Winter is when van life gets real. Gone are the leisurely summer nights with the back doors flung open, soaking up the late evening sun—now it’s all about staying warm, dry, and comfortable when the temperatures dip and daylight hours disappear.
My first winter in the van was a mix of magic and misery. On the one hand, waking up to snow-covered hills outside your window is something to treasure. On the other hand, there’s the brutal reality of scraping ice off the inside of your windows when your diesel heater fails, or you wake up shivering in the middle of the night. But with the right setup, winter can actually become one of the most rewarding seasons for van life and you’ll be boasting to your mates who can’t afford to switch their central heating on whilst you’re basking in the back of your van in shorts and t-shirt when it’s -1 outside.
Key Tips for Winter
Insulation is Everything
If you didn’t insulate your van properly when you first built it, winter is going to make you regret that, so if you are building out your van now, make sure you take the time to do this step properly and don’t skimp. Insulating your metal box not only keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but it also helps to control condensation. Your breath alone can cause moisture to build up. Add to that the steam from cooking and moisture released from drying out your clothes after a wet and windy hike and it can quickly lead to damp bedding, mould behind your wall cladding, or your carefully built interior suffering irreparable damage from warping or staining. It’s really important to ensure ALL exposed metal work on the inside of your van is insulated to stop any “thermal bridging” from the cold exterior. Even the smallest amount of exposed metal will begin to drip condensation which can end up soaking your bedding if it’s in the wrong place!
If you haven’t already, create a vapour barrier as the final layer of your insulation to keep warm air from coming into contact with the cold metal exterior of your van walls. Incorrectly installed vapour barriers can cause condensation **behind** your insulation which will then be trapped in the lower body panels of your van causing them to eventually rot out – not good. So please take extra care. Don’t have time to build your own van and are looking to buy one already converted? Many self-builders do not insulate or vapour barrier their vans properly, so before purchasing, ask the seller for evidence of how they conducted this crucial stage of the build. For more extensive information on campervan insulation guides, please read our dedicated articles on this subject.
Heaters:
This is non-negotiable. A heater keeps your van warm and toasty and eliminates moisture build up which turns UK van life during the winter from a miserable and depressing situation to one of ultimate satisfaction and comfort. There are numerous options out there from diesel heaters and propane heaters but without a doubt, the best solution for self-build campervans is the mighty diesel heater. Relatively easy to install, safe, reliable (with correct maintenance) and cost-effective; they will transform your home on wheels from an ice box to a cosy cabin in the mountains within 5 minutes or less. They can be set on timers so if you are out hiking or surfing you can return to a nice warm van ready to thaw yourself out, or ready for you to wake up in the morning.
Window Covers and Thermal Curtains:
In winter, heat escapes fast in a van, predominantly through uninsulated glass windows. Investing in thermal curtains or DIY-ing them from insulated material such as wool will help keep your van’s warmth in. If you are building your van out now, I advise you to invest in acrylic double glazed windows to minimise this heat loss from the get go.
Charge Your Batteries:
Maintaining your battery banks is probably the greatest challenge when living or travelling in a van during winter in the UK. Winter means shorter days, cloudy skies, and therefore less solar power to keep your batteries topped up. If you have a diesel heater installed, the start-up cycle of all of these heaters will drain a lot of your precious power supply. Add to that a fridge (if you have one), lights, charging phones, mobiles, and cameras, and all of a sudden you’ve drained your battery bank with no solar power to replace it.
A B2B charger (battery-to-battery) or DC/DC charger is the perfect solution for keeping your leisure battery topped up when you’re driving. It’s faster and more efficient than cheaper split-charge relay devices and can charge upwards of 50 amps for some models. That means just a short trip to the shops can keep your batteries from getting dangerously low and either running out of power when you need it most or permanently damaging your expensive batteries.
Suppose you intend on spending the UK winter in your van and will be parked up for longer periods of time in one spot without driving much. You may want to consider purchasing a small generator you keep outside to charge your batteries up but bear in mind that these are noisy and any potential neighbours may not be pleased.
Maintaining enough power to fuel your van life during these months is entirely possible with adequate investment in your system and awareness of your power usage. A great tip for conserving power, if you are running low, is to run your engine (if you have a B2B charger installed) when starting your diesel heater for roughly 10 minutes. This will cover the extra drain that the heater excerpts on your batteries and preserve your power for longer before you need to charge. Again, for more information on electrical systems please see our dedicated articles on the topic where we will delve into this key aspect of a campervan build, in-depth.
Keeping Water from Freezing:
One thing that is worth bearing in mind when the mercury begins to drop, is how protected your water supply is from freezing temperatures. External water tanks are particularly vulnerable so if you plan on using your van for winter adventures, you may want to look into insulating these and adding a 12v heating element for good measure. Is your van parked up for most of winter? Make sure your entire water system is drained so any water still left in your pipes cannot freeze and expand, causing leaks.
All season tyres:
Want to use your van in snowy or icy conditions? Even a wet, grassy field during the winter can quickly get you stuck without the right tyre choice. I’d advise replacing your stock van tyres with all-season variants which can handle treacherous UK road conditions, especially if you’re like me and like to spend your time off the beaten track.
In Summary - The Year-Round Van Life Experience
By investing in proper insulation, reliable heating, controlling moisture, and installing effective power solutions, you can turn your van into a cosy, comfortable haven, no matter what the weather throws your way. So whether you’re looking to escape to the coast to soak up the fleeting sun, or wake up to a winter wonderland deep in the Scottish Highlands; there’s no better feeling than knowing your van is ready for whatever the seasons throw at you. See you on the road!
Ollie owns a VW Crafter van called ‘Tage’. He is passionate about van living & living life on your own terms. He has many exciting upcoming plans, including taking Tage to the Americas.
Check out Ollie’s Van Bandit’s profile.
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