Living in a caravan

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Living in a caravan
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Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 10 9:21 pm Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

Never got round to fitting a skirt which I would have had I known we would be in it for 3 winters.

Just been discussing a skirt, with the addition of a space heater for some roman-luxury...

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 10 9:27 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Just been discussing a skirt, with the addition of a space heater for some roman-luxury...

I've got a very odd wearing-a-toga-with-a-small-internal-electric-heater image happening here. I assume that that isn't really what you're talking about.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 10 10:15 pm Post subject:
No, but good idea!

Calli

Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 626
Location: Galway

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 10 11:38 pm Post subject:
Address the water pump first...five years here and yet again the pump has frozen even with my brooder lamp on it Has been -17 though

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8978
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 9:00 am Post subject:
My man has now been living in his van since 1999. He has a container as well for storage. His water problem is that the supply has been falling in lumps

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 9:27 am Post subject:

gz wrote:

His water problem is that the supply has been falling in lumps

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 1:31 pm Post subject:
My neighbour lives in a static. He has surrounded the van with small bales of straw, and bags of shavings.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8978
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 1:42 pm Post subject:
The ponies and sheep would think that a feast, here

windyridge

Joined: 03 Oct 2010
Posts: 2732
Location: Up the garden from Henry

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 2:56 pm Post subject:
When I move to the statics I plan a skirt of old tyres filled with ground with the aim that I have a waist high garden to grow my veg etc. and warmth to the undervan. I plan on the pipes being seriously well lagged and all above ground work will be wrapped too.

Mrs R

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 7202

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 4:32 pm Post subject:
Since we cleared out the stove and got a supply of dry softwood, it's been fine. I'd like double glazing very much, but would then worry about ventialtion, and I just know without asking I won't be able to afford it

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 4:54 pm Post subject:

windyridge wrote:

1, When I move to the statics I plan a skirt of old tyres filled with ground with the aim that I have a waist high garden to grow my veg etc. and warmth to the undervan. 2, I plan on the pipes being seriously well lagged and all above ground work will be wrapped too.

1, As the tyres are round you might have to fill in the gaps or you will still get cold drafts. Plus the soil will freeze quite quickly as its above ground. Put some insulation around the van first.

2, We fitted 2" of insulation to the exposed pipes. They still froze in the end it just took a day or two longer. They then also take longer to thaw out.

windyridge

Joined: 03 Oct 2010
Posts: 2732
Location: Up the garden from Henry

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 10 4:57 pm Post subject:
Thank you RichardW I will keep that in mind.

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 12:18 pm Post subject:

This is our second winter in the caravan.

Our water pipes are well insulated (more added after last winter) but have still been frozen since the end of October and the waste water pipes are also stuck. But neighbours in houses have frozen water supplies so we're not doing that badly really. At least we're able to dip a bucket in the well.

It's nice and warm with the woodburner going and the thick, floor-to-ceiling curtains (on top of blinds) have helped keep the heat in.

We've put a 'veranda' along the front of the caravan. It had open sides but the wind whistled straight through, so we fitted removable polycarbonate walls and that has helped the heat loss from the side as well as being fab for stopping snow being tread into the van and acting as a cool greenhouse. The walls seemed like an extravagance at the time, but they've kept my herbs alive and will let me get an earlier start on planting next year and well as keeping that side of the caravan 5 degrees warmer than outside.

The main problem for me is that we're a bit too comfortable here and it's changing my mind about how best to build the house.

Greenfields

Joined: 04 Oct 2012
Posts: 1

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 12 9:58 am Post subject:

Hi everyone. Me and my partner are just moving into a 14' tourer for the foreseeable future until we find a suitable house with 3 medium sized dogs! 2 of which sometimes decide that they don't like each other very much, so at night there will also be a dog crate!! i have thought about converting the shower room so two of the dogs can sleep in there at night with a baby gate on the front and maybe we could get a shower tent. The dogs also have dog coats for the night times.

We have a porch awning where a few things could be kept that wont get damp. We are going to take out the units in the kitchen and put in a small wood burner that has a little oven and a boiler, but that is not just yet so going to have to make do with a portable gas fire for now, it has no oven in at the moment so have be looking up lots of one pot, two pot cooking ideas.

We only have a battery at the moment until we sort out the electric supply to the caravan, my partner is complaining as no TV, I'm not as I prefer to read javascript:emoticon('

')

Does anybody have any space saving ideas or anymore tips (which have been great) please.

Thanks you

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 12 10:41 am Post subject:

An electricity supply and a slow cooker are invaluable, as is a gas hob when you come in late & don't have the energy to chop/find fuel and light the burner/wait for it to warm up enough to cook on. 14' is a tiny space though to be living in full time, especially over winter, as drying space is at a premium, but it will quickly heat up (unfortunately it will also quickly cool down if the fire goes out, too).

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