As much as we love the warmer weather here in the UK, it can also cause serious damage to your van. Overheating, increased wear and tear, and safety concerns are all challenges that van owners face during the hot months, especially if you use your van frequently for work. Hertfordshire’s roads, with their mix of rural and urban driving, can add extra strain. Here are a few tips to consider:
Maintain Your Cooling System
There’s never a good time to have issues with your van’s cooling system, especially not in the summer. Your van’s cooling system is vital for regulating engine temperature. If left unchecked, overheating can cause serious damage to your engine parts, potentially leading to a hefty repair bill or even a complete breakdown. This means regularly checking and topping up coolant levels. During a heatwave, especially in areas like Hertfordshire where long drives can be common, your engine can easily overheat, leading to serious problems.
See our tips for prolonging the life of your van for more information.
Check Tyre Pressure
Air expands in heat, so you should regularly check your tyres if you’re planning on any particularly long or frequent journeys. Driving on motorways involves high speeds on hot tarmac – and coupled with high ambient temperatures, this can significantly raise the pressure of your tyres. If the air inside them expands too much and the pressure gets too high, you could be in danger of a blowout.
To help prevent this, it’s a good idea to check the tyres once every two hours (or once every 100 miles) when driving in hot weather. Whether you’re heading across Hertfordshire or further afield, keeping a tyre gauge with you is a smart move to monitor pressure accurately.
Protect Your Van from the Sun
Consistent exposure to the sun can cause both cosmetic and structural damage to your vehicle. Harmful UV rays can lead to fading and cracking of your vehicle’s paintwork, discoloration and damage to the interior, and even negatively impact the performance of your vehicle’s battery and tyres. If your van is parked in the sun regularly, as it might be in Hertfordshire’s open rural areas, it’s especially important to take protective measures like using sunshades and parking in shaded areas whenever possible.
Plan Around the Heat
Where possible, plan your route to avoid being in the vehicle during the hottest parts of the day. If you’re driving long journeys, especially through the busy roads of Hertfordshire, remember to take regular breaks to avoid overheating both yourself and your vehicle!
Always Carry Water
As a van owner, you need to be prepared for emergencies while you’re on the road. During a heatwave, it’s essential to have supplies on hand that will help you stay cool and hydrated. Stock up on and carry plenty of water, sports drinks, and nonperishable snacks in your van. Consider installing a small portable air conditioner or fan to keep the interior of your van cool during long drives, particularly when navigating through Hertfordshire’s sun-exposed routes.
