How to Insulate Your Motorhome: Your Guide to Motorhome Winterisation

Whether this is your first winter as a campervan or motorhome owner or you’ve had your vehicle for a while, you’re likely planning for the colder months right now. We have seen some extreme conditions in recent years, with flooding, storms and snowfall affecting road users. But even in the mildest conditions, it’s still important that you protect your motorhome.

If winterisation is top of your to-do list, here are some tips to help you prepare for the season ahead.

Internal insulation

For a fully winterised motorhome, start by looking at the inside. Once the interior is winter-ready, you can then move on to the exterior. Here are some areas and issues to focus on:

Condensation

Condensation can quickly become a problem in a confined space like a motorhome. As the warm air cools down, it forms droplets. These are usually visible on windows as the glass is the coldest place in the motorhome. Condensation becomes more prevalent in colder weather as the warmth of the inside of the motorhome meets the cool air outside.

If condensation becomes excessive, it can result in damp forming. Mould and mildew spread quickly and in a motorhome it can appear on walls and window frames, as well as on upholstery.

It is possible to prevent condensation from forming:

Ventilation

Keeping your motorhome or campervan well-ventilated will allow air to flow freely. If you’re not using your motorhome over winter, turn off the fridge and leave the door open. Also, keep cupboard doors open.

Where possible, move any fabrics to the middle of the motorhome, away from the windows. This will prevent cushions or other items from getting damaged by damp.

Keep it warm

To prevent the air in the motorhome from getting too cold, try leaving a small storage heater running. This will maintain a steady temperature, keep the air dry and prevent frost, condensation and dampness from forming. Many storage heaters even have a ‘frost’ setting for this exact purpose.

Make sure it’s insulated

When looking at preventing damp in your motorhome, insulation is a key area to focus on. Make sure that any draughty areas are covered and that insulation materials are in good working order.

Storing bedding

We’ve already looked at how the cooler weather can affect fabrics. If you want to leave bedding in your motorhome, it’s worth looking at how you want to store it in the cooler months.

First, place the bedding in compression or vacuum storage bags. These will remove the air inside, reducing the chance of dampness forming. From there, you could place these bags into a trunk or cupboard with a good-quality seal. This can then be stored inside the motorhome.

Vermin damage

Vermin such as rats and squirrels can become a real issue as the weather changes. These rodents are looking for shelter from the cold at this time of year, so winterising your motorhome should include some pest control.

To keep them from damaging your motorhome, you could:

Set traps

Placing traps in key areas, such as under sinks and near food cupboards, could be a good preventative measure – especially in months when you might be less likely to use your motorhome.

Use peppermint oil

If you’d like to use a humane deterrent, peppermint oil is said to repel rodents. Soak some sponges and place them around the motorhome, including the engine.

Protect wires

Apply insulation tape or use a spray to keep vermin from nibbling your wiring.

Silver screen

A silver screen applied to the windscreen of your motorhome is designed to keep the heat in during cold weather and reflect sunlight to maintain a cool temperature during the summer. Its primary function, however, is to lower condensation, preventing it from forming on one of the main glass panes in your campervan.

Winter storage heaters

A storage heater will prevent the motorhome from becoming too cold. There are different types available, including gas, petrol and diesel motorhome heaters.

External insulation

Next, focus on the exterior of your motorhome.

Winter covers

If you won’t be using your motorhome or campervan at all over the winter, a winter cover could be the ideal way to protect it. Frost is a major issue to consider at this time of year, so adding a layer is another type of motorhome insulation that will shield your vehicle from this and other wintry weather conditions.

Drain down the water tank

You must drain the water tank in your motorhome regularly. However, when it comes to motorhome winterisation, this is especially important. If left, water can turn to ice and create damage such as corroded pipes and plumbing. Also, draining the tank prevents bacterial build-up.

First, empty the water tank and open the hot water boiler drain. Next, open all taps so that the excess water drains out and check the water filter if you have a combi boiler in place. This process should ensure your motorhome is free of water.

Protect your motorhome

Security over winter is also a major winterisation consideration, especially if you’re not using it during these months. Invest in a wheel clamp, steering wheel lock and even clamp claws to make sure you’ve got everything secured.

Quality motorhome insurance can also cover you if things go wrong. However, make sure you keep your campervan or motorhome where you say you’ll keep it during winter. If something happens and it’s not parked where you stated it would be, you could invalidate your insurance.

Here at Comfort Insurance, we have decades of experience with motorhomes. If you’d like us to help you find a policy that’s perfect for you, just call our friendly team on 0208 984 0666 or email us at info@comfort-insurance.co.uk.