Static Caravans – An Icy Blast From The Past?

After the warmest summer on record and UK holiday homes seeing a rise in occupancy, 2011 was seen a great year for Static Caravan owners.

However we can all remember the recent harsh winter with shocking conditions that stopped the majority of the country in its tracks. Not only did this affect travel and homes it also had a massive impact on unattended caravans.

For those who recently purchased static caravans it has hit them hard. With water leaks and burst pipes as well as boiler breakdowns the cost to unprepared caravan owners was immense.

Many should have learned a lesson, that winterisation of your Static Caravan is paramount to ensuring that costs are reduced. However, it seems that many will still forget what happened last year and not drain down their static caravans.

For many caravan owners the start of the 2012 season has been a difficult one. They started their season with costs arising from burst pipes which in some cases could run into £1000’s. Winterisation is something owners can forget, but they should learn lessons of the past and ensure they drain their caravan before winter.

Some caravan parks offer a year round maintenance plan to help owners ensure that their caravans are in tip-top condition. This allows them to help owners spend quality time when they visit their holiday home and for those who cannot get to their caravan in time for winter or are unsure of what to do.

It is paramount that before extreme weather conditions start and having purchased a static caravan for sale, it should be checked to ensure that the big investment is protected as owners cannot afford or it to be damaged.

With many worrying about their investments it seems that their holiday home investment is something that they sometimes forget. As with any harsh winter preparation seems to be the key to ensuring as little impact is made on holiday homes as possible.

If your caravan park doesn’t offer this service their are some things you can do.

1) drain off all pipes
2) disconnect from the main water supply
3) unplug any electrical equipment
4) turn off the electricity at the fuse box
5) turn off and disconnect your gas supply

We would welcome your comments on this as it seems awareness is the key to ensuring the holiday home sector starts 2012 with a positive note rather than pain and worry over burst pipes and freezing conditions.