Get Ready For Summer – Getting Your Caravan Ready For The New Season.

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At the risk of speaking too soon, it has been a rather mild winter so far. Of course between writing that and this being published it will now probably snow just to spite me. Even so it is likely that your caravan will be coming out of hibernation for the new season any day now.

Traditionally of course the caravanning season tends to really kick off around the Easter period for the average user. For those of you with more time on your hands or who use your van for fishing and festivals and the like, you have probably been out and about already. For most users though, March and April are the preparation months for the summer.

It is important that you make sure your van is ready for the new season. A badly checked and ill-prepared van can be a nightmare of repair costs and spoiled holidays; so here are a few tips to help you prepare.

  • Top Tip! Let Us Service Your Caravan – While there is a lot you can do yourself (and we encourage you to get used to doing it) you really should get a professional service. There is nothing like the comfort of knowing that we have done a top to toeservice for you before you set off.
  • Check Your Pipes – and your connections for frost and damp damage. While most caravans are hardy beasts these days, it is always worth a quick check for any damage to the pipes and other areas that can be prone to winter damage.
  • Clean Like You Mean It – Your caravan will need a good clean, inside and out. A van that has been static over the winter and then suddenly heated can be prone to mildew growth. This is particularly true of awnings if you forgot to remove and store them. It may also have been home to some creepy crawlies. There is no substitute for a good clean.
  • Heating And Cooking – The weather is warming up but if you have heating, check it is in full working order. The same is true of your cooker and other comforts. Remember to check the oven is safe and working properly. It will also probably need a clean.
  • Check The Running Gear – Hitching gear and particularly wheels and tyres should be inspected. The tyres may have developed bald patches through being static and if they look damaged call us. Hitching gear and the wheels need to be inspected for damage, corrosion and other signs of wear, tear and disuse.
  • Pop To The Shop – It sounds silly, but one thing that tends to happen is that we forget to restock the van with the bits and bobs that vanished, or wore out during the last season. The last thing you want is to be trying to get into that bottle of wine with a screwdriver, or remembering that broken handle on the kettle as you settle down for the day. We stock a range of useful items so pop in and see us before the summer.
  • Safety And Insurance – Check the locks are working and free moving (a little lubrication wouldn’t go amiss anyway) and make sure you have your caravan insurance up to date.

Hopefully we are in for a great season and lots of long trips in the van. So get a service and get busy folks because summer is coming.

Author

This blog was written by Dave Brown. Dave is a Director of his family business which began in 1971. He has a wealth of experience in this sector starting as a workshop apprentice straight from school in 1982. Married with two children, Dave has been an enthusiastic Rugby player since the age of 8, only retiring this year. He will now spend more time travelling in his VW Campervan and watching his favourite team, the Northampton Saints.