Hello, my name is Roy. For many years, I drove a 1976 Ford estate car around Sydney. The car had belonged to my grandpa. It was passed down to me when I had just passed my driving test at the age of 18. That was in 1986 and the car was already in a pretty bad condition then. Fast forward to 2006 and I was now aged 38 and still driving the same car around. Sometimes the car wouldn't start, white smoke came out of the exhaust and the gearbox made a terrible sound. I did my best to patch it up, but eventually, I had to scrap the car and buy a new one. I decided to start a blog to encourage others to service their cars.
When you own a high-quality caravan, it should stay in good repair for many years, even if you take it to rustic and rough campgrounds or enjoy using it on a regular basis. However, many caravan owners make some simple mistakes when it comes to the use of their caravan, and these mistakes can cause damage or hasten the need for repairs to the van. Note a few of those mistakes here so you can avoid them yourself, and always keep your caravan in good repair.
Drilling
Because caravans typically lack storage space, it's not unusual to want to hang hooks from the ceiling and walls, so you can add baskets and hanging organisers. However, drilling into the frame of your caravan can mean allowing moisture and humidity to collect inside, as well as water leaks. Use hooks that attach with a sticky backing instead of screws, and cover over any drilled holes with putty or another watertight solution so that water and humidity stay out of the caravan's interior.
Tyres
You may know to rotate the tyres of your vehicle on a regular basis, but may fail to rotate the tyres of the caravan. This can be a mistake, as uneven tyres may not cushion the caravan as they should, so that the frame of the van gets damaged when you drive. If the tyres pull to one direction or another, this can even bend the frame. Brakes don't grip uneven tyres very easily, so the van may slide and skid around when stopping, which can be dangerous. Check the tyres regularly and rotate them as often as needed, so you avoid this potential damage and keep the van safe on the road.
Not airing it out
After you've taken your caravan camping, it's good to leave the windows open for a bit before you put the van in storage; this will remove any cooking odours, and also allow moisture and humidity to escape from the inside. When you're camping, you may tend to stay in areas with higher humidity and moisture levels, such as near a body of water or in a forest that holds morning dew and other sources of humidity. You may not think about letting the caravan dry out after you return home, but keeping it sealed up and in a storage unit or under a tarp can mean that the floorboards, frame, cabinetry, and other pieces absorb that moisture, causing damage. Let the caravan air out after every use so you avoid this risk.
If your caravan does become damaged despite your best efforts, reach out to a place that offers caravan insurance repairs.
Share11 July 2017
