12 Maintenance Tips for your Holiday Lodge

Now is the time for maintenance for your holiday lodge. These tips are a guide to the things you may want to get done as the weather begins to warm up and you return to your holiday lodge. 

  • Check the chassis

Regular inspection and maintenance of the chassis can help avoid structural problems developing with your holiday lodge. Take a look to see if the protective coating applied during manufacture is intact. It is a good idea to pay special attention to the ends and the joins.

Looking for rust or mechanical damage to the paint may be a good guide to any areas that need attention. Depending on what you find, you may need to reapply a protective coating using something like Hammerite or another specialist coating. Should you have concerns regarding damage or rust formation, you may want to seek advice from an engineer.

If you think there is any problem with the jack or the corner steadies you should seek advice from your manufacturer or park management. They may recommend that you seek out specialist help to do such potentially dangerous work under your holiday lodge. Inspection is the key to identify problems, so you can address them as quickly as possible.

  • Maintaining the roof of your holiday lodge

The more clement weather may be a good time to carry out a proper inspection of your roof. You could take the opportunity to check that tiles or roof coverings have not been lost or displaced. It may also be a good time to check the mastic seals behind fascias and chimney flashings to see if they need renewing or replacing. It might be best to get an expert to carry out this level of inspection as they can provide evidence under your manufacturer’s warranty.

You can also carry out simpler checks for moss or mildew and remove where necessary. 

  • Guttering, downpipes and drains

Clearing guttering and downpipes of debris, birds’ nests or anything else that may be blocking the flow of water, can help diminish the chance of water damage or ingress further down the line.

You may prefer to get help rather than go up a ladder yourself and it is always a good idea to have someone else present for ladder work.

  • Windows and doors

Seals around windows and doors can corrode and lead to water ingress or even pests such as ants. It is a good idea to check these now so as to get a march on any repairs that might need doing. It may also be a good time to lubricate locks with sprayable 3-in-one oil (not to be confused with WD40).

  • Gas and boiler check

An annual gas and safety check carried out by a Gas Safe accredited engineer is a condition of the manufacturer’s warranty for newer appliances. It’s also good for your own peace of mind. Spring is a good time to do this as you have the milder months to fix any problems, should they arise.

It may also be a good time to check the insulation on your pipes and replace any if needed.

  • Electrics check

Similarly to gas, an annual check of electrics helps with safety and reliability. This should be carried out by an accredited electrician.

  • The walls of your holiday lodge

Your walls or cladding may look a bit grimy after winter rains bringing down debris and dirt from the roof. Most wall surfaces or cladding materials will respond well to a mild detergent. You may want to try a less visible area first to make sure the surface is not going to be damaged in any way. If any external fittings need to be replaced, stainless steel screws are recommended by most manufacturers to avoid corrosion.

  • Decking

Slimy surfaces can develop in the wetter months so you may want to apply a bleach/ water solution with a stiff brush. This will help to remove moss and lichen too, making your decking safe to enjoy.

  • Bathroom

You may want to look at the seals for signs of mould and renew the silicone where necessary. This can help to curtail the spread and avoid bigger problems or, indeed, health hazards, in the future.

If you are returning after a winter absence, you may want to run water through the pipes for a little while to avoid any problems that might arise from standing water left in the system over winter.

  • Bedroom

Now might be the best time to take the opportunity to turn mattresses, (or replace them if you discover stains), air cushions and pillows and generally refresh.

  • Kitchen

You may want to take this opportunity for a deep clean of the cooker as well as a general scrub down of all the surfaces as dust can build up in your absence as it settles from the air.

  • Living areas

Depending on the changeable UK weather, you might want to throw the windows and doors open for a few hours to give the place a good airing. You might also take the chance to deep clean the carpet and soft furnishings before any settled dust gets kicked back into the air.

We hope this list helps you to keep your holiday lodge well maintained so that you can enjoy it throughout the season. Your holiday lodge insurance requires a level of maintenance should you need to make a claim. It may be worthwhile to record and log all works you carry out.

Please note that all insurance cover is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions.

This is a marketing article from My Holiday Home Insurance, a specialist provider of insurance for holiday lodges, holiday homes, leisure homes,  holiday chalets and static caravans. Our team of experienced advisers are always happy to help, so for more information call our Northampton office on freephone 0800 988 0890.

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Published – 07/06/24