Originally written for a UK plumbing merchant client, details redacted for client confidentiality. 

With winter fast approaching, it’s vital to prepare for cold temperatures and darker days. As any installer knows, your van is essential all year round, but in winter it’s even more important to keep it in top condition and ready for whatever the Great British weather might throw at it. With the winter season being one of the busiest for the heating and plumbing trade, keeping your workhorse prepped and ready for the unexpected can not only ensure installers aren’t caught out in the cold, but also make a huge difference to your margins. [Client redacted] explores how plumbing and heating engineers can remain on the road. 

 

The once over

Before the bad weather sets in, it’s a good idea to get your van spruced up for winter. If you’ve had a busy summer, small jobs and repairs might have slipped off the radar, but make sure they aren’t neglected before winter arrives. Ensure you get any minor windscreen chips or cracks repaired before they get worse with the cold and consider double-checking you don’t need to replace any bulbs or lighting wires – especially when they’ll be working overtime with the dark winter days. 

With the likelihood of the van’s battery going flat increasing by over 50%, it also pays to have a battery test before the first frost.

 

Shifting salt

When you’re doing plenty of winter miles, road salt, ice and increased rainfall can really do a number on your van. The combination of oxygen, carbon dioxide and ions contained in road salt can speed up the formation of iron oxide and as a result, cause metal on the van to rust. While it can seem unproductive to visit the car wash in the winter, keeping your van washed and waxed as often as possible will remove these metal-munching chemicals and stop them from eating their way through your beloved vehicle. In addition to keeping your van rust-free, your customers will be able to read the signage on your van – setting you apart from thousands of tradesmen across the country who are instead rocking the inappropriate scribbles of the nation’s schoolchildren!

 

Treading carefully

Unlike many European countries, it’s not a legal requirement to swap to winter tyres but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t useful. With a potential repeat of the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ of last winter, we might experience a few feet of the white stuff. Designed to cope with temperatures below 7°c, the thicker tread and softer rubber of winter tyres improve stopping distances in wet and icy conditions. Investing winter tyres fitted could give your business a commercial advantage in the sense that your van is better equipped than your competitors to navigate difficult road conditions to reach that burst pipe or boiler breakdown.

 

Packed and prepped

It may seem obvious but as well as your everyday tools, it’s important to stay stocked up this winter with all the essentials you’ll need to prep your vehicle. It always pays to carry de-icer, scrapers, cloths, screen wash, a small shovel, warning triangle, and jump leads. This way, no matter how bad the British weather is, you’ll be able to still make it out to your customers and keep your van running. It’s worth getting a stash of your favourite snacks in too, as with all that cold weather you need to keep your energy levels up, right? 

If you’re working for customers in rural areas, it’s even more important to be primed to deal with bad weather. Attending an emergency call out to a country farm could mean narrow, ungritted lanes and more severe weather conditions so don’t run the risk of getting stuck or stranded far from home. Call ahead to check the state of the roads and ask if the customer can suggest a safe way for you to reach them. 

With an increase in emergency call-outs in the winter, make sure your van is well stocked with common parts for repairs and replacements. This will mean you have to spend less time on the road completing unnecessary trips to your local merchant, you’re able to get the job fixed quickly and leave another customer happy.

When sourcing parts, take advantage of click and collect services from your chosen merchant to ensure your trip is not wasted. All [client redacted] branches, for example, offer a next day delivery service so installers can guarantee they have the stock for every job.

 

Worst case scenario

Aside from double-checking that you’re prepared for the worst with comprehensive breakdown cover that includes roadside assistance, there are a few ways you can avoid a breakdown.

According to insurance provider AXA, your vehicle is 18% more likely not to start, and 27% more likely to have a cut out in winter. Reduce the chances of getting caught out by filling up regularly, cleaning the air filter and using gadgets and heaters sparingly.

In addition, make sure your tradesmen’s insurance policy also covers any winter-related mishaps regarding your van, tools, or getting caught out by bad weather. 

 

Silent witness

Investing in a dashcam can also help bring down your insurance costs, and you’ll have evidence ready at hand if you need it for an accident claim. Essentially a digital witness, having a dashcam will help protect you should you be involved in an accident on the roads this winter. Some insurers offer good discounts on insurance for drivers willing to fit them so check with your insurer if it’s something they offer or have a look around for providers that are willing to offer premium reductions for using one.

 

[client competition/CTA and boilerplate redacted]