Hi all, just had my wee Eriba for two months and already time to put away for winter. Boo.
Anyway does anyone have any advice?

I know how to drain the water system but read somewhere you should put antifreeze down the sinks to stop freezing in the u-bends (do I even have u-bends?). Anyone do this and if so what product?

Thanks, from up north in Scotland where it freezes a lot and I have to worry about these things.....

Quote: Aaron Calder wrote in post #3

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The waste pipes from our sink and wash basin drain direct to the waste water container. There are no traps as are used in domestic plumbing to seal the interior of the caravan from smells.

My experience (as 'he who empties the tanks') has been that the grey water container smells much worse than the toilet tank (not used for solids) as the former is not chemically treated. Every now and then we pour some disinfectant down the sink to take away the nasty niff and freshen things up. It's a good idea to keep the plugs in the sink and wash hand basin not only to prevent smells but also to stop vermin using the untrapped pipes to enter the caravan. There is also a drain in the hob base but as I only have one plug of that size, it goes in the sink.

When emptying the waste water container and moving the pipework that drains into it I have noticed that waste water does lie in the low points of the pipework so it would be a good idea to get under the van and lift the pipework along its length to ensure that all water has drained out before laying it up for the winter. That way there would be no need to add anything to the pipework as it would be dry.

I'm sure you will find that everyone has his/her own little laying-up rituals regarding ventilation, heating, draining down of water tanks and pipework, fitting or not fitting covers etc. and you may need to experiment until you are happy with your own arrangements.

If you don't find what you are looking for let us know and we'll do our best to help.

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Re. mice.

I keep an old Wet 'n Dry vacuum in the garage, use it to pick up dry dirt & grit off the drive amongst other things.
Anyway, used it about a fortnight ago, and could feel little sharp pains in my arms, like I was being stung.
A mouse had gone in through the pipe hole, and chewed holes in the dust filter so all the grit was coming straight back out again.

You lot are simply NOT training your mouses well enough.

Quote: facade wrote in post #6

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Re. mice.

I keep an old Wet 'n Dry vacuum in the garage, use it to pick up dry dirt & grit off the drive amongst other things.
Anyway, used it about a fortnight ago, and could feel little sharp pains in my arms, like I was being stung.
A mouse had gone in through the pipe hole, and chewed holes in the dust filter so all the grit was coming straight back out again.

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Everyone will have their own method of laying up, here is mine:
Internal checks
Internal van cleaned and wiped round
Toilet cleaned and wiped (I use the flush fluid watered down on a cloth)
Toilet blade rubber seal sprayed with thetford toilet seal lubricant (you can use olive oil)
Toilet blade left in the open position
All soft furnishings taken indoors
All food taken out
Seat bases moved away from the walls
Ensure all floor vents are clear of obstructions
Water containers sterilized with puriclean
External Pipes sealed and then filled with water disinfectant (zelfofa) for an hour, drained and then sealed again.
All plugs pushed to close
Taps in the open position
12 volt switch set to off
Gas turned off
All cupboards emptied of items that may go musty, paper, clothing etc
All cupboard/ locker doors in the open position
All Windows locked
Ensure the Poptop canvas is inside the van
Fridge cleaned and the freezer door open, fridge door on the vent lock
All batteries taken out of appliances, smoke alarms, carbonmonoxide detector, fridge, gas fire etc to avoid leakage
Child plug protectors put in the sockets to avoid dust getting in
Two Moisture crystal tubs

External checks
Van cleaned and Bobby dazzler applied
Fridge vent covers put on
Toilet cassette cleaned
Toilet flush drained
Gas turned off in the lockers
Tyre pressures checked
Tyre savers put under the tyres to avoid flat spots
Wheel covers put on
All locks applied as per normal
Hand brake off
Jockey wheel chocked
Windows covered with anti scratch felt
Chimney cowl removed and tennis ball put on top of the chimney pipe to avoid chaffing
Protruding items covered in foam (I use pipe insulation) and the supplied winter cover corner protectors
Winter cover put on the van
Once a month I charge the battery for 48 hrs using the bip charger in the van.

The van is in my garden so I am in and out of it all through the winter as my cover has a Velcro door.Some people will remove the gas bottle and the battery from the van and also use a smart charger.

I may have missed some bits as you tend to remember more whilst your preparing the van.
Hope this helps