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Advice on ‘draining down’ a Holiday Home

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For those who prefer holidaying at home in the summer months, here is some advice on how a drain down of your holiday home would be beneficial over the winter months.

As the big freeze descends  over the country and temperatures start to fall, no-one should be worrying about the possibilities of a burst pipe or avoidable damage that frost can cause whilst unoccupied.

The easiest way to stop this from occurring is the process called a ‘Drain Down’ . This is the process of removing all water from your system and making sure there is no possibility for freezing.

How to Drain Down a Holiday Home.

This can be undertaken for a fee by a local tradesman or by yourself.

First address your manufacturers handbook for guidance about your system. Next locate your stopcock, as this stops the main water supply to your caravan or lodge. It’s essential to start your ‘Drain Down’ by turning this off.

The process from this point is systematically emptying the water.

  • Empty toilets cisterns, pipes and any standing water, to prevent freezing and cracking. Make sure valves are tied up so they don’t fill up again. Turn on all taps to allow for any residual water to leave the system.
  • Drain residual water from radiators.
  • Pour a small amount of non-toxic antifreeze or salt into sinks and basins, this just gives added help to stop pipes freezing.
  • Anything you are not sure on, consult the park maintenance team or a tradesmen who deals with Holiday Homes frequently.
  • Make sure you leave window trickle vents open so there is constant air-flow throughout your holiday home to allow moisture to escape. Another tip is also to leave internal doors ajar to allow for further air circulation.
  • Remove all water from any exterior tap pipes and you can cover them for extra protection from frost.

Lakeside Holiday Park garden party

Anything else to tick off the list?

To prevent cold weather damage even further, whilst you’re away from your beloved Holiday home, see our checklist on the simple tips and hacks. Putting these handy things in place to will ensure the winter months fly by without any damage, giving you peace of mind. Click here to see what else you can do!

Top tips for preparing your Holiday Home for Winter

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The Big Freeze is Back!

Yes, it’s that time of year again, when everything is covered in a smattering of frost, all sparkly and picture postcard perfect. A great time to get the fires roaring and get all snuggled up.

To keep this winter stress free here are some tips to make sure your Holiday Home is winter proof this year!

Not in your Holiday Home this winter?

Preventing pipes from bursting.

The one thing we all dread in winter, the possibility of a water pipe bursting when you just want to relax and snuggle up. With a few easy fixes, this possibility can soon be a thing of the past.

1. Insulate external or exposed pipes – simple but effective, this keeps the metal from coming into contact with the freezing air keeping the pipes at a constant temperature.This also stops heat loss making your holiday home more efficient.

2. Keep your Holiday Home at a minimum temperature of 5-12 degrees celsius at all times when possible, allowing air temperature to circulate above freezing.

3. For those choosing to leave holidaying for the summer months,  a ‘drain down’ is recommended.  Making sure when you get back to your Holiday Home, there is no unexpected occurrences that could have been prevented the previous winter.

This can be done by the owner or by caravan specialists. For more information on why this is beneficial click here!

Controlling excess moisture / condensation.

Condensation or excess moisture build up is mainly due to air flow or lack of it and temperature regulation.

With most lodges and caravans being predominantly double glazed and central heated this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, however here are some simple hacks to keep the moisture under control

1. Salt – yes that condiment we all will probably use daily is a great absorber. Adding a bowl of rock or flaked salt to a room or an affected area, (ie the window) will soak up extra moisture. A simple and effective hack.

For a standard option, Moisture traps or dehumidifiers can be bought to combat added moisture over the winter months.

2. Increase Air flow – Again another simple but useful tip. Moisture build up is predominantly down to lack of the moist air being able to escape. Just making sure your ventilation isn’t obstructed. Another option is to simply leave internal doors ajar allowing air to circulate.

Tackling these main culprits is the easiest way to ensure your Holiday Home is protected over the winter months. Why not give yourself peace of mind so you can sit back and relax.