RVing in Winter: How to prepare your RV for storage ahead of winter

If you aren’t hitting the road this winter, keeping your caravan safe and in the best condition possible when you tuck it away is a very important part of caravan life.

Investing a little time and effort before putting your caravan into storage will save you time and money in the long run, and keep your caravan ready for your next touring adventure.

1. Ensure you have somewhere safe, secure and undercover to store your van

One of the most important things when it comes to long term storage is ensuring you have a safe, secure, and undercover area, to store your van out of the elements. If you don’t have somewhere at home that fits these criteria, you can look into external caravan storage.

2. Start with a thorough check over and sort out before packing away your RV – inside and out.

This means checking over; all awnings, shade screens, window seals, and ground mats, to ensure they don’t need to be replaced or mended. It is also important to sort out kitchen drawers, fridges, ovens, wardrobes, and outside storage. Throw out or take any perishable food items to store in your home. To be on the safe side, and depending on how long your van will be out of use, you should remove any non-perishable food items. Clothing, bedding, and seat covers should be removed too.

3. Give your RV’s interior and exterior a decent clean.

Wipe down all surfaces in the van, clean out the fridge, wipe down cooktops and ovens. Leaving the fridge door propped open to allow air to circulate is also a good idea. Give the windows a clean, both internally and externally. When it comes to the exterior, use caravan-friendly cleaning products to ensure you aren’t ruining any seals or paint.

4. Drain toilets, water supplies, and heaters and ensure all vents are uncovered

Toilets, water systems, and heaters should be fully drained before the caravan goes into storage. Vents must be left uncovered so air keeps circulating around the van (this reduces mold). If you have any gas fittings, remove the bottles and store them somewhere cool. Check over gas fittings, making sure they are closed.

5. Get your tyres ready and consider a breathable caravan cover

To get the most mileage from your tyres, they shouldn’t be sitting on the same patch of tread for months on end. Try and rotate the tyres throughout storage to prevent this. Make sure your caravan is stored on level ground, then lower the corner steadies and rest them on blocks. If your van is going to be in storage for a long time, leave of handbrake off.