Getting ready for winter. -- --

[Dellmassive]

Getting ready for winter

I had a quick look over the forum and didn't see a thread, so I'll start this.

Getting ready for winter?


Let's get a catch-all thread started for your winter preparation.

Anything goes - van, van life, home, family, work. What ever.

Let's go.



(Mods ill sticky while the threads relevant till spring)

 

[Dellmassive]

This is what gave me the idea.....

A mail shot from Karcher,

Which is a very valid point. I've had a pressure washer left in the garden over winter with water still left in it.

It must have frozen and split the pump, next I knew was spring time when I went to use it and it was knackered.

The Karcher email, as well as being an advert details the good practice of draining down water systems over winter.

Not only your pressure wash, but your campervan and caravan too.

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[Dellmassive]

Battery maintenance is a top priority over winter.

Allowing your batterys to run low will degrade them.

So here seems a good time to look back at the battery maintenance thread.

[Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It --

[Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It -- Right so its that time of year again . . . . . . . . Winter & (Lockdown 2020) The van might be layed up not being used, which will lead to a flat battery in around 3 weeks. The cold weather doesn't help the battery's...

www.t6forum.com

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[Dellmassive]

Change over to winter wheels?


This is a great idea if you have room to store a spare set of wheels.

I have a set of Cantara alloys for summer.

And a set of banded dutchy steels for winter.....


Thing is I love the steels and have had them on for ages now, and the Canteras have no rubber on..... So looks like I missed the summer.... Again.


Example.
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[Sasquatch]

I keep my van diligently maintained and clean all year round, so don't need any special measures for winter beyond a wooly hat.

Stuff like the Lanoguard and mud flaps I did back at the tail end of summer.

 

[Dellmassive]

Fresh wiper blades for winter season?

What about a screen cover for the ice and snow?

Best ice scraper, Screen Covers and Heated Washer Jets

Which is the best ice scraper for a T6/T6.1 I’m not very tall so would need something that would reach most if not all of the screen plus it would need to be strong enough to do the job

www.t6forum.com

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[RobertO2023]

Once I see temperatures dropping below 7c I swap over to winter wheels and tyres - anytime soon.
Add a frost proof mix to the washer bottle.

 

[Scruffy]

January 1st-think about turning central heating on.

 

[Dellmassive]

What about domestic boiler?

Same old story..... Heatings been off all summer.

Get to winter, turn on the heating and bang..... Boiler goes into fault.

A very common thing.

Some early maintenance in late summer can help.

Fire up the heating, possibly flushing the rad circuit.?

Maybe a early GAS SAFE boiler maintenance visit.

Which makes me think..... If your a landlord or tenant.

The gas system needs checking every 12mmths for safety.

So why is it that us home owners haven't had our boilers serviced in 15yrs since it was installed?.... Oops.

Or is it just me?

Either way a gas boiler system should be maintained ever year.

 

[Dellmassive]

January 1st-think about turning central heating on.

I tend to keep my central heating on 22c all the time.... 24/7. (But there seems to be a 1c offset versus a room thermometer, so I'll assume the room temp is more like 21c.)

Apart from summer when I drop the temp down to 16c, which effectively dissables the heating system.

Hot water on demand stays on all the time obvs.

 

[Dellmassive]

winterizing the caravan.

The inlaws run caravans... So at the last camp out of summer it's always the final winstersetup.

Drain down the water system.

Drain out the heating.

Remove the gas bottles.

Remove any food.

Set some ventilation.

Clamp the wheels and padlock etc.

Remove the batterys.

There used to be a full caravan cover fitted, but now they added solar..... The van stays uncovered as it has solar on the roof.... And the batterys stay fitted.

That way the solar keeps the batteries from drain flat over winter, which means they don't have to remove them.



Happy days.


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[Salty Spuds]

We chop our winter logs & fill the log store in July/August so they are nice & dry come winter.
Sweep the chimney.
Fill the heating oil tank in August when prices are lower.
Put the oil filled radiator in the van & leave it on low to keep the frost out, open all the cupboard doors in the van.
Put the thermal blinds in the windows to help with the frost.
Fit the ski carriers to the bike rack ready for our post Christmas trip to the Alps.
Make our skiing boil in the bag meals & fill the freezer.
Fill the windscreen washer bottle with “winter strength” fluid.
Dig the snow chains out & have my annual wrestling match & head scratching session.

 

[Bav]

@Salty Spuds, I was considering doing the same with our Bambino DeLonghi oil-filled radiator. As the name suggests, it's a diminutive thing, but I'm not convinced that winter solar alone will keep it from draining the LB.

What's your experience and what temp do you have it set to when your van's sat on your driveway here in the UK?

 

[Salty Spuds]

@Salty Spuds, I was considering doing the same with our Bambino DeLonghi oil-filled radiator. As the name suggests, it's a diminutive thing, but I'm not convinced that winter solar alone will keep it from draining the LB.

What's your experience and what temp do you have it set to when your van's sat on your driveway here in the UK?

It’s around 5 deg ish. There aren’t any temperature graduations on the thermostat, it’s just low-high. So I wait for a cool day that’s say around 5 deg, & tweak the thermostat until it just clicks on & leave it at that. Ours is one of the Screwfix 700W jobbys, we take it skiing & leave it on 24/7 when we’re on EHU, just to keep the chill off.

 

[Bav]

It’s around 5 deg ish. There aren’t any temperature graduations on the thermostat, it’s just low-high. So I wait for a cool day that’s say around 5 deg, & tweak the thermostat until it just clicks on & leave it at that. Ours is one of the Screwfix 700W jobbys, we take it skiing & leave it on 24/7 when we’re on EHU, just to keep the chill off.

At 5°C, it probably isn't actually heating very often, but I'm wary of the base load required to have the rad on 24/7.

Do you plug in at home, or just rely on solar to keep the LBs topped-up?

 

[Sackmycook]

Our Shepherds Hut holiday rental...
1. Purge water system from its stopcock, including electric shower and shower head and hose.

2. Fit an external door cover to stop it from swelling during the rain and cold.

3. Empty the small waste reservoir but leave the pump submerged in cleanish water. Jet hose the accurate crap out. Not sure whether to disconnect pump from power supply?

4. Remove soft furnishings, curtains, throws and mattress to prevent damp and mildew.

 

[Sackmycook]

I used to spray my vans seals with a silicone protection spray to keep them supple....

 

[Linoleum Bonypart]

Plenty o logs in my garage this year instead of outside
Even built a log store right by bk door
Used this product on daughters new car wheels and mine

Dynax-UC - Bilt Hamber

See-through long term anti-corrosion wax for bare metals or painted surfaces. Supplied with a 145mm application straw.

bilthamber.com

 

[Sasquatch]

I used to spray my vans seals with a silicone protection spray to keep them supple....

I treat mine with Sonax Gummi Pflege a couple of times a year.

 

[T6Plumber]

What about domestic boiler?

Same old story..... Heatings been off all

Either way a gas boiler system should be maintained ever year.

I can add a bit to this, being it’s what I do for a living.

• Test running the heating early is a good idea so that you know it’s going to work when it’s properly required. Motorised valves have a tendency to stick & the lack of use over the summer can make this a common cause. Likewise for the Diverter Valve inside the boiler if you own a Combi. Run the heating up here & there & you’ll be in good stead when it gets cold enough to call upon it.

• If you’re on a pressurised system & notice you’re low on pressure (& know how to top it up), then do so (to 1bar or just over). But if having to do so becomes a regular occurrence, then have someone check out the cause. A small leak or an expansion vessel needing a recharge will be the likely culprit.

• Change the batteries on your Room Stat.

• Having the boiler serviced before the winter months is best practice. You’ll hopefully be able to pick up on anything brewing, before it manifests itself as a full blown problem, which will almost certainly occur on Christmas Eve or the first sub zero evening.

• A service & a breakdown are two separate things. If the boiler breaks down it might need a service as well as the repair, but don’t assume the service will cure the problem. You wouldn’t pull over on the side of the Dual Carriageway with smoke pouring from the bonnet & proceed to immediately book the car in for a service. Same applies.

• Last one R.E servicing: If your boiler is within it’s manufacturer guarantee period, that guarantee is only good if you’ve got a FSH. They won’t entertain it if you’ve not had it annually maintained.

• If you’re lucky enough to be able to escape England for some Winter Sun, turn off your Stopcock & open the taps before you go. I’ve seen some absolutely devastating property damage caused by frozen pipework in empty houses over the years.

• Isolate your outside tap when not in use. Don’t forget to open it to drain any residual water sat inside it.

I’m sure there’s loads more I haven’t thought about. As said before, my PM’s are always open if anyone has any Plumbing/Heating related issues or questions they’d like an opinion on. Least I can do considering the free information I’ve sponged from everyone else over the last year & a bit.