Your caravan cost a lot of money, so you obviously want to take the best possible care of it, just like any investment. Mind you, the care doesn’t only apply when you’re using it. In fact, when it’s not in use and it’s being stored, your cherished mobile vacation home could be in even more danger. What you can do is think about, and apply the following safety steps:
1. Instal Window and Door Locks
When leaving your caravan, even for a brief time, make sure all windows, doors, and roof lights are shut and locked. To keep your trailer secure, replace worn-out and outdated locks and consider installing extra security door locks.
A window lock system works well as a deterrent to burglars. Simple latches and key locks to the newest security technology are all available as window locks. It might be time for a security improvement if the sliding or double-hung windows are secured using basic window latches.
2. Use a Caravan Cover
The goal of a durable cover for caravan is to protect an object or piece of property from dirt or harm. Bird droppings on a car can damage the paintwork, as you may have heard, and the same is true for a motorhome. One of the primary reasons caravanners buy a cover is to keep the exterior clean and to shield it from any unwelcome scratches.
The paintwork of your motorhome can also fade from UV radiation, and direct sunlight can harm the seals on the windows and doors. A specialised cover for caravan can guard against these harmful rays from damaging the external bodywork because extreme heat can also cause your paintwork to peel or fracture.
Additionally, possible burglars won’t be able to tell what model of caravan you have or what you have stored within it with ease if you use caravan covers, which deters them from targeting your caravan when it’s parked on your driveway.
3. Get a Tracker
As implied by the name, one of the most fundamental features of vehicle tracking systems is the ability to track vehicles in real time. Along with aiding in fuel management and dispatching, further features include travel history, driver behaviour analysis, and auto repair reminders.
If your caravan is stolen, a GPS tracker will aid in finding it. A few “proactive” tracking gadgets contain movement sensors that can alert you to a break-in. Even if you don’t actually have a tracker, post stickers informing potential thieves that one is on board in your windows.
4. Consider an Alarm and Full Security System
You can now remotely check in on your home on wheels from your phone when you’re not there thanks to modern security systems. Depending on your service provider, you may be able to view security cameras mounted all over your house and manage smart thermostats, smart keyless door locks, smart lights, and other smart home appliances.
Top caravan alarms use passive infrared (PIR) sensors and tilt sensors to detect movement within the van and monitor it. There may be a reduction in caravan insurance if the alarm is brand-new. Whenever your van is vacant, even for a brief period of time, don’t forget to activate it for additional piece of mind.
5. Purchase a Caravan Hitch Lock
Until you unlock it, usually with a key, a hitch lock holds your caravan hitch and the receiver on the towing vehicle together. Anyone attempting to unhitch the trailer will need to turn the lock off because it prohibits them from lifting the receiver. Wherever your van will be stored over the winter, instal a hitch lock post and make sure the van is fastened to it.
6. Find Adequate Wheel Locks
Wheel locks in addition to caravan ramps serve as both an aesthetic deterrent and an anti-theft tool. The best wheel locks will continue to function even if thieves steal the caravan’s tyres.
They secure your wheels to the car exactly like ordinary lug nuts and bolts, but installation and removal call for a unique key tool. As a result, there is an extra level of security that discourages burglars. A set of wheel locks typically includes one locking lug, nut, or bolt and one corresponding key for each wheel.
7. Always Park Wisely
Consider parking your caravan with the towing equipment facing your house and adding a solid security bollard to the back of the vehicle to impede traffic. If available, security cameras should be pointed towards the van, and the parking space should be illuminated by security lighting.
If you decide to store your van in a facility that charges a fee, the least expensive option might not always be the best. Make sure it has CCTV, perimeter fencing, 24-hour access control and while you’re there don’t forget to put on your cover for caravan on top.
8. Register and Identify Valuables
When your caravan is stored throughout the summer or the winter, you shouldn’t leave valuables inside, but if you do and in the event that they are stolen, property marking kits will increase the likelihood that your possessions will be found. Using a UV pen or a forensic microdot solution, marking is applied. Your postcode should be written on any valuables so that police can return them if they are found.