Summers are nothing but joy in your static caravan. Spending time with your family, enjoying barbeques and taking care of the grandchildren are all great summer pursuits sure to leave good memories of entertaining times. The winter however means your static caravan will need some attention, at the end of the season it is vital that you put the static to sleep and prepare it for what could be a cold and harsh few months.

For the health of your static caravan and if you actually want to come back to a holiday home in the spring, considerable planning is required. Here are six of the tasks you must carry out to protect your caravan through the winter.

Firstly undertake a full clear down of your static. This involves a two pronged attack of clearing down and cleaning. Make sure to clean all of your surfaces thoroughly, after all; nobody wants to come back to a caravan in the spring that is grimy and dirty, especially after it has gathered a couple of months worth of dust.

Secondly clearing down the caravan is important; take back expensive items that may entice thieves into to your holiday home. Removing items such as televisions and DVD players is essential to ensure your home will not be broken into for technical equipment. You may also want to take home such items as soft furnishings, towels and bedding; mainly because these may need a wash and a spruce up before the spring but also so they are not left to fester through the winter months.

One of the biggest dangers to any caravan is moisture; damp can get into the walls making them weak. Hence, moisture can actually be a structural risk, subsequently preventing damp and moisture from entering your static during the winter months is imperative. Ways in which to protect your holiday home from moisture include placing dehumidifying crystals in various positions in order to absorb any moisture that may be in the atmosphere. A budget alternative to buying dehumidifying crystals is to place bowlfuls of salt in a variety of places, cheaper than crystals; they will do much the same job.

As stated before water and dampness are your main concern, as a result ensuring that the water system in your caravan is properly dealt with is essential. The expansion of frozen water in pipes is a great risk as it can cause serious amounts of flooding. Before you leave your static, make sure to turn of the water at the mains, added to this you must also drain all of the water from the system by opening up the taps and letting them run dry. A helpful tip is to pour antifreeze into your toilet bowl and cistern to prevent any freezing and cracking of the ceramics. Following this advice should expel the majority of water from your caravan and prevent any nightmares on your return in spring.

A major problem for static owners are rodents, as many parks lie in rural areas the wildlife, especially mice are attracted to the warmth and shelter a static caravan provides. There are ways in which you can limit the attractiveness of your home to our furry friends. Getting rid of any food that is accessible is vital, it is fine to leave tinned foods but things like pasta and rice should definitely be removed before you leave. Also check your static carefully for any places where rodents may be able to find entry, this may take a little time but will be ultimately worthwhile.

Ensuring both the gas and electric are isolated and turned off is crucial to the 'putting to sleep' of your caravan. It will also reduce the risks of leaks and unwanted charges while you are not there.

Most importantly of all is to make sure your caravan is securely locked up when you leave. To make the home look secure is the biggest goal as it will go a long way to preventing break ins. Finally as you leave for a winter in front of the fire, ensure your complete contact details are left with the site manager in case of any emergencies or issues. After that, just enjoy your winter and look forward to returning in the spring for a brilliant season of holiday.