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RV Fridge Maintenance

Dec. 27 2019 Miscellaneous By ___

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A key part of camper maintenance is ensuring that your fridge is running smoothly. After all, you rely on your fridge to keep your food fresh and prevent it from spoiling. A few proactive steps are all you need to keep your fridge working well. We've created the following beginner's guide to RV fridge maintenance. If you have any questions or need a service department appointment, consult the experts at Howdy Ranch RV in Mathis, Texas. 

1. Regularly Inspect Your Fridge

The first step in RV fridge maintenance is taking the time to regularly look over your fridge. We recommend inspecting your fridge before each trip. It'd be a shame to get on the road and then discover a problem that you could have fixed before your trip!

2. Strategically Load Your Fridge

Before you place food in your fridge, you will want to pre-cool your fridge for eight to ten hours. This helpful step will keep your fridge from fluctuating in temperature. You will be able to load food into an already cold RV fridge, rather than a room temperature fridge that is getting cooler each minute. You will also want to ensure the food that you load is already the proper cold temperature.

3. Regularly Defrost Your Fridge

Another step in camper maintenance is to defrost your fridge. This is a useful step to do in two situations. First, defrosting is useful when there will be a period of time that your camper is not being used. If your RV will be sitting in storage for a few weeks or more, defrost your fridge. After all, there is no reason to pay an electricity bill for an appliance that you are not using.

Second, defrosting is a good step to do periodically (even if your RV is not sitting in storage). This key step will help boost your fridge's performance and extend its life.

Consult your owner's manual for the best approach to defrosting. Keep in mind that there will likely be a large amount of water draining from the unit. You will need a way to catch or absorb the liquid to help prevent water damage.

4. Address the Smell of Ammonia

There may come a time that you notice the smell of ammonia. This poses a health and safety risk due to the dangerous nature of the fumes, so you will want to know how to handle this situation.

The smell of ammonia is a clue that something is leaking. You will want to turn your fridge off, before opening it up and allowing it to air out. Make sure to open windows and vents so that your camper can be aired out as well. If you notice this smell on a trip, keep the refrigerator turned off. Schedule a service appointment to get it repaired a soon as possible.

5. Be Safe When Working on Your Fridge

Always put safety first anytime you work on your camper fridge. Remove any flammable products before working on the refrigerator. If you will need to be on your camper roof to clean the vent, make sure your ladder is secure and you've got a spotter on the ground. Always consult your owner's manual before you do any work and leave the more complex projects to the professionals.

We hope you found this guide to camper maintenance helpful. If you've uncovered an issue with your RV, bring your rig to the parts replacement and service department at our dealership in Mathis, TX. We can get your camper fixed and back on the road in no time. We also offer a range of RVs for sale if you are looking to buy. Whatever you need, you can find it with us. We also serve those in Corpus Christi and San Antonio, so stop by today!