As the touring season draws to a close and autumn temperatures plunge, properly winterising your caravan or motorhome is essential. Sub-zero temperatures, persistent rain, and months of standing idle can cause thousands of pounds of avoidable damage if simple precautions are overlooked.

1. Complete Water System Drainage (Preventing Frost Splits)

Water expands by roughly 9% when freezing. Residual water trapped inside plastic water heaters (such as Truma or Whale boilers), mixer taps, or shower heads will rupture expensive valves and split brass fittings in a single frosty night.

  • Open all drain-down valves on fresh water tanks and water heaters.
  • Set all mixer taps to the centre (hot/cold) position and leave them open.
  • Remove the shower head and let the hose hang down to drain any trapped water.
  • Run the onboard water pump briefly (no more than 15-20 seconds) to purge internal pump chambers of standing liquid.

2. Leisure Battery Maintenance & Care

Lead-acid and AGM leisure batteries naturally self-discharge when left in cold weather. If a battery voltage drops below 12.0V, harmful plate sulfation accelerates rapidly, drastically shortening battery life. If your storage facility allows, keep the vehicle hooked up to mains on a smart maintenance trickle charger, or remove the battery and keep it charged in a cool, dry garage.

3. Mould & Damp Prevention

Good air circulation is your best defence against winter mould growth. Stand all upholstery cushions on end away from exterior walls, leave internal locker doors slightly ajar, and clean the refrigerator thoroughly before securing its door in the ventilated night-latch position.

"Never tape over ventilation grilles or floor drops. Caravans are engineered with continuous passive airflow to prevent toxic condensation and moisture build-up."

4. Tyres, Handbrake, and Hitch Security

Leaving a handbrake firmly engaged throughout winter can cause brake shoes to rust and seize onto the drums. Chock the wheels securely and release the handbrake tension where safe to do so. Inflate tyres to the maximum recommended cold pressure to reduce flat-spotting, and apply a robust hitch lock and wheel clamp.

Book a Spring Recommissioning Check

Before hitching up for your first Easter getaway, have an MCS engineer carry out a spring recommissioning inspection to check gas seals, test damp levels, and verify road lights for stress-free touring.