With summer long gone it can be hard to leave the warmth of the house. Especially since winter can be somewhat of a challenging time for camping and caravanning – but don’t let it stop you! You can enjoy the wonders of our world and see some spectacular site with fewer people around and experience the calmness of what winter brings.
Here are some tips that you undeniably need to consider before you head on your travels:
Safety Prep
It is always important to check your gear before you travel and inspecting both your car and caravan is first on the to do list before going for a trip!
Performing a routine check is always a good idea to prevent future troubles whilst travelling. Things to look out for – damage, leaks, and bad seals around doors and windows. Checking tyre pressure and tread condition and inspect the batteries and electrics.
Being prepared also means thinking about when your car and caravan had its last service. Do you have an emergency kit, recovery gear, snow chains, a tool kit etc. Considering all the possible winter caravanning situations you could be in – will help you prepare for almost everything to therefore have a safe and comfortable trip.
External Insulation
When travelling to locations with very low temperatures, especially those that are below freezing it is essential to insulate external pipes and water tanks to stop them from freezing and subsequently bursting.
One way to combat this is using an insulation jacket. This will keep water within the pipe above freezing temperatures and will allow it to flow freely when you need it. Otherwise, you can make your own insulation jacket out of old blankets, fleeces, or jackets. Another option can be to use a tank heater in your water tanks.
In any case, it is a good idea to keep a small about of water inside the caravan and to have self-fusing silicone tape on-hand to seal any leaking pipes.
Staying Extra Warm
Now looking into the interior insulation, most modern caravans will have adequate insulation but there are always extra steps that you can take to make your caravan extra warm during your winter trip.
If you don’t have a heater already, this is certainly an important piece of equipment to help keep your caravan warm. In addition, placing carpet, foam matts or thick rugs on the floor will add additional insulation to prevent cold feet. Additionally using insulating window covers will reduce the amount of hot air escaping.
Having good quality bedding and blankets is also something to consider. Layering up is a must and having those extra blankets on hand when you are feeling especially cold will save you from having a shivering night sleep.
Lastly layering up on what you wear can make a lot of difference to how warm you feel. Firstly start with a base layer of thermals. Followed by a top layer of a long sleeve top, fleece top, down jacket, softshell jacket/raincoat, scarf, beanie and gloves. And a bottom layer of track pants/fleece pants, waterproof pants, thick socks, and waterproof shoes. This will keep you warm all winter long!
Condensation & Ventilation
Now that you are all warm inside your caravan you need to consider the condensation build up that will be occurring. Condensation happens when highly moist air makes contact with cold surfaces. Condensation will be more of a problem at night time and there are a couple of ways to reduce it.
If you have a heater, running this during the night can help with condensations build up. Otherwise you need to open a window or a vent just slightly to allow some of the moist air to escape. A good tip is to park in a way that shelters the open window or vent from the wind to reduce the chance of a draught.
You can also consider putting a couple of moisture absorbers throughout the caravan. This will help reduce the chance of mould forming, especially during times where you are cooped up in the van for longer periods of time.
Researching the Weather
No matter what season it is, it is always a good idea to check the weather before you go away. It will give you valuable information about what to bring and how to plan your route. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared!
Towing can be dangerous especially during winter, due to low/limited visibility, high winds and wet or icy roads. Researching the weather beforehand will give you a good idea of which days will be safer for you to drive. Reducing your chance of having an accident.
One thing to keep in mind is that now that you have loaded your caravan with addition gear and provisions – it is a good idea to check the weight of your car and caravan to know if you under or exceeding weight limits and towing limits.
Enjoy your winter caravanning!
If your family and you are thinking about having a winter caravanning experience, getting yourself a caravan or a camper trailer will definitely help you a lot. Contact Star Vision Campers & Caravans today by calling 1300 783 318 for more information.
Featured Image – Caravan by Ramiro Ramirez (CC BY-SA 2.0)