# Mobile grooming vans for Kamloops groomers ProVanWorks builds mobile grooming vans in Langley for groomers in Kamloops and the surrounding Thompson country. Kamloops is dry and sunny for much of the year, but Arctic cold snaps can freeze an unprotected van in winter and summer heat can bake one in July. The van comes up from our shop on the Coquihalla, a few hours' drive. ## What makes a Kamloops winter hard on a grooming van? Kamloops sits low in the Thompson River valley, in one of the driest parts of BC. The city gets less snow than the mountains around it, and many winter days are clear. The risk is the cold snap: Arctic air can settle into the valley and keep temperatures below −20 °C for days at a time. Water left in an exposed line freezes and can split a fitting. And if a battery bank uses lithium cells, it must not be charged below 0 °C unless the cells are warmed first, so a battery stored in a cold compartment may refuse a charge on a frosty morning. In a ProVanWorks van, the water reservoir and auxiliary battery bank share the utility area at the back, inside the insulated, heated van, and a small diesel, gas or electric heater under the seat sends heat through in-floor and in-wall piping around the cargo area. The [cold-weather design](/mobile-grooming-vans/cold-weather-design/) page explains the layout. ## Does a Kamloops grooming van need air conditioning? Yes, for most of the summer. Kamloops is regularly one of the hottest cities in BC, and a grooming van parked on a sunny street heats up fast. A ProVanWorks van has two cargo-area fans, front and back, and the front one is also the [air conditioning](/van-fan-and-ac-installation/) fan. The thermostat that holds the heat in January holds a cooler setting in July, which keeps a heavy-coated dog safe on the table. ## How do Kamloops groomers cover the city and the country around it? Kamloops is built on hillsides and benches above the rivers, so a day's route climbs and drops. Aberdeen, Sahali, Juniper Ridge and Batchelor Heights all sit well above the valley floor, and their roads get slick during a cold snap. Past the city limits, clients live on ranches and rural properties along the North and South Thompson, with long drives between stops. A self-contained van fits that kind of work. A ProVanWorks van carries a large fresh water reservoir and a separate grey water tank, so a ranch appointment does not depend on a client's hose. The auxiliary battery bank charges from Level 2 EV chargers, so a stop in town between rural calls can put charge back in. Lights spaced about every 30 cm along the work area mean no shadows on the dog, which helps on short December afternoons when you finish after dark. ## How does a ProVanWorks van get from Langley to Kamloops? Most trips take Highway 1 east to Hope, then the Coquihalla (Highway 5) north through Merritt and into Kamloops. The Coquihalla summit gets heavy snow, and BC's winter tire and chain rules apply from October 1. When the Coquihalla closes, the Fraser Canyon on Highway 1 through Lytton and Cache Creek is the usual alternative. Check DriveBC before you leave. In winter, the water system is protected for the trip so nothing freezes on the pass. You can pick up the van at the Langley shop or ask about delivery when you request a quote. See [delivery across Canada](/delivery-across-canada/) for how that works. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is the drive from the Langley shop to Kamloops? About four hours by the Coquihalla in good conditions. Winter storms on the summit can add hours or close the highway, so plan pickup days with some room in the schedule. ### Can a ProVanWorks van stay warm on a long ranch appointment in January? Yes. The heater under the seat keeps feeding in-floor and in-wall heat, and the thermostat holds the cargo area at your setting, so a long stop in a cold yard does not mean a cold dog.