Mobile grooming vans for St. John's, Newfoundland

What does St. John's weather do to a grooming van?

In St. John's, wind and wet do more damage than extreme cold. Freezing rain and freezing drizzle glaze the van's steps, door handles and seals, fog rolls in off the ocean, and a winter storm can bury the city under heavy snow driven by strong wind. Salt air and salted roads together make rust a constant concern, so rinse the underside often and check it every spring.

Wind and wet are hard on a dog fresh out of the tub. A ProVanWorks van is heated by a small diesel, gas or electric heater under the seat, with the heat spread through in-floor and in-wall piping and heat exchangers around the cargo area, and a thermostat holds the temperature with the doors shut against the wind. The hot water is built to work in very low temperatures. See the cold-weather design page for how the heat is laid out.

Winter days are short this far east, and a grey afternoon can feel like evening by four o'clock. The lights in a ProVanWorks van are spaced about every 30 cm, so you get even light on the dog with no shadows, whatever the sky is doing.

Can a grooming van handle the steep streets of downtown St. John's?

Yes, with care and the right timing. Downtown streets climb sharply from the harbour, many are narrow and lined with row houses, and parking is mostly on the street. Coated in freezing drizzle, those hills are best avoided in a loaded van until the sand and salt trucks have been through. Clients in Mount Pearl, Paradise and Conception Bay South are easier, with driveways and wider streets.

The City of St. John's restricts on-street parking during winter snow clearing, so check with the city if your van stays on the street overnight.

How does a grooming van get from Langley to St. John's?

St. John's is the farthest city we list from the Langley shop. A van crosses the country to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, takes the Marine Atlantic ferry to Port aux Basques, and then still has roughly 900 km of the Trans-Canada to cover across the island. A seasonal crossing to Argentia lands much closer to St. John's in the warmer months. Winter sailings can be delayed by weather, so check Marine Atlantic's current schedule and book the van's crossing ahead.

How the van makes the whole trip, what it costs and how long it takes are worked out for each build, so ask about delivery when you request a quote. The delivery across Canada page covers the general process.

Frequently asked questions

Why order a grooming van from BC for a Newfoundland winter?

A ProVanWorks van is built for Canadian winters from the start, and St. John's wind, ice and wet snow are exactly what the heat, thermostat and cold-weather hot water are there for. The waterproof floor also earns its place when every dog comes in soaked.

Does salt air in St. John's affect a grooming van?

Yes. Salt air near the harbour and salt on the winter roads both speed up rust on the frame and underside, so rinse the van often and have the underside inspected at least once a year. The water reservoir and auxiliary battery bank sit in the utility area at the back, inside the insulated, heated van, which keeps them out of the spray under the floor.

Does a St. John's grooming van need air conditioning?

Less than in most cities, because St. John's summers are cool. The fans matter more: fog and drizzle keep the air damp, and the two cargo-area fans in a ProVanWorks van move moist air out after baths. The front fan also runs the A/C for the warm, muggy days. Read about van fans and A/C.