Dirty water stain in fridge.

[dav7]

Just been to have a look at our motorhome in storage and saw what looked like a dirty water mark in the bottom of the fridge, I know the fridge was cleaned when the motorhome was put away the other week, I am wondering if all the high winds and rain has found its way in through the vent on the back of the van. Is it possible for rain water to enter the vent and find its way into the fridge, should we be fitting a cover over the vent when the motorhome is stored ?

Thanks for any help or advice,

Dave.

[Derek Uzzell]

Fridge winter-covers are primarily intended to restrict the flow of air across the cooling ‘fins’ at the rear of an absorption fridge to improve the appliance’s efficiency in cold weather. When a motorhome/caravan is stored, covers can also provide useful protection against rain driven against the fridge’s external ventilation-grilles by strong winds.

 

It’s not that easy to see how rain (however high the wind strength) could find its way into the interior of a fridge. If a fridge were poorly sealed from the leisure-vehicle’s interior (not that unusual) rain might be driven through the ventilation-grilles and enter the vehicle’s interior through gaps round the fridge, but (assuming that the fridge’s door were closed) the water should still not enter the fridge’s interior. However, if the fridge’s door were not fully closed (which is often the case when a leisure-vehicle is not being used for a while) and the back of the fridge wasn’t well sealed from the vehicle’s interior I guesss rain might get in somehow.

 

If you are certain the dirty water stain is as a result of rain getting in, then winter-covers might help. They certainly would not do any harm - all you can realistically do is fit them and see if the stain reappears.

[George Collings]

I should think the chance of rainwater finding its way inside of the fridge insulation is very low indeed. it more likely that due to the high levels of humidity recently that condensation has formed on the cooling surfaces and mould has found enough residue to breed and leave the stain. It happens if the door is left shut.

 

Clean it up and keep an eye on it.

[dav7]

Hi we always leave the fridge door ajar when in storage. My wife has now said she didn't wipe out the freezer unit in the fridge, so it looks like the frost has thawed and the water run out into the bottom of the fridge then dried.

Thanks for the replies but looks like this is the problem.

Dave.