Increase efficiency and cleanliness by giving your extraction fan a refresh. For those who don't know, in some respects your caravan's omnivent is similar to air conditioning in the job it performs, but at a fraction of the cost of a fully-fledged air con unit.

You'll find an omnivent useful whether you need to prevent condensation or just change the interior temperature. Mostly fitted to older caravans, they're made for extraction and intake; there have been stories of owners reversing their vent when they no longer need the extraction but do fancy a stream of fresh air flooding into the caravan. Of course, some also feature the option to switch between the two to suit whichever purpose you need.

Newer units include an electronic 12-volt fan and older ones use a more manual approach to air circulation, but in order for either to do their job, they need to be clean. Over the course of time, dust, gunk and grime can clog up the vent's various parts and prevent your omnivent from working efficiently overall.

If your caravan is still under manufacturer or dealer warranty, check with them first as your warranty could be invalidated through any work you undertake yourself.

Before you start:

It may help to keep a note of what you've taken off the omnivent and the order it should go back on. If and when you remove the fan from the motor, take a picture on your smartphone/camera and make notes as to where the washers and spacers were fitted and their orientation when it comes to reassembly. Some units won't work if they're not arranged in the same way.

For a straight-forward, quick clean, it can be as simple as removing four screws.

• To remove the inner hatch frame and flyscreen, four long cross-head screws at each corner can be removed to get access to the rest of the unit from the inside. On some units, you have to carefully separate the surround as it's held together by plastic clips.
• The ventilator grid can now easily be removed and placed to one side. As you're removing the fan itself, be sure to take it slowly and support the fan while undoing the centre fitting on the spindle holding it in place.
• When it comes to cleaning, apply soapy water and gently wipe with a cloth or sponge. For the grid or grille, use a small utensil such as a toothbrush to get between the gaps.
• Be careful and patient, especially with older omnivents, as the plastic may be brittle or breakable due to age. Replacements are often available, but if you can get everything back in place, clean and as it was when you bought it, all the better!

Be sure that all parts are dry before refitting

A good refresh will solve the majority of problems here. If you've cleaned your omnivent and it's still not working as efficiently as you'd expect, check for a speed setting and if you've got it set high enough. Otherwise, it may be an issue that the fan blades have become worn and can no longer do their job as powerfully. Still no luck? Your fan's motor could be at fault. Either way, contact the manufacturer, ask about the product's warranty and ask for a replacement if necessary.

If the job looks like it's going to take more than unscrewing a few fittings and carefully cleaning various parts, our advice is to leave it to the professionals and take your caravan to a dealership for servicing.

REMEMBER: If you're confident and you do wish to undertake further work yourself, remember that the top of your vent (on the roof of your caravan) will be held down with mastic to prevent water ingress. You can carefully detach it, but should you wish to remove it for cleaning any parts, you'll need to reseal with a fresh layer of mastic in the same way. On the inside, some roof vent units are mounted using special clamps to avoid the need to drill holes.

Good luck cleaning, and do send us any before and after shots!
Email - media@ceta.co.uk

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