How To Prepare For Winter In A Van
BURR! The leaves are changing. The temperature is dropping. In other words. . .
WINTER IS COMING!
Winter can be an exciting and eventful time for a van owner. Regardless of your travel plans, the winter cold brings a variety of obstacles. Read below to learn more about those challenges and our tips to overcome them.
Whether you are loading up your gear to hit the slopes or parking the van away until the warm weather returns, there are some important steps for you to take, ensuring that you and your van are happy campers during the cold winter months.
Perhaps most importantly...
Winterize your plumbing! OR ELSE . . .
Preventing frozen pipes is arguably the most important thing a van owner can do. Not only do frozen pipes limit your usage of water systems, but they also are a leading cause of overall damage to your van -- damage that can lead to expensive repairs and maintenance.
Using Your Van -- If you will be using your van consistently throughout the cold winter months the winterizing process is simple -- Never let the temperature inside your van drop below freezing. To do this, you may need to run your air heater (Webasto) most or all of the day -- 24/7! Your heater can be set to a low power/low temperature (50°F for example). Do not worry, despite being linked to the vehicle’s fuel lines, your heater will never run the van out of gas.
Storing Your Van -- If you do not plan on using your van every day throughout the winter, your winterization process is a bit more involved. It is imperative to winterize your plumbing, ensuring your van will be ready to use the moment warm weather returns.
Overall, the primary goal of winterizing is to drain your van of all water. If water remains throughout winter, it may freeze, causing damage to your pipes, tanks, and fittings. See below for a brief technical breakdown of the steps you must follow in order to keep your van safe in storage:
Drain your freshwater tank of all water. For those that have pipes located by the floor of your fresh water tank, the drain valve is the green handle. Turn this handle parallel to the pipe that it is attached. If you don't have this drain valve there, please proceed to the next step!
You should turn the water pump on and cycle all water outlets through hot and cold until the water drips to a stop, ensuring no water is remaining in the pipes. Once the water is completely drained, shut the water pump off.
If you have an air valve (Schrader valve), use an air compressor to put the system under no more than 30psi constant, and open all fixtures to get any remaining water out. If you do not have an air valve, you can complete the same process with an air nozzle by removing one of the caps of the ball valves and applying pressure to the port.
Remove the water filter using the provided white plastic wrench that slides onto the bottom of the filter. Turn it counterclockwise until the wrench comes off with the filter house attached.
*Note* It is helpful to have rags handy in the event of spilling water.Once the filter is removed, dump the remaining water out and do not re-install the filter housing until you are ready to use the van again. You can take this time to change your filter for the next adventure.
Finally, if you have a gray water tank under your sink and/or under the van for your shower, you will need to drain that as well. Open the valve and let the water drain out.
If you have a Webasto Heater in your van please run it for 30 minutes to ensure that it works.
Once you complete these steps, all the water will be drained from the system and your van is ready to be stored for the winter! If you still have questions or need assistance, please email Service@ogavans.com.
**If you do not want to bother winterizing your vehicle, you could always head south and find some warmer weather. After all, such flexibility is the true beauty of living the van life.**
Once you have completed the process of winterizing your plumbing, make sure you consider many of the other challenges of van life in the winter. See below for some of the important obstacles you will need to overcome:
1) Cold Weather = Closures. Many roads, campgrounds, trails, parks, and even open space land are closed during the winter due to inclement weather. Always check conditions and closures before you set out on your adventure.
2) Winter = Less sunlight. The winter months involve days with fewer hours of sunlight, limiting the power draw of your solar panels. Additionally, if you are hitting the slopes and chasing the snow, your panels may be covered with heavy snow. Be sure to keep your roof and solar panels clear of snow as frequently as possible.
3) Van life in the winter obviously means dealing with cold temperatures. As outlined above, it is crucial to winterize your plumbing and/or ensure your van’s temperature does not drop below freezing. This is also important for your comfort. Outfit your van with an air heater, insulation, extra blankets, and some hot cocoa or coffee and you should not have a problem. P.S. Keep those windows closed - Don’t let the cold air in!
With proper preparation, van life in the winter is a spectacular time. Take the needed precautions and you and your van will have the experience of a lifetime.
Adventure Awaits!