“Winterising” your static caravan
With the weather forecast showing colder temperatures are on the way, NI Water would like to remind static caravan owners that it’s vitally important to make sure you are prepared for winter and professionally “drained down”.
This ensures all water is fully removed from all equipment and to avoid the danger of damage from frozen or burst pipes.
If your caravan park remains open over the winter and you intend on continuing to use your static caravan then it is wise to attempt a quick drain down yourself at the end of each visit by turning off the water mains at the stop valve and then opening the caravan drain plugs, setting all taps to open, flushing the toilet and draining all water from sinks and basins. Adding salt to any last drops of water in toilets and traps will also help to prevent freezing.
NI Water education officer Anna Killen said: “With external pipe work that is very much exposed to the elements, unoccupied static caravans are usually left for long periods over the winter months and are much more susceptible to severe damage when the temperature drops. Our advice is to leave the tricky task of draining down your static caravan to the professionals, especially when you are leaving it for a sustained period during the winter.
“Also remember to heat your static caravan by using the frost setting on your heating system and consider getting the heating system serviced. Make sure all pipes inside and outside are insulated and make sure you are covered by insurance that protects you from the large scale damage that mother nature can sometimes cause.”