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feldon

Van & Equipment Security
« on: December 09, 2008, 11:28:01 pm »
Question for those of you with portables, do you leave in your van overnight? I am looking to start up in the new year and although I live in a very low crime area I would appreciate your views on leaving equipment in back of van overnight, (before you ask I don't have a drive or garage).  Also can you get insurance for contents if left overnight? ;D

Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)

  • Posts: 2024
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2008, 12:07:01 am »
Well that's the defining question.

Most insurances won't cover equipment left overnight in a van.

But 2 other considerations. Even if it is covered what will you do if it's nicked? You'll be without equipment till the insurance cheque comes through (less the excess) and you won't be able to clean any carpets, and hence earn income. So which is the lesser of 2 evils?

Secondly leaving it overnight on cold nights can damage your equipment (and your machine. ahem) unless you have a proven way of keeping the van warm. See other recent threads about this.
Diplomacy: the art of letting other people have your way

clinton

Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2008, 07:17:59 am »
Good point roger

Its ok having some insurance but as you say its the waiting for your payout cheque ::)

Must say am lucky having a garage so the thought of an upgrade for myself its going to mean the van on my drive :(


murky

  • Posts: 627
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2008, 08:36:00 am »
I was up at Altec a while ago and there was a guy with a porty and van, the machine was being repaired, when it was done he put it back in the van and put a bike security chain through it and secured it to the bulk head!!!!!!!!!!

I thought he lived in a rough area, but had an 0800 number so couldnt work out where he was from, then realised he had put the chain through the back handle so a thief could unscrew the handle and still have the machine away!!!!!!!

So hes from a rough and thick area, wonder where that could be?

Murky

from edge2edge

  • Posts: 1507
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2008, 10:31:12 am »
When i lived in a flat i had a ninja which i took out in the evening and put back in the morning.Not the prettiest thing to look at in the room but it was always there in the morning.  5 minutes for piece of mind and a dry machine.Regards Alan (swindon)

JandS

  • Posts: 4327
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2008, 01:07:42 pm »
Always take the machines, hose, hand tools and new sprayers out and put in garage, worth it for peace of mind and I don't mind doing it.
It's loading the bloody stuff up again in the morning that I hate.

John
Impossible done straight away, miracles can take a little longer.

John Kelly

  • Posts: 4461
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2008, 04:43:14 pm »
Its not just the cold that can damage the machine. Condensation can affect the vac motor coils even on warm nights. Take it in.

davep

  • Posts: 2589
Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2008, 10:21:06 pm »
I have insurance with hsbc for my Prowler, they class it as plant equipment.

Jim_77

Re: Van & Equipment Security
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2008, 01:01:44 am »
If you live in a decent area, in my opinion you needn't worry about having your van broken into if it's obviously signed as a carpet cleaner's vehicle.

I live on a housing estate on the edge of my town, it's granny-ville mostly with some little areas of executive housing and plenty of 50s and 60s couples.

My next-door neighbour is a plumber.  He's had his van broken in to, or attempts made to do so, probably once every 6 months or so.  10 yards away sits my van, untouched..... I sometimes forget to lock it at night!!!

Scumbags only want to nick kit that they can easily and quickly sell down the pub the next night, that's the way I reason it.  Drills, saws etc etc..

As for the frost thing, that's another entirely different matter.  You NEED to protect your kit and products from the cold.  I remove my machine, solution lines, wand/hand tools, sprayers and susceptible bottles of solution from the van overnight and store them in the garage with a heater set to keep the air temperature to around 5 degrees.

Along with the other kit and products in storage there, I'd probably be looking at one month's profit to replace or repair everything perishable by the cold if I didn't heat it.  Well worth the pound or so per day it costs to protect it ;)