Caravan Accessories
Although caravans are designed to come with the basic utensils and features to ensure a minimum level of comfort, there are many accessories and upgrades that caravan users can purchase that can make any holiday much more enjoyable. Ranging from practical essentials to luxury extras, these accessories can make all the difference to your safety and satisfaction.
Leisure And Kitchen Appliances
Most caravans are built to include basic bedding, bathing and cooking facilities. The basic kitchen may include an oven, a stove or grill, a sink and a refrigerator. Microwave ovens are also becoming more common in basic models. Depending on the size of the kitchen area it is now possible to add other accessories such as television sets, toasters and waffle irons, and even small coffee machines. Luxury caravans tend to have these optional extras included as standard. If you are considering adding other appliances to your caravan's collection it is always a good idea to purchase a leisure battery that can supply the caravan's electricity.
For cooking and heating needs purchasing an additional LPG gas cylinder is always a good option, as even if your internal cooking appliances are not supplied by gas you can buy small portable barbecues and stoves that are. In terms of kitchen size, remember that it isn't always necessary to have a large seating area inside the caravan for dining as the purchase of an awning can extend the living area of the caravan dramatically, allowing you to have more seating space outdoors.
Washing And Bathing
Caravan bathrooms are notoriously small, with some having only a toilet and small sink and others extending to include a small shower. Because many caravan parks and RV parks have on-site bathroom facilities that include walk-in showers it is not always necessary to upgrade the size of the caravan to include a more spacious bathroom. It may be a good idea, however, to ensure that the caravan design includes a water heater - the majority do as standard but some budget models may not. Also pay close attention to the size of the caravan's water supply and waste water collection space - many have small tanks that are not suited for prolonged use away from mains supply and sewerage dumping facilities. It is possible to buy additional water tanks if need be.
Caravan Security And Fire Safety
In terms of safety and security it would seem that you can never spend too much. Damage caused by fire, bad weather or a collision is often irreparable and can lead to the loss of the caravan altogether. This is why the installation of a smoke detector and fire extinguisher is vital, and investing in weather proofing a necessity. Whilst it is impossible to prevent damage caused by collision you can invest in towing-mirrors to attach to the wing-mirrors of your car and make sure your vehicle is properly wired to your caravan's direction indicators - this at least allows you and other motorists to be aware of one another on the road. For security, recommended devices include wheel clamps, hitch-locks and tracking devices. Above all, investing in a good insurance plan for your caravan is perhaps the best way to ensure you are not left without a leisure vehicle in the event of an accident or burglary.
Caravan Power Supply And other Useful Accessories
Other accessories that caravan clubs and manufacturers recommend include a mains-power hook-up lead for use on caravan-sites, a generator for supplying electricity when off-road, a stabiliser (for single-axle caravans in particular), a nose-weight gauge for checking the overall weight of the caravan, a torque wrench for adjusting the caravan wheels, a spare tyre in the event of a blow-out or flat, and even a step for caravans that do not have in-built stairs.
Health And Safety Standards
It is important that all of the appliances you purchase and add to the caravan comply with relevant health and safety standards, such as BS EN 1645 in the United Kingdom.