Top tips for preventing water damage

Find out our top tips for preventing water damage in your caravan.

Cracks and leaks

Panel cracks or failed seals/seams can be costly, especially if they are not repaired quickly, as they can result in further damage to your outfit, not least from unwanted water ingress.

While sometimes they can result from causes which are covered by insurance/cover, quite often their route cause is a manufacturing defect or general wear and tear. A warranty claim might be a better option if within the period of that cover - note that many manufacturers offer standard or extended warranties especially for water increase up to 10 years or even longer.

Unless clearly linked to something like an impact event, cracks and failed seams usually occur without you knowing how the incident has occurred, and can happen when the caravan has been in storage or not used for a long period. Changes in temperature may be a triggering factor, as can be vibrations and small shocks from normal road use.

Stress fractures can occur as a result of a compromise in the caravan structure. Fractures will form at the weakest point of the caravan (such as screw holes), and this can happen from general usage of the caravan over time and fatigue of the materials used.

Water Damage

Water damage usually occurs due to leakage or ingress from external seals/seams failing through general wear and tear, as opposed to an accident or damage. Note that the likelihood of water ingress varies depending on what the body is made of. Those with wood panels/floors or framing are much more vulnerable to structural failure as a result of rot caused by incoming water, but damp is never a good thing, even in a wood-free structure.

Here are some handy hints and tips to try and catch these issues early on, which may result in a less costly repair:

• Regularly go around your caravan looking for any cracks, or failed/loose seals or seams.
• Don’t use a pressure washer to clean the body - the high-pressure jet can damage the sealing.
• Ensure any crack, seal or seam is taped up to prevent any water from entering the caravan, then get the crack, seal or seam repaired as soon as possible.
• Ensure your caravan is serviced annually by an approved workshop scheme that has the specialist equipment to take damp meter readings, which can spot any water ingress.
• You can also purchase a damp meter reader and regularly take readings of your caravan (these can be purchased for as little as £8.99). The absolute accuracy of a cheap damp meter may not be fantastic, but they can pick up a change in readings, which can then prompt further investigations.
• Electric dehumidifiers can reduce damp levels prior to a repair, but are not in themselves a cure for a damp problem. Search our Club Shop - Members save up to 10%.

Published May 2025