A caravan is an expensive item, so it makes sense to take good care of it. Most people clean their caravan inside and out and get it serviced, but do not bother to keep their caravan under cover or in the shade. Doing so can make a real difference to how your caravan ages. The finish on a caravan will dry out and crack more quickly if you leave it out in the sun and the rain.

Even if you have a garage most of the time it is not possible or practical to put your caravan in the garage. It is possible to store your caravan under cover at a storage centre, but that costs quite a bit of money and undercover storage is not available in all parts of the country. On top of that storing your caravan away from your home is not as easy as storing it on your drive and buying a good quality cover for it.

As well as protecting your caravan from the weather, a good cover will reduce how often you have to wash your caravan. It will keep dirt, dead leaves and bird’s mess from building up on your caravan. All you need to do is to hose the cover down every now and again. In addition, your caravan will never suffer from mould or moss. Moss is particularly damaging for a caravan, if it gets into the joints between the caravan’s outer panels it grows and pushes the panels apart causing your caravan to leak. The water runs along the wooden frame and rots your caravan from the inside out.

Most modern caravan covers are made of polypropylene, which will not dry out and become brittle in the sun. It is waterproof yet still breathes; meaning that moisture such as condensation can escape from under the cover. A build up of condensation under a cover made of cheap non-breathable material will damage your caravan. Do not be tempted to buy a cheap cover made out of cheap materials, not only will condensation be a problem but it will also dry out in the sun and become brittle and disintegrate.

Make sure that the cover you buy for your caravan is a good fit. If the cover is too big it will blow off in the wind, make sure that the straps can be easily fastened and tightened if need be.

Learn more about holiday parks in the UK. Visit Vale Holidays to find the best advice on holiday homes in Wales and Cornwall for you.