Winter Proof Caravan

roland deschain

Im going to be spending the winter in my caravan, i want to block up all the holes and gaps to keep out the cold and creepy crawlies which have already started to find their way in. The main one is underneath the Truma gas burner which is used for the heating. i can see the actual valves underneath which are for taking in air but there are huge gaps around these. does anyone know if its safe to block these up?

my3cents

We've lived in our static caravan for a full winter and no way would I block the vents up!

Firstly you need the vents more in winter because the inside of the caravan will be colder and without ventilation you'll get condensation. Secondly with gas appliances they have to have air from the outside otherwise you'll end up killing yourself with carbon monoxide.

roland deschain

thanks for the advice, i need to come up with another way to stop the spiders! they are huge and im terrified haha. maybe some sort of repellent sprayed all around the caravan.......

my3cents

We have a couple of those (ultrasonic?) electronic insect repellent things plugged into the mains sockets. They may not be much better than snake oil but worth a try.

crabbypaddy

Blocking appliance vents is a guaranteed recipe for killing yourself, you should have a carbon monoxide alarm anyway as a poorly functioning gas appliance in a small area can have you unconcious in a very short period.

You can buy insect mesh at any builder providers, never block vents, your body produces about 800ml of water vapour per day in respiration / perspiration alone let alone cooking, washing etc. Gas cooker also produces lots of water, your caravan will very quickly turn into a soggy fungus factory without sufficient ventialtion.

my3cents

The caravan location can have a big impact on how livable it is inside and also how many bugs you get coming in.

I'd have it parked to make the best use of any cover to protect from the prevailing winds yet not have it right by the side of a hedge which will also protect the bugs allowing them easy access.

roland deschain

Thanks for all the advice, off to the builders providers.....