Traveling on a caravan feels great, but its maintenance could become quite a challenge! Out of all caravan maintenance tasks, the most significant one is cleaning the water system. Whether you own a brand-new caravan or a pre-owned vehicle, keeping your pipes and caravan water tank clean is essential.
This might seem like a daunting process if you are new to caravanning, but there is no need to be stressed. In this post, you will know about ways to completely clean your caravan water tank.
Why Should You Clean Your Caravan’s Water System?
When you are on a journey, you will have to drink water from your caravan taps. To ensure safety and better health, it is necessary to clean your water pipes and tank. If you don’t, it could lead to the formation of bacteria. This bacteria, if ingested, could further lead to a serious infection, which could cause several severe health issues.
However, if you don’t even drink water from your caravan water tap, you can still get infected from breathing the bacteria through showering or using the water to wash your hands or dishes. This is the reason why it is essential to regularly clean up the entire water system to avoid any serious health-related issues.
How Often Should You Clean Your Caravan’s Water System?
If you have not used your caravan for a while, you must make sure to sterilize the entire water system before you use it. Several people who travel in their caravans clean their water tanks at the start of the season, which is enough. If you live in your caravan, you must clean your water system at least twice a year for perfect peace of mind.
You may also notice that your water tank needs cleaning if the water has a bad or foul taste. You can also notice a slimy substance build-up in your water pipes, known as a biofilm. It is essential that you never let your water pipes reach this stage. So, if you are new to caravanning, you must always be aware of these signs.
No matter how many times you clean your caravan’s water system, you must always make sure to perform the task thoroughly and eliminate the presence of bad bacteria. It might seem like a tiring task, but it will prevent serious issues in the future and will significantly reduce the risk of illness.
How To Clean Your Caravan’s Water System
There are some steps that you need to follow in order to clean your caravan’s water tank thoroughly.
Sterilize the Tank
There are several chemical sterilizing fluids available in the market; you can choose the one that is effective and doesn’t affect your budget. However, it would be best to always make sure that the chemical fluid you choose should not cause any damage to the pipes, as some products are corrosive to metals. So, choose the one that serves the purpose of cleaning the caravan’s water tank.
nce you have the chemical sterilization fluid, you have to measure it against the capacity of your water tank. For instance, 100g of fluid is appropriate for a 90 liters water tank. In addition, if your tank contains a filter, you must remove it before pouring the cleaning fluid, as it can damage it. After doing this, add the chemical fluid and fill the water tank to its full capacity. Finally, roll the tank and give it a good shake before leaving it to settle down.
Flush the Water Taps
It would be best if you filled both your cold and hot water tanks, but it’s not essential to turn on the hot water. When the water tank is full, it will allow you to flush out some amount of sterilized water through the shower and the taps. After flushing the water through the taps, close them off and wait for a while to allow the chemical fluid to sterilize the water tank thoroughly. The longer your motor home has been left idle, the longer you must leave the chemical compound.
Empty the Water Supply
After an hour, you must completely flush the water tank by turning on the shower and every water tap. This will make sure that every water access point is thoroughly sterilized and all of the water pipes are cleaned.
Remove the Chemical Fluid
You will never want to drink or use water that has chemical traces in it. But it can happen if you do not completely remove the chemical compound from the water pipes. To prevent this from happening, you must refill your water tank and flush it through the shower, and tap it again.
It is recommended that you must repeat this process at least twice to be sure, but you will need to be 100 percent sure, as it might take a few more flushes. You can notice if the chemical compound is still present in your water tank if the water has a strange smell or has an inappropriate taste. If this happens, you must repeat the process.
Replace the Filter
If your water tank includes a filter, you will have to re-install it after the tank is fully sterilized. If the filter needs replacing or changing, you should do it now. Once the water tank is thoroughly sterilized, the tap will be safe to use and drink.
Conclusion
Knowing how to clean your caravan’s water tank is an important part of owning a motorhome. Once you know how to do it exactly, you will always keep your motor home in a brand-new condition. So, if you don’t know how to clean your caravan’s water system, the steps mentioned above will help you thoroughly clean the entire piping and water system.
