Winter is coming!
While modern holiday homes are equipped to operate normally throughout the year, when you are not there over the winter, your holiday home won’t be operated “normally” and therefore you need to take steps to ensure that the colder, damp weather doesn’t have a detrimental effect.
How you plan to use your holiday home over the closed season may influence how much ‘winterisation’ you decide to carry out. So too will the terms of your insurance policy.
Below is guidance on how to prepare the interior of your holiday home for the closed season.
Your Services
- GAS: DO NOT turn off if you want your boiler to work in ‘frost stat’* mode.
- ELECTRIC: DO NOT turn off if you want your boiler to work in ‘frost stat’ mode.
- WATER: DO turn off your water at your stop tap.
* ‘Frost stat’ is when the boiler senses the temperature is dropping and will operate the central hating pump to protect the central heating circuit.
PROTECT THE INTERIOR OF YOUR HOME BY REDUCING/REMOVING THE RISK OF CONDENSATION
Clean it!
Cleaning your static caravan is highly recommended, whether you’ll be using the caravan during winter or not. Cleaning lowers the risks of condensation and mildew growth. Low humidity inside the van helps to keep internal components free from water-related structural damage. It is important to clean the static caravan from top to bottom, including the fridge and freezer, food cupboards and wardrobes. Also ensure you remove all food from the caravan and leave your fridge/freezer and dishwasher doors ajar. Take measures to prevent pest damage over the winter
Check your air vents
Locate your air vents in every room in the floor or walls. These should be wiped clean and left open and obviously unobstructed; if they are blocked, condensation and mould could potentially form. However, roof vents should be kept closed. If your windows have trickle vents leave them in the open position
Help the air circulate
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Open all internal doors
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Prop open all cupboard doors and drawers
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Up end any soft furnishings and store furniture away from the walls and doors if possible, OR cover sofas etc with a sheet
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Strip beds, up end the mattresses and/or position beds away from the windows. Cover with a sheet
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Take home clothes, bedding and towels that can attract moisture, or pack in air tight bags if leaving
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Remove curtains if they need cleaning. If concerned about insects hibernating in them over the winter you could remove and store them in air tight bags
Set Moisture traps
To help with condensation issues, set up proprietary moisture traps in each of the rooms
Make use of free heating
If you are leaving your curtains up then keep them in the open position so as to allow in winter sunshine to warm up your holiday home. Also leave your blinds up. If you have net curtains leave these in place across the windows and doors as they allow the sunshine in whilst screening the contents of your holiday home
Let the fresh air in!
Open up your holiday home for an hour every 4 – 6 weeks, preferably on a bright, sunny, dry, day!