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If you own a caravan, you own a holiday home on wheels that can take you anywhere, bringing your family together, and you want it to last you for a long time. However, buying a caravan isn’t a small thing. It’s as expensive as it is a long-term, practical investment in your and family’s travels. So, it’s only logical to want to preserve it, and keep it in good shape for many years to come.
Protection Against the Elements
One easy way to preserve your caravan, is to invest a little bit more, by buying a caravan cover. Although, it’s an optional purchase, it’s an easy way to protect your campervan while it’s not being used, from exterior factors that could not only get it dirty, but, more importantly, damage your vehicle, diminishing its lifespan, as well as its resale value.
With Australia’s harsh weather, caravan covers will protect your precious investments against things like tree sap, insects, bird droppings, acid rain, strong winds, rain, snow, dust, sand, industrial pollutants and UV rays. Moreover, they will ultimately save you money, by reducing the need for repairs, and by making maintenance easier.
Apart from protecting the paintwork, they will protect other components on the roof, like satellites, aerials, air conditioners etc. One of the most important purpose of a quality caravan cover is to keep water away from your vehicle. Damages from water, mould, and mildew are one of the biggest concerns, since in some cases they can’t be fixed, and if they can often the repairs will be expensive.
Besides weather and water damage, one other important potential harm to your campervan is the sun. Harmful UV rays are not only a treat to the paintwork, but they can also cause problems with the structural integrity of the vehicle.
Know What You Are Looking For
Some problems caused by low quality campervan covers have rightly been giving them a bad name. But nowadays, there are high quality options, which, along with some basic knowledge about what features you should be looking for, you can ensure the longevity of your tourer. And, moreover, there are Ausie caravan covers, specifically made for our climatic conditions.
1. Size
In order to avoid scratching your windows, the cover should be properly fitted. This means that you should accurately measure the length of your caravan, and you should make sure to follow the installation instructions. If the cover is wrapped too tightly around the whole caravan, for instance, the materials can sweat, and what should be protecting you from water, can actually cause mould and mildew.
The good news is that manufacturers use standard measurements, making finding the right cover easy. This also means that you can safely buy caravan covers online, since you can simply use standard height and width measurements, which means you will only need to measure the external body length.
2. Materials
If you invest in a high-quality cover, it will feature the best materials for keeping your mobile home safe. When it comes to the materials of the covers, the main features you are looking for are: nonabrasive fibres that won’t scratch the surface, and that are water resistant, breathable, durable, and UV resistant.
In the past, covers were made from materials that could scratch the paintwork and the windows of the caravan, defeating the purpose of the purchase. Fortunately, this has now been changed.
Caravan covers’ quality has improved greatly in the last years. Unlike the older covers, that were made from materials that would become brittle and worn out in no time, today’s covers are not only made from better materials, but also the processes and techniques of the manufacture have been greatly improved. A campervan cover made from quality materials will, of course last longer, apart from serving its purpose much better.
Breathability is also essential for a cover to be considered high quality. Breathable materials ensure that he wetness and condensation will quickly evaporate, and that heat between the van and the cover wont built up.
To keep your tourer looking like new, protect it from water damage, by investing in a cover with roof panel made from water resistant materials and breathable side panels. With the new techniques, manufacturers also reinforce the bases and the corners, they double stitch the seams, providing even more insurance about their covers’ durability.
In spite of having all these useful and protective properties, covers made from high quality materials are lightweight and easy to fit, which furthermore protects against scratches.
3. Maintenance
Though durable, your quality caravan cover won’t be indestructible. Of course, covers are for caravan owners who don’t have an inside place to keep protect their caravans, and they are designed to be outside for a long time, and their whole point is to withstand the elements. Good manufacturers will give you a great warranty, which will give you extra safety.
But, the durability of your cover is your responsibility, as much as it’s the manufacturer’s. Take care of your cover properly, so it can shelter your campervan longer, and always be ready to take off on your next adventure.
Obviously, you should check regularly for any damage. Furthermore, you should clean your cover with warm water and a soft brush, and if you are dealing with a more stubborn stain, you can add some soap. However, using harsh detergents or chemicals will degrade the fabric, and more importantly, it can diminish the water-resistant property of the cover.
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