Canterbury does not do gentle winters, and a caravan is a small box with thin walls. Heating is the difference between a van you use three months a year and one you use all year. Our listings show the heating type on each van.
Diesel heating
A small diesel heater burns fuel from its own tank or from the tow vehicle's supply, and blows warm dry air through ducts into the van.
- Good: strong heat, dries the air out rather than adding moisture, cheap to run, and it works without mains power. The best all-round answer for New Zealand winters.
- Watch for: it needs 12V power to run the fan and glow plug, so it draws on the battery. There is a hum and a faint exhaust smell outside. They need occasional servicing, and they do not like being run only on very short cycles.
Gas heating
Runs off the LPG bottles on the drawbar, either as a blown air system or an older flued wall heater.
- Good: simple, quiet, works with no mains power, and the gas is already on board for cooking.
- Watch for: running cost adds up in a cold snap, and you will get through bottles faster than you expect. Only ever use a properly flued heater, which vents its exhaust outside. Unflued portable gas heaters put a large amount of water vapour and combustion gases straight into the room, which is both a condensation problem and a safety problem in a space this small.
Electric heating
A 240V heater, either fitted or a plug-in panel, running off a powered site.
- Good: cheap and easy, no fuel to carry, no flame.
- Watch for: it only works when you are plugged in on a 240V site, and many campgrounds limit how much you can draw from the post. A 2 kW fan heater can trip the site breaker if the jug and everything else are on at the same time. Never try to run a resistance heater off the battery and an inverter, it will flatten the battery in minutes.
Many vans end up with a mix: diesel or gas for freedom camping and cold nights, electric for cheap warmth on a powered site.
Insulation
Heating a poorly insulated van is like heating a tent. Things that make the real difference:
- Walls: modern sandwich-panel walls hold heat far better than older thin panel construction.
- Windows: double glazed acrylic windows are a big step up from single glazed glass. If the van has single glazing, thermal curtains or window covers help.
- Roof hatches: a common cold spot. Insulated covers are cheap and effective.
- Floor: cold rises through the floor more than people expect. A rug makes a surprising difference.
Condensation, the real winter enemy
Two people sleeping in a van put out a couple of litres of moisture a night. That water has to go somewhere, and if it cannot get out it condenses on the coldest surfaces, then turns into mould behind cushions and mattresses.
- Keep a roof vent cracked open even when it is cold. Losing a little heat is worth it.
- Prefer dry heat (diesel or electric) over unflued gas.
- Lift mattresses and cushions occasionally so the underside can dry out.
- Wipe the windows in the morning rather than letting it run down into the frames.
Using a caravan in a New Zealand winter
- Water freezing is the practical limit. In a hard frost, drain the tanks and lines, or keep the heater ticking over overnight.
- Check the van has heat reaching the bathroom, or the shower is a bracing experience.
- Bunks and beds against an outside wall get cold. A thin insulating mat under the mattress works well.
When you inspect a van
Turn the heating on and let it run. Check it lights, blows warm from every outlet, and shuts down properly. Look for staining or a musty smell around the lower corners and under the mattresses, because that tells you how the van has been ventilated in past winters.