How to Drain Down a Touring Caravan
We might only just be approaching the summer months as we write this, but as fast as these warmer months arrive, they’ll soon be gone, replaced by colder, less caravan-friendly months.
With that in mind, we thought it worthwhile to guide you through caravan drain down. Draining down a caravan, whether it be a touring caravan or a static caravan, is essential for caravan upkeep. So, in this blog, we’ll guide you through how to do it, why to do it and when to do it.
What is draining down a caravan?
Draining down your caravan is the process of removing all fluid and water from the caravan’s water system, boiler, and pipes. As we tend to use our touring caravans less in the winter months, and the temperature is much colder, the water within your caravan may freeze. This can then lead to significant damage where pipes crack, boilers break down, and water finds its way into the furnishings and mechanisms of your caravan.
Why is caravan drain down so important?
If you allow the pipes, boiler, or water system in your caravan to freeze, you’ll be opening yourself up to a host of faults that could cost lots to repair.
As water freezes, it expands, leading to cracks appearing in pipes and important equipment failing. When you then come to use your caravan in the summer, despite the ice having melted, the cracks and equipment damage will remain. Making some parts of the caravan fail to operate as they should.
Depending on the severity, your caravan insurance might cover the costs, but in some cases it won’t. Should it be determined that the cause was poor maintenance, you might not be able to claim at all!
How to drain down a caravan
If you are ready to shut your touring caravan away for the year, set aside some time to drain it down. With a touring caravan, this can be a quick and easy process. A caravan drain down kit will certainly help. These can be picked up from a host of caravan specialists or stores like Halfords.
Find the right caravan drain down kit
Before you set to work on draining down your touring caravan, find out what caravan drain down kit you’ll need. Certain water systems will work with particular drain down kits. The Truma Ultraflow, for example, will have a specific kit that differs from the one used for the Whale water system.
Get a suitable pump
You’ll need a foot pump or something similar to act as your air source. This will be connected to your drain down kit and help you push air into the water system. Just make sure the pump you use has a gauge, so you know how much pressure you are applying. It should enter the water system at around the same level of pressure as water leaves the taps.
Put your kit together
Your caravan drain down kit will come in two parts. The drainage device and the adapter. Connect these and plug them into the side of your caravan where the water normally comes in. At this stage, DO NOT start draining the water.
Turn off the pump & empty the water heater
Before you pump any air into the water system, make sure you have turned the water pump off. Then empty the water heater. Once it is empty, close all the taps.
Start emptying the taps
With the heater empty and the onboard pump off, you can start draining down the caravan. You should already have the drain down kit and pump connected to the caravan. Build up the pressure to approximately 15psi.
Once done, empty the kitchen taps, bathroom taps and shower. Do this one at a time rather than all at once.
Where mixer taps are used, empty both hot and cold water as they use different parts of your water system. As you finish releasing the water from each tap, check the air supply and get it back up to 15psi.
You’ll notice some spitting and hissing after the water has gone; this is totally normal, and if anything, shows you’ve got things right. The noise is simply air flowing through the pipes, meaning there is no water in them.
Remove the pump and drain down kit
With each tap now drained, there should be no water left sitting in your caravan. Remove your drain down kit and pump from the side of your caravan and store safely for use at a later date.
Leave all taps turned on
Even though there is no water sitting in the pipes, leave the taps open. This gives any residual water an escape route and room to expand if it were to freeze. Should you have mixer taps, leave them halfway between hot and cold.
When should you drain down a touring caravan?
If your caravan is not due to be used for a long time, it would be ideal to do it as soon as you cease using it. That way, you won’t leave it until it’s too late. Should you have already stored your caravan away for the year and not yet drained it down, get on to it as soon as possible. The damage that failing to drain your caravan can do can be substantial.
An unwritten rule says you should complete it by early November, but in our opinion, as soon as your caravan is retired for the year, get it drained down.
If you are looking at getting a caravan this summer, speak to us! At Euphoria Finance, we provide affordable caravan finance for those with excellent and poor credit scores. Our position as a direct lender allows us to review each application on an individual basis, making it easier for you to get approval. Simply get a free quote today and see how easy it is to start enjoying caravan life!