Irish weather conditions in recent years have had us all reaching for our winter woollies unexpectedly, sometimes right up to the month of April. For motorhomes owners, it's important to be prepared ahead of a cold snap in order to avoid potential damage to your motorhome as a result of freezing temperatures. We hope to save you a lot of time and money by guiding you in the right direction.
The following pointers should help you protect your investment and avoid potential costly repairs.
1. Drain the Water
When parked up to avoid damage from freezing all tanks, heaters, pumps, filters and taps will need to be carefully and fully emptied. Tip - the shower mixer tap is particularly prone to frost damage, so make sure it’s fully drained. Leave taps in open position in center of mixer.
2. Frost Valves
If using your motorhome, only ever fill the water tank when you are ready to go away but always check that the frost valve on the heater is in the closed position before operating the pump to fill the heater. Some frost valves will open automatically when the temperature goes below 5-6 degrees Celsius so it may be necessary to manually secure this valve, just be sure to remove any steps taken to secure once your trip is over.
3. Insulation
Use indoor insulating windscreen covers as they a a good source of insulation and have proven to the quiet effective.
4. Antifreeze
When parked up ensure your cab radiator is sufficiently filled with antifreeze, if using your motorhome, you can put some special waste water antifreeze into the grey water tank to prevent it from freezing.
5. Parking
Try to park on a slight slope so water doesn't sit in the internal waste pipework. Around -10C the U-bend freezes and then you will need to put antifreeze or salt down them.
6. Gas
Ensure you are using Propane not Butane as Propane operates at much lower temperatures.
7. Parking for Longer Stays
When parked up for long periods it is advisable to leave vehicle in gear where possible, chock the wheels and leave handbrake off if at all possible, this prevents rear drums freezing on.
We hope that we have you well prepared this winter and that these preventative measures potentially save you a lot of time, hassle and money.
Don't forget, help is always at hand, so if you have any questions, contact us on +353 (0)61 379903 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also find us on Google maps and drop into AnchorPoint Motorhomes, in person at Birdhill, Co, Tipperary, Ireland. A warm welcome awaits!
