How to Take Care of Your Caravan
Your caravan is, after all, a road vehicle. Even if you have no particular attachment to it, you are legally obliged to keep it in a roadworthy state, which means careful maintenance. If you have inherited or been gifted a caravan and have absolutely no idea how to take care of it, this article will tell you exactly what you need to do to keep your caravan in good shape. One of the easiest ways to keep up with your caravan maintenance is by getting it serviced at least once a year. This is a good way to check up on lights, brakes and running gear. You will get the best results if your annual service is done at a qualified, licensed workshop.
When You Use Your Caravan
There are people who make use of their caravan all year round, while others put them away for the winter. Using your caravan all year round may mean that your caravan parts will wear out faster, meaning you should keep an eye on them and get them replaced as soon as possible. Meanwhile, if you are putting away your caravan for the winter months, you should do a little bit of work on it so that the period of inactivity does not cause any damage.
Putting Your Caravan away in winter
Now that your last trip of the season is over, it is time to pack away your caravan until it is springtime again. Your priority is to keep everything in good working order, no matter where you are keeping the caravan. If any damage does occur during this hibernation period, then you will have to spend weeks of spring weather looking for caravan parts and caravan awnings for sale instead of going touring. Where to store your caravan is an important question: your choices include keeping it outside your home and renting a space on a campsite or storage site. You can find options for such spots online. Try going for undercover storage, because while caravans are meant for the great outdoors, bird dropping, leaves and branches falling on them continuously is not a good idea.
Preparing Your Caravan for Inactivity
Doing a little work before you put your caravan away means that it will be in better shape when you take it out again in spring. First, clean it out thoroughly. In order to protect it, you can use either a cover or a layer of wax coating, or both. While you are cleaning it, you will get the chance to look at the bodywork for damage, and thus perform a thorough inspection. This way, you know exactly what to replace come spring, and what to look out for. Use materials especially made for caravan cleaning, and keep an eye out for even the subtlest signs of mould. Black or green mould, if left to grow on the caravan over the winter months, may permanently disfigure the plastic or aluminum surface.
As mentioned earlier, this is a good time to make a list of parts that you might need to replace, because you are conducting a complete inspection before putting your caravan away. Therefore, keep a look out for good offers on caravan accessories. If you think you need a new awning, look for caravan awnings on sale in your locality or online. All this preparation will definitely pay off: you can get a good price for the caravan parts that you need, keep them with you over the winter, and install them in the spring before you go touring. You might also want to consider measures to make sure your tires are in good shape, installing some reliable security measures, and investing in a good caravan investment policy in case of unforeseen circumstances.
About the Author
John Humpfries is an expert author living in the United States. Prolific and insightful, his subjects range from recreation and sports to travel and leisure. For more Information please visit here: http://caravanpartswa.com.au
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Category: Vacations
