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Winter Storage for Your Boat or Caravan

If you own a caravan or a boat, you are probably thinking about where to store your prized possession over the colder winter months.

Hamiltons Removals has a modern self storage facility in Aldeby Business Park, on the border between Suffolk and Norfolk. If you need somewhere to put your caravan or motorboat over the winter months, then it should meet all your requirements.

As industry specialists, we have compiled this checklist of factors to bear in mind before you put your vessel or vehicle into storage ready for next year.

Give it a Good Clean

Giving your boat or caravan a thorough wash-down just before you store it away is a good idea. Dirt and grime won’t disappear magically over winter, while boats also suffer from algae and barnacles. Doing it now could save yourself a job when you take it out of storage. It is also a good idea to give your vehicle or craft a thorough check over, to identify any repairs which need carrying out.

You should make sure the fridge is emptied and cleaned so you don’t get any nasty surprises later, in the form of unwanted mould or bacteria. Then disconnect it and leave the door open; most modern fridges will have a catch which means it won’t need to be propped ajar.

If you have a toilet on your boat or caravan, then make sure it has been emptied and sterilised. Adding antifreeze to the bowl will prevent it cracking or freezing.

Make Safety a Priority

You should Isolate the gas and electricity supplies. Remove any batteries, clean them, and if necessary fill them with electrolyte. All gas bottles should also be removed and stored separately.

In boats, drain all the water, either by disconnecting the pumps or emptying the tanks and pipes. Leaving the taps open, in caravans as well as marine craft, ensures that all water has been removed from the system, giving you another line of defence against the damage that can be caused by freezing temperatures.

Remove the Portable Items

Anything that can rust, freeze, corrode or suffer winter damage should not be left in your boat or caravan. This includes soft furnishings like cushions which can attract mould or mildew.

If any of your electrical items can be removed, then these should be taken out and stored separately too. In the case of boats, this can mean valuable marine radio and GPS equipment, and in caravans this particularly applies to radios and small TV sets.

Keep Checking It

It is worth monitoring the air circulation on boats and caravans, and checking up periodically to make sure small problems don’t become large ones. Specifically, caravan tyres should not rest on the same piece of tread for weeks or months at a time. The wheels should be turned every six to eight weeks and the tyre pressures raised if necessary, but don’t forget to reduce them when you take it out on the road.

Hamiltons’ Aldeby site is open from 7am-10pm every day, so it is easy to check that your vehicle is in good working order.  You can drive your car right up to your container.

Peace of Mind

It might seem attractive to store your boat or caravan outside and close to your home, but this means you may also have the additional expense of fitting it out with a cover. You will also have to find space for it somewhere. Even if your garage is big enough, this could mean having to move your car, which might take much longer to start if it is left outside in winter. You may also run the risk of upsetting the neighbours if you leave your boat or caravan on the road outside.

If you use our dedicated self storage site at the Aldeby Business Park you will avoid both these problems. You will also benefit from a very high level of security. The site is monitored by around-the-clock CCTV, and has a secure keypad entry system. Our uniform padlocks allow for extra security checks.

Hamiltons Removals offers state of the art self storage containers for customers in Suffolk and Norfolk. Our location at Aldeby on the border of the two counties means we are ideally placed to serve residents of Diss, Harleston and Dickleburgh.

We can offer a range of differently-sized storage containers, up to 150sq ft in size. If you would like to know more about our self storage facilities at Aldeby, click on the link above.