To stop draughty gaps in porch or combination awnings, cover the poles nearest the tourer with foam pipe insulation. You can then tie the awning around the pipe and it will seal the padded edges of the awning to the caravan snugly.
John Fell
Southam, Warcs

Avoid damaging your vehicle when you reverse to the tow hitch by buying a cheap plastic chopping board, the sort you get for £1 in Woolworths, and cut it into a ‘T' shape. Slide it into the gap between the towball and bracket. Make sure your jockey wheel is wound up higher than the level of your towball then start to reverse your car. When the hitch taps the board you know you've gone far enough.
David Papworth,
Dunstable

If you store your caravan at home you can make it more secure by leaving it connected to the mains electricity supply. Then plug a baby monitor into a socket in the van and keep the other part inside your house. You will be able to hear if anyone breaks into the van, and most baby monitors sound an alarm if the power is switched off. So if the mains cable is disconnected to tow the van away, an alarm will sound inside your house and alert you.
Jon Roberts
Via email

Whenever I leave my van unattended (either on site or in storage) I fix the following message in the rear window: “If this caravan is being towed it has been stolen – please inform the police”. I also carry identical signs in French, Italian, and German – invaluable if you are touring in Europe.
Mike Bryan,
via email

When your van's in storage, black stripes can form down the side of your van from rain and dirt running off the roof. To divert the dirt, buy two van lengths of channel tape (the type that's sewn on your awning) and thread them through the awning channel on both sides.
K Anslow,
Willenhall, W Midlands

Our 2002 Swift Lifestyle 490L has a glass-topped sink unit, but doesn't have a dedicated chopping board to fit over the drainer like newer models, so we decided to make our own. I used a Rubberwood (sustainable hardwood) chopping board 19mm x 350mm (min) x 390mm (min) bought for £6.95. Using a jigsaw, the shape was produced in two or three minutes.
A light sanding and sealing of the cut edges gave a professional finish. Here's an extra tip – cut the board upside down to avoid splintering by the upward cutting action of the jigsaw. The board stows neatly in our Swift's central lounge unit.
Rob and Mel Nicholas
Longridge, Preston

To protect the 12V connectors on your van from the detrimental effects of rain, dust and moisture, take an empty film canister (round black cylinder), which fits perfectly inside the plug. Cut it down so that it protrudes out, otherwise it may be difficult to remove. Put a smear of Vaseline in the canister, so that when it is placed inside the plug, it will lubricate the pins and protect the plug. Simple, but very effective.
Nigel J Sparrow,
Berkeley

I would like to pass on a simple security device that I have been using for the last two years. I made a stout wooden stand to sit on the ground under the hitchlock. The jockey wheel is lowered until the hitchlock engages the block of timber. Then you can remove the jockey wheel completely, thus adding another security measure against would-be thieves.
Peter Doherty,
Chester