How many of you clean

Parcany · 09-23-2013, 09:24 PM

the heater, water heater, and fridge burners yourself. Was told today they should be cleaned every year. They are supposed to be taken apart, cleaned,inspected, put back together and adjusted. This is the first time I ever heard about it. If you clean them yourself how hard is it. I don't think that it should be that hard to do. Thanx

Larry G. · 09-23-2013, 10:06 PM

Haven't heard that but probably not a bad idea.

Even though ours is a '12 still a good idea to check as we have been around.

Bigmike1461 · 09-24-2013, 04:46 AM

Never heard of this.I have been camping since I was a kid,my father did all the maintenance on all his trailers and motor home over the years the only thing he did was vacuum the dust and cobwebs out of fridge panel on outside.I also do the same and I open up the intake panel for the heater and vacuum in there and open up floor vents and vacuum the vents.

**FPM III** · 09-24-2013, 06:18 AM

I never putz with any of those devices unless there's an obvious problem or the manufacturer requires maintenance to be performed. Periodically, I visually check the stove/oven refrigerator (via the "peephole") and HWH for a blue flame. For the furnace (and HWH), I look at the exhaust for any signs of incomplete combustion. 99% of the time incomplete combustion is caused by something (critters, debris, rust, etc.) obstructing the air intake. I carry one of those brushes (looks somewhat like a bottle brush) they sell for cleaning spiders out of your gas grill. I think I might have used it once in all the years I've had it.

Do you regularly clean your gas appliances at home? I realize that RV appliances are subjected to a much more "hostile" environment, but are generally engineered to withstand this punishment. Unless the manufacturer recommends or requires maintenance, I wouldn't touch it. I don't know about others, but it seems like every time I do something "proactive" like this, I soon have a problem with it shortly afterwards. It's like opening Pandora's box.

tnchuck100 · 09-24-2013, 06:27 AM

I do not dismantle anything for the express purpose of cleaning it. Generally speaking I go with the concept: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

However, I have installed bug screens on the furnace, water heater and refrigerator.

The biggest no-no in my opinion, is don't let the appliances go for long periods of time unused. I operate everything at least once a month. Even the furnace in the summer.

An appliance that has gone unused for a year stands a good chance of not working when you want it to. Likely at a campground when you discover a problem.

3'senough · 09-24-2013, 06:47 AM

I would not mess with it. There are fine adjustments on the jets to obtain the best burn possible when it comes to the appliances. By taking them apart you run the risk of putting it back together incorrectly adjusted. It could create more problems down the line like popping or soot build up from a flame that is not adjusted correctly. Much like a welding or soldering torch. If you do not have the proper adjustment the flame will smoke and not be as hot as required to operate properly.

Now the exhaust tubes should be inspected and cleared of any daubers of webs. I have the screens on mine as well, but not the fridge. I clean it from the back lower panel and inspect it yearly. I put garbage bags over the fridge and heater panels for the winter and close them back up to keep out debris and moisture.

Bassdogs · 09-24-2013, 07:28 AM

You're asking for so much more trouble taking something like that apart than just doing the basic vacuming and stuff you can see. Don't know who told you that but you might want to go back and ask why.

jal0710 · 09-24-2013, 07:37 AM

In 18 years, I never took apart the fridge, furnace or hot water heater to clean anything. Other than blowing the carbon out of the hot water heater area, no other maintenance was performed. When we sold the trailer two years ago, everything was functioning as programed. I have talked to the buyer in the last two years and he says things are still operating properly. Why mess around with something that isn't broke.?

troutslayer · 09-24-2013, 12:10 PM

As many have stated previously, I don't mess with that sort of stuff. I just clean the areas once a year. I also put a flea collar in the WH and refrig. compartment (away from the flame) which seems to repel the wasps, etc. I've heard (and read) where screens should not be placed over any of the outside vents due to restricting airflow. I know others do this and have no problems....just sayin' I don't FWIW

EnricoG · 09-24-2013, 01:13 PM

Never done that. Before heading out camping, I open the vent covers and check that there are no obvious problems, I then fire everything up for a few minutes and check all is working, and then off we go.

mcfarmall · 09-25-2013, 04:04 AM

I've found over the years when you start taking stuff apart you'll usually find trouble in the form of broken parts or whatever. Do a visual inspection of the area and go deeper if you find evidence of insect or varmint activity. Other than that, if it's working leave it alone.

Parcany · 09-25-2013, 01:48 PM

We used to have a tent trailer long time ago and none of that stuff was ever done. The first trailer we had none of it was ever done, now all of a sudden I get told that it should be done every year, Wife and I thought it was a ploy just to get money out of us. Asked the service guy if it is supposed to be done every year then why wasn't I told about it last year. Thank you everybody. So people kids jeeez

Grumpy · 09-25-2013, 02:42 PM

Haven't done it in 40 years.

Threebutchers · 09-25-2013, 03:57 PM

I clean mine as often as I clean my 10 year old gas grill outside on the porch.................

Larry G. · 09-25-2013, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threebutchers

I clean mine as often as I clean my 10 year old gas grill outside on the porch.................

Now I can relate to that.

clutch · 09-25-2013, 10:01 PM

We had our Prowler travel trailer for 13 years and never did anything with the water heater or furnace. We did open the top of the stove and clean things up about once a month when we were using it a lot.

**FPM III** · 09-26-2013, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutch

...We did open the top of the stove and clean things up about once a month when we were using it a lot.

X2. I vacuumed and wiped out mine a month or two ago. Just be careful of the igniter wires going to the burners. You get a lot of junk down there from cooking. Keeping it clean removes a food source that can attract ants and other undesirable critters.

greyhawk885 · 03-19-2014, 06:23 PM

Do not mess with what works. If it stops working you can mess with it.

RedHorse1 · 03-20-2014, 10:40 AM

If it ain't fixed, don't broke it!

RoyBraddy · 03-21-2014, 08:53 AM

I do drain and flush my hot water heater usually at the end of the season when I drain the water for winterizing. This is when I inspect the Hot Water Heater Anode Rod.

We don't consume any of our trailer tank water and it is just used for washing dishes and showers etc... We bring along bottled water for our cooking and drinking. We also bring bottled water to use in making our fresh ground and brewed bean coffee. It requires the same brand of water to get the same coffee taste we like.

Roy Ken

You may also like: