As we begin to hit peak summer weather here in the UK, we’re sharing some top tips for keeping your refrigerated van cool while it’s hot outside.
Pre-chill your van
One of the most significant differences you can make in ensuring your van maintains the right temperature for your journey is to pre-chill your van. Due to the rise in temperature outside, your refrigerated van is likely to need a little longer to cool down to your desired temperature, so make sure you’re one step ahead before starting your journey.
Pre-chill your cargo
Similar to the first point, pre-chilling your cargo, whether that’s food, flowers, or medicine, will reduce the impact your load temperature has on your van. Keep everything involved as cool as possible for as long as possible.
Pre-plan your route
You may notice a theme – preparation before any journey is the key to success during the summer. By pre-planning your route, you can cut out external factors such as traffic or road closures which will delay the transportation of your goods and potentially impact the temperature of your van.
Keep the doors closed
Why go through all the effort of pre-cooling your van and goods just to let all that precious cold air out? By keeping the doors closed as much as possible, you keep the cool air inside to keep all your goods nice and cold.
Find shade
When filling up or unloading your cargo, a helpful tip is to park your van somewhere in the shade. Keeping your van exposed to the sun, especially while the doors might be open, will only add to the temperature inside, un-doing all your pre-planned work. It might be beneficial to keep the van parked in shade when not in use, or, invest in a roof cover to provide sunshade and protection from UV rays.
Van maintenance
Looking after your refrigerated van will only add to the longevity and success that you’ll get out of it year-round. Here are some key maintenance tips to consider, whatever the weather:
- Keep up with servicing – ideally, your van should be serviced every 12 months, with an inspection every 6 months to identify any outstanding problems
- Keep your van in use – even if you aren’t using your refrigerated van every week, taking it for a short 15-minute drive will help keep the refrigeration unit in good condition so that you aren’t left caught out when you most need it.
- Keep the coolant level full – it’s easy to forget to check, but coolant will evaporate from the engine in the heat, leading to disastrous engine failure due to overheating. Regularly check your coolant and fill it up where possible.
- Replace broken parts – replacing broken parts in your van can be expensive, but not as expensive as the cost of warm cargo due to leaks through cracks – go and get it fixed!
- Check the temperature gauge – frequently checking your temperature will help you identify fluctuations; spotting the signs earlier means fixing the problem earlier.
Breakdown coverage
Finally, taking the time to choose the right breakdown cover could be a lifeline when your van full of frozen food is stuck on the side of the motorway in the middle of the Peak District. Always have a number handy before every journey.
Keep yourself cool
Ensuring you are kept cool is just as important as your van – vans can’t drive themselves after all. We’ve given you some tips on how you can keep your temperature down on a hot day:
- Drink lots of water – this is easy to forget while you’re on the road, but keeping a full water bottle handy it vital in staying hydrated, especially if you’re sweating a lot!
- Don’t spend too much time inside your van – easier said than done when you’re on a long journey, but whenever possible, try and stretch your legs (preferably in some shade) to escape the heat of your van. Look for service stations or quiet roads for some relief.
- Use vents or portable fans – make use of your vans built in vent fans to help cool you down, or invest in a small, portable fan you can keep on your dashcam to blow nice, cool air at you.
- Wear light clothing – when out in your van, try and stick to wearing light clothing, like a tshirt or vest and shorts where possible. Avoid jackets or jumpers, but remember to wear suncream when necessary if you’re out of the van.
- Soak a t-shirt in water – If you’re not finding any methods of relief to work, you can soak your tshirt in some water and wear it. This will help cool your body temperature down significantly! Couple this with a portable fan and before you know if you’ll be shivering!
- Take a break – finally, it is so important that you rest and recover if you feel you are struggling. Heat stroke can be serious if ignored. Some signs of heatstroke to look out for include:
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Excessive sweating
- Pale skin
- Heat rash
- Cramping in the arms, legs and stomach
- Fast breathing/heartbeat
- High temperature
- Very thirsty
- Weakness
Make sure to take a break as frequently as you can, drink plenty of water or energy drinks and move to a shaded place to keep cool before setting back off again.
Being prepared is always the key to success, even when it comes to using our refrigerated vans. We offer a range of vans suitable for your transportation needs, including the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Fiat Ducato, and Renault Master. Before starting your next journey, consider the tips we’ve outlined above for an all-round successful experience.
If you’re looking to buy or hire one of our refrigerated vans for a great price – contact us on 01706 640055, drop an email at [email protected], or visit www.coolrunningrental.co.uk/contact/ for a free quote today.