So, you've enjoyed many lovely months holidaying in your static caravan but now the colder months are approaching and to stop burst pipes and the risk of flooding, it's time to think about draining down.
Some holiday parks offer a drain down service for a fee and some may insist on you using their service in order to comply with their insurance. However, if you'd like to do this yourself then there are a couple of ways you can tackle this which are both easy to do when you know how...
Manual Drain Down
This is the cheapest option but there is a chance that some residue water may be left in the pipes. Here's what you need to do...
- Shut off the water supply.
- Open the drain down taps.
- Turn on all internal taps.
- Any shower mixer tap’s should be taken off as there is a non return valve inside that could stop water from draining.
- Put all plugs in sinks etc.
- Drain down the water heater.
- Flush the toilet.
- Treat any leftover water with antifreeze.
Now take a look at how it's done... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRD_UV2oNVo
Floe Drain Down System
The Floe drainage system costs approximately £225 and takes around 20 minutes to fit in your holiday home. Although you will need to put your hand in your pocket initially, this system is super quick and draining down takes a mere 4 minutes! It also cleans your water system by getting rid of any stale water and bacteria that may have built up and cleanses the inside of your boiler heat exchanger, which can save you up to 15% on your gas in the future.
Here's how to use it...
- Turn off main water stopcock, unplug the boiler and close all taps, making sure the system is air tight.
- Switch on your Floe system and it will automatically stop and restart building pressure up in the system.
- Open each hot and cold tap in your caravan individually, including the shower and outside taps, until dry and fully drained.
- Push the ball cock or float down on all toilets to push water out of the pipe, which leads to the cistern.
- Switch off your Floe system and leave all taps open to let air circulate.
Now watch the Floe system in action... https://youtu.be/o2bPvDXFRzU
We hope you've found this useful, keep an eye out for further blogs with more top tips on how to get the very best from your static caravan.
Individuals are given the opportunity to not only look and ask about caravans but also speak to park owners. This allows buyers to make an informed choice around the lifestyle they will lead for the next 10 -15 years.
The lifespan of a Static Caravan can vary, however, like with most things if it is looked after and properly maintained then you could expect the static caravan to reach up to 30 or more years on private land. Parks will generally ask for it to be upgraded around the 15-year mark to keep the park looking appealing and safe.
What is the ideal location? This varies from person to person, but it is important to consider what makes a holiday special to you, is it being near stunning coastlines like you might find in Tintagel or would you prefer to be surrounded by the countryside like you might find near Winkleigh. Luckily if you enjoy both these things then the Southwest has it covered. The sea and countryside are never more than a 30-minute drive away from each other.
If you enjoy the wonders of the natural world then this is the blog for you! Lets explore the weird and wonderful things that you could encounter beneath the picturesque waves this summer.
