Essential Maintenance Before Winter Travel
Because “winging it” isn’t a winterization strategy.
Winter vanlife looks great on Instagram, snow-dusted peaks, cozy mornings in your wool socks but behind every magical photo is a rig that didn’t freeze, stall, or rust itself into a repair bill. That doesn’t happen by luck.
It happens because someone took the time to prep.
Here’s the pre-winter checklist to keep you out of the “frozen door seals and dead battery” club.
1. Seal What Needs Sealing
Water has a funny way of finding the smallest gaps then expanding into ice and making those gaps bigger.
- Check every window and door seal for cracks or wear.
- Check and reseal your roof fan, solar panel mounts and any roof penetrations - melting snow loves to seep in.
- If you’ve got DIY panel gaps, now’s the time to fix them. (Your future toes will thank you.)
2. Give the Mechanical Stuff Some Love
Cold kills weak batteries and doesn’t play nice with tired fluids.
- Test your battery, replace it if it’s on the edge.
- Top off your antifreeze.
- Swap in winter wiper fluid and fresh blades.
- Check your brakes and switch to All-Season or Winter tires before the first snow, not after.
3. Protect the Undercarriage from Salt Season
Road salt is basically rust’s hype man.
- Wash and dry your undercarriage now.
- Consider a protective undercoating before the first slush hits.
- Make rinsing off salt a weekly ritual in winter.
4. Winterize Plumbing (If You’ve Got It)
If your water lines freeze, congratulations, you’ve built an ice sculpture you can’t drink from.
- Drain and blow out your lines if you won’t use them in freezing temps.
- If you’re traveling full-time, look into heated hoses and tank heaters.
5. Tighten Up the Interior
Heat retention isn’t just about cranking a heater.
- Insulated wall and ceiling panels go a long way toward keeping warmth in.
- Close up draft points around fans, vents, and door frames.
- Double check all your charging systems are operational
Pro tip:
- Test your heating systems before it is cold. You do not want to find problems on the first cold night.
And If You’re Starting Fresh…
Prepping for winter is a lot easier when your van’s bones are solid from the start.
That’s where the Featherbuilt Sprinter Foundation Kit comes in. Wall, ceiling, and floor panels cut to fit. You get a warmer, sturdier interior that’s ready for insulation now (and upgrades later).
Think of it as the difference between throwing a blanket over a folding chair… and actually building a solid frame for your house. One’s fine for summer. The other makes winter travel way less of a gamble.