1. Using your 'van in winter
Sitting comfortably on your plush seats behind thick, glazed windows with the central heating on, sheltering yourself from the blizzard outside you haven't a care in the world… You could be forgiven for thinking that is a simple description of someone at home in their house, but with modern motorhomes becoming increasingly advanced in terms of construction and equipment, you'd be wrong.
Employing such niceties as double floors, thick carpet, central heating systems, heavy insulation and all the creature comforts of home, there is no reason why you shouldn't use your motorhome during the winter. And let's face it, every opportunity to escape from the weekly grind of modern day Britain, should be snatched with both hands!
With a little preparation, your 'van could be set up to cope with the rigours of our deepest, coldest winters with ease. From simple things such as using silver-screens, to fitting frost thermostats to your water tanks, this section will help you ensure that you stay warm, safe and comfortable in cold conditions.

Base vehicle
As your motorhome is based on a standard road-going vehicle, the same checks should be made before using it over the winter. • Mechanically you should be checking the oil as normal – the last thing you want is to end up stranded with a seized engine on a remote road.
 • Also, pay attention to your screen-wash and antifreeze mixes – it may even be advisable to have your coolant system flushed and refilled with the correct mixture.
 • To see and be seen is imperative for a safe journey, so make sure all exterior lights are clean and operating correctly.
 • Make sure that all your screens and mirrors are clean and obstruction free before setting off.

Cab blinds
When the weather turns chilly, the cab windows are one of the biggest sources of draughts and cold. Most campers come with internal silver-screens and these are available as an accessory, to fit most makes of base vehicle – but they often create condensation. Most coachbuilts have cab curtains, which are fine for summer but provide limited insulation. External cab blinds are the most effective in winter temperatures but take a little longer to fit. Most A-classes, and many 'vans built in the past few years, have sliding, silvered cab blinds similar to those on your 'van windows. All of these options can be retro-fitted (see April 2006 issue, p125, for details).

Doors and lockers
It may be tempting to close all doors and lockers when turning in for the night but you should try to keep them open. It may not always be possible, depending on what is stored inside, but try nevertheless. If your 'van feels warm, the chances are that it mostly is, but interior lockers, which often border an outside wall, are slightly colder and so they may develop condensation which can lead to damp. Keeping the doors open allows all the warm air to circulate throughout the 'van and into the lockers.

Gas changes
Butane may be the gas of choice during the warmer months but in winter it should be propane that is hooked up to your hob. Using butane will mean that it is likely to freeze in your lines and that won't be any good for cooking your dinner! Some 'vans may have space for both bottles to live in the same compartment so there will be very little hassle involved in swapping to propane. In any case, remember to make the swap before you encounter cold weather – if you don't, you may find that the butane has frozen in the lines already. To be ultra efficient you could even swap to propane just after using your 'van for the last time that summer.

Door seals
The last thing you want when trying to heat your 'van is a howling gale whistling through a dodgy door or window seal – check and replace them if necessary. If they are dry and brittle they will be doing no good so fit new ones or employ a specialist trimmer to replace them. However, some may be in good condition but appear to be ill-fitting. In this case you may be able to gently persuade these to make better contact with their neighbouring door or window by bending the metalwork on which they are situated, using a towel and rubber hammer. Don't expect massive movement: no more than a couple of millimetres, or you may damage the paint and allow rust to set in.

Waterworks
There are two options for dealing with grey and fresh water: the cheapest and simplest is to drain the tanks into a bucket beneath your 'van so that it will not freeze and damage the pipes. More expensive, but a great idea if you are a regular winter tourer, is to fit a frost-stat. Available in automatic and manual versions (with the latter, you have to keep an eye on the weather and operate it by hand), they are simply heating elements fitted inside the tank to keep the water above 0°C. Manual versions can cost as little as £50, and automatic versions are priced around £100 (but remember to include fitting costs for around two hours' work).

Hob and fridge
When using your 'van over the winter months you are likely to be closing as many windows as possible and ensuring there is no way for cold air to enter the vehicle while you are sleeping. Because of this, it is imperative that you have a safety check carried out on your gas appliances. Harmful gases can be emitted from such equipment and it is a small price to pay to have these professionally checked so as not to suffer the often deadly consequences. It may also be a good idea to buy a carbon monoxide detector, if you haven't already got one.

Water heaters
One of the problems of using your 'van over the winter is water freezing in your systems, especially the intricate parts of your heating system, rendering it useless. If you have an older 'van it's likely that you'll have a Carver heater fitted. With such a system you can insert a peg into the drain hole and this will allow cold water to circulate through the pipes but divert it from the storage heater where it could freeze and do damage. If your 'van is a newer model it is likely that you will have a Truma heater system. Like a traditional house system it is advisable to leave the heater on overnight because although the 'van may feel warm, temperatures can drop fast.

Flooring materials
Depending on your motorhome you may have traditional carpeting or a trendy laminate-style floor throughout. If it's the former, you will be well set up for winter. But with the latter, you may find that your trendy flooring which works so well in summer weather is just a bit too cool when temperatures fall. Some people put down household rugs, which have the added benefit of being removable and easily cleaned, but if you fancy a challenge you can use some old carpet to make a 'fitted' carpet for your van. The latter course of action will allow you to use thicker material and even include some underlay if you wish but it won't be as easy to clean as a conventional rug.