storage

tidzaboy

Hi, I hope to become a motorhome owner later this year, but storage is a problem as I can't park outside my property (narrow road), so will look for storage locally. We're quite remote, so plenty of farmers who may be able to help with hard standing / cover - BUT what are the pros and cons of storing motorhomes inside or out? Inside sounds better/ more secure - but do you get moisture / casting dampness from being in a building - or should the building be insulated? Is outside ok? What do you think / suggest?
thanks in anticipation,
Joe Smile

TravelBug

Not sure if this helps but just wanted to say we store ours outside on an extended part of the farm yard. It's on a hard standing. Main advantage is that we can just hop in and go whenever we want to. We have it linked up to the mains so leave a small heater going in it.

Previously we had it stored in a small caravan park near here, where although it was on a hard standing we had to drive across a small field to get to it, plus it didnt' have electric hook up. Needless to say that on one occasion when we wanted to take it out for a few days we got off the hard standing and then well and truly stuck in the field. Although the we had told the park owner we would be collecting the van we then had to ring him and get him home from work to tow us out. He was none too pleased with the mess we'd made of his nice caravan site. His wife thankfully had been with us whilst trying to remove the van so he blamed her not us for the deep holes left behind.

We have a few problems with damp as it wasn't on a hook up but we put damp crystals into pots which seemed to help. So personally I would always go for a hard standing particularly if your van is over 18 ft. Also if there is no security then I would get a very loud alarm fitted so that should someone try to take it then the farmer would know about it. Van Bitz (who we've had two alarms off) offer an excellent service including one that pages us once a month with the vans GPS co-ordinates, so we know if the co-ordinates are wrong the van has been moved. We can then immobilise it remotely. As i recall there is no monthly fee to pay for this service, just need to put £10 credit on a mobile phone chip which should last a few years but you can double check with Eddie who is on here somewhere. We also had the 'extra' horns fitted at the back of the van so now there is no chance of us not hearing our van should the alarm be triggered. (The van is out of sight of the main house).

Am sure indoor storage would be good if its an option but just bear in mind accessibility to your motohrome, i.e. is the farmer going to be there when you want to unlock the shed and remove the motorhome and are you going to have to move some tractors and farm machinery in order to get to it.

One other thing to check is when you take out your insurance as they will want to know where the van is stored etc, you also get a good discount if you have an approved alarm fitted to the van such as the one Van Bitz do (plus VanBitz give you free overnight accomodation at their lovely campsite so you can be around whilst they put the alarm on your van).

Good luck and I hope you find a wonderful motorhome and have many happy holidays in it.

WingPete

Storage in an enclosed space will slow up the evaporation of any moisture present. leading to oxidising possibilitiues unless there is good ventilation.
An open fronted barn type building with plenty of air movement is the better place. Park with windscreen towards the wall to avoid too much dust build up.

PeteS

And you have all told your insurers that you are storing the vehicle on a Farm haven't you.

Pete

Grizzly

For what it's worth ours is also stored at a farm.

Two years ago we were able to use covered storage- a well-ventilated barn - but that has been redeveloped for grain storage so this van is in a yard with hardstanding and shelter from buildings around but no overhead cover.

When in the barn it used to get covered in bird droppings as the barn was a roost for everything from sparrows to pheasants. That only rarely happens now - accidents do happen as birds fly over !

Everything else is fine, the van is dry and smells sweet. We don't leave any heating on or crystals and leave all the bedding and cushions in place. We do leave washroom, cupboard and fridge doors open and side blinds down. The roof blinds are open to let in sunlight ( but we cover the upholstery to prevent fading.)

It also has a large wheel clamp and alarms.

G