insulated and have never been cold in it .

 

[Trek]

Yes i agree use it All i do is drain down fresh water and leave all the taps open between trips

And in darkest winter months hook up 240ac on a timer so battery topped up for just an hour a day

(We have mixer taps so must be left in middle so both hot and cold drain )

We probably use it for more weekends in the winter than we do in the summer No tourists out and about then

 

[Moby56]

Get in it drive to Plymouth and head for Spain LOL

 

[Campervanannie]

I with Robmac use it and if your going to be cold might as well drive to Scotland and be cold but with fab scenery. ?

 

[ken sowerby]

Fill it with items required and head to Spain and Portugal, come back in April?

 

[Molly 3]

Lock the door hide the keys .

 

[Carrerasax]

I am intrigued how u make sure all water pipes & drains are empty. Considering using inflatable air pump to blow briefly down sink drains.
Can I reasonably assume taps will fully drain by water pump and heater valve open drain????

 

[paulhelenwilko]

I agree use it. Add blankets make sure plenty of gas, add windscreen scraper, thermal silver screens, warmer clothes. Remember that you are going to use more battery for lighting, heater fan etc.
In between trips drain down the water - especially the heater. I usually do this on the way home or up to storage by opening the boiler drain and taps so the water gets shaken out of the capillary tubes. Perhaps not perfect but not had any issues yet.

Paul

 

[Val54]

Like others we do keep ours in use, but between trips it does get a full drain down to be on the safe side. Boiler tap opened, all taps left open after blowing through, shower hose left in shower tray at lowest point. We are lucky that we can park up on the house drive so electric heater left in on frost setting when it’s reallly cold.

Dave

 

[jeffmossy]

We don't fill the van with water at all during the cold months ,the waste tank is heated so no problem there , we just take 5ltr bottles of water and use them . But we do take plenty of red diesel for the eberspatcher heater

 

[2cv]

I drain after every trip, and leave the taps open. Just in case I leave a fan heater on set to keep about 4 or 5 degrees, it’s worked for me so far.
I carry some salt and a small shovel, and replace the summer chairs with much lighter ones. The summer duvet is changed for a winter one. When out in the winter it’s always toasty warm in the van, I leave the heating on at night.
After every trip the van gets a thorough wash to remove any road salt.

 

[Deleted member 388]

Keep it ready for the road and use it regularly.