To stop the water in your Aquaroll freezing in winter, try Mangers ColdWater Tank Lagging Jacket. The medium size is £8.99 and fits our 40-litre Aquaroll perfectly. Push the seam side against the van wall and this should keep the jacket in place. When our water supply needs topping up, the jacket is very easily unwrapped. A small piece of 22ml pipe wrap fits snugly around the exposed tubing between the Aquaroll and our filter housing. That way, our water supply stays liquid even in temperatures as low as -5°C.
Ian & Christine Kennedy
Via email

After losing several plug caps over the season at about £1.90 each, I cured the problem by using a couple of inexpensive key rings attached.
Des Trehearne
Gloucester

I recently stayed on a site where the electric points forced me to lay my 240v cable across the entry/exit to the site. Worried about wear and tear on the cable, I cut two 18-inch lengths of corrugated waste-water pipe, cut them along the length, and enclosed the 240v cable. The pipe is strong enough to close itself around the 240v cable, it is flexible, and the 18-inch lengths were long enough for even the widest wheels to roll over. The 240v cable was totally undamaged after a six-night stay, even though it was under constant barrage from heavy 4x4 vehicles. I have even rolled up the cable with the pipe still on it for future use.
Gordon Collins
Via email

I make washing up simple this way: after your meal, always wipe plates and dishes with kitchen roll straight away. That way you can relax with a coffee before you wash them up, without the worry that the remains are getting dried on.
J H Wright
Wigston, Leicester

To avoid damage to your awning when putting it up in high winds, feed it through the awning rails and peg out the canvas before you assemble the frame. When you have done this, you can move the pegs to their correct positions. Likewise, to take down the awning in high winds, leave the canvas pegged out until you have fully dismantled the frame.
L W Jones
Buckley, Flintshire

I have just returned from a caravan holiday in France, and before I went I trawled the internet for information. I found a fantastic route planner on www.rac.co.uk that lets you specify roads suitable for caravan towing and motorway or non-motorway roads. Then, when I printed out the map, it showed useful landmarks as well as road numbers – and even included tips on any hazards that could be a problem on particular stretches of road.
There is even a facility that allows you to select the route in reverse for your return trip. All this was available on the website absolutely free, no need to register or fill in any forms. What an absolute bargain for caravanners, especially those who are travelling to unfamiliar locations.
Peter Wilson
Lydgate, Lancashire

When a quick meal includes new potatoes and canned vegetables, put the vegetables in a small sieve in the same pan as the potatoes with a lid on top. By the time the potatoes are cooked, the vegetables will be hot. This saves gas and washing up. But beware – this won't work with mushy peas.
Margaret Wroe
West Derby, Liverpool

We have converted our caravan shower room into a handy drying room for damp clothes and towels, and a place to hang outdoor clothes. We bought two shower-curtain rails from a well-known DIY store and hung them high up enough so that you avoid catching your head. Then, by hanging a window clothes dryer as shown in the picture (below), many items can be accommodated.
David Heaney
Via email

When we were on holiday in France, we put our waste-water pipes out to dry on a hedge and then forgot them. We found an excellent alternative in some washing machine drain pipe at a French hypermarket. It was cheaper than two metres of caravan drain pipe, and the rubber ends fit drain outlets perfectly.
William and Shirley Billing
Ely, Cambridgeshire

My caravan is fitted with the latest Power Fridge, a huge improvement over my previous caravan's RM12. However, the door catch is flimsy and ineffective. I solved the problem by replacing it with an RM12 catch. I removed the standard catch and prised out the small plastic cover plate in the top edge of the door. This reveals two holes moulded-in to allow the earlier-type plunger catch to work. The RM12 catch was about £5 in a local accessory shop; it's a slightly different colour, but it looks good and works perfectly.
John Hope
Via email

If you lay-up your caravan on axle stands in winter, don't take the wheels off. Instead, deflate the tyres. A thief won't want to waste time inflating them after they drop the van down onto ground.
Les Milner
Via email