Maintaining your Static Caravan

Maintaining your static caravan need not be too difficult. The twelve points below are designed to help you organise the things you may need to do. It is worth remembering that your static caravan insurance cover requires that you maintain it in good condition. Parks also usually insist on a minimum level of maintenance and tidiness. Good maintenance will also, of course, help you relax and enjoy your static caravan with the peace of mind that comes from knowing everything is working and safe.

• Keep a scheduled checklist

Keeping a diary in which you schedule regular maintenance tasks can help you organise yourself and keep any stress down to a minimum. It will also make sure you do not forget anything and minimise the needs for you to keep everything in your memory. Ticking jobs off as they are done also provides a record to back you up if you should need to make a claim on your insurance.

• Maintaining the chassis of your static caravan

The ‘foundation’ of your static caravan is of crucial importance as it supports the entire structure. Spring is a good time to get under the skirting, (there is usually an access panel) to check for signs of corrosion and to make sure footings are solid and secure. You may need to seek advice from an expert or the manufacturer of your static caravan to learn how to remove enough skirting to get easy access without damaging the underlying structure.

If you do spot any degradation, you can spray or paint any affected areas with specialist protective chassis paint. Paying particular attention to corners and the ends of the structure can help reduce problems in the future.

These jobs underneath your static caravan may prove to be physically difficult, so you might want to employ a professional or recruit a relative, friend or neighbour to help you.

If your static caravan is listing or there are other more serious problems with your chassis or its footing, you may want to seek advice from your park’s management or another professional. The manufacturer may be the best place to go to ask for advice about suitable people to work on your static caravan as there are companies who specialise in this.

While you are under there, it’s a good idea to take the opportunity to remove any debris that might have built up. This way you minimise any fire risk from below and deprive some pests of a cosy environment to inhabit.

• Energy

Your gas or liquid propane supply and appliances should be safety-checked at least once annually. Getting a professional to do this gives you extra peace of mind as it is signed-off as safe by an accredited worker. Your park management, or your neighbours may be able to assist in finding a suitable company to carry this out but a simple online search should bring up plenty of suitable options.

If you have fuel canisters, regularly checking connections, seals and tubing can avoid accidents and waste from leakages. It is also worth checking the manufacturer’s advice on safe storage to make sure everything is a safe distance away from hazards and you are following the best practice.

It might also serve you well to get your electrical supply and sockets checked annually. You may want to schedule a check of your electrical appliances at the same time, when you have an electrician on the premises.

• Water

It may be worth making sure pipes are insulated where possible. This can significantly reduce the chances of burst pipe in the winter. Regularly checking connections into your static caravan can prevent leaks and save you money and stress further down the line.

Again, paying special attention to seals, junctions and connections may help you spot problems early.

• Heating

Your boiler should be checked annually along with your gas. It may also be worth checking your radiators at the same time. You can feel if there are any cold patches and if heat is being distributed evenly across the radiating surface. If not, they may need bleeding or other maintenance. If you don’t feel up to this task, a plumber or heating engineer should be easily able to help.

• Walls, cladding and skirting

A regular perusal of the external state of your static caravan all the way round may help you catch problems early. Every few years you might want to consider renewing any protective paint or other treatment. Regular washing can also help to not only maintain a neat appearance, but stop corrosion or rot.

• Roofing, guttering and vents

Spotting and dealing with problems in these areas can greatly reduce the risk of further damage and water ingress into your static caravan.

If you feel confident you may want to get up a ladder and clear out the gutters and give the roof a clean with a stiff brush and warm soapy water. For safety’s sake, you may want to recruit someone to help you do this or employ a professional to do it instead.

• Doors and windows

Checking the seals, hinges and locks on your doors and windows and making early repairs where needed can prevent many problems arising later on. Condensation, water ingress, draughts and pests are all problems that can be held off by this simple measure.

• Maintaining the area outside your static caravan

A regular round of sweeping and cleaning decking and pavements may help to reduce the risks of accidents and slip-hazards. Good garden maintenance can also help reduce the potential for damage from broken branches or loose fence posts in high winds, for instance. You may want to pay attention to the storage of any outdoor furniture you may have too. Making it secure can help to prevent unnecessary damage should it get blown around. Keeping it under cover or in a shed may also provide less temptation for thieves.

• Lighting

Outdoor lighting in particular can suffer from corrosion and other damage.  Regularly checking whether repairs are required and whether batteries or solar panels need replacing can keep your environment well-lit and safer. If you have emergency lighting, you may want to check the power supply or batteries for these too.

• Fire safety

Regularly checking that your fire safety equipment is in good condition, easily accessible and any extinguishers are working may prove crucial in an emergency.

• Keep a record of maintenance and take photographs

As with a checklist, evidence of maintenance work may prove essential should you need to make a claim on your static caravan insurance. You may want to keep a photographic record (using your phone for example) of any work carried out on your static caravan by yourself or another party.

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.

To stay up to date with similar topics please like and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Published – 10/05/24