Heater check ups

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Hello everyone:

Ahh, the long hot summer nears it's end. Wonders have been seen through out
the travels of the season no doubt. From informal meetings in Bird's Nest
to the air shows at Oshkosh not forgetting the get togethers in Washing
State Rallies and the Lone Star Birds and of course the racing meets. Other
things of note include $3.00 per gallon diesel and a horrendous storm
hitting the Southern coast putting members of this forum and many more at
personnel risk and in harms way. Then of course, the dreaded hospital
jaunts, of which I am happy to say turned out well in most cases. So all in
all a good and bad summer with smiles and some cases tears, draws closer to
the beginning of cooler weather.

Let's talk a little winter safety and those pesky heaters that will soon
start to be exercised. Electric heaters first: Now or very soon would be a
good time to pull those electric units out after removing all ac power from
the Coach and remove the covers over the heating coils and simply taking a
vacuum to the insides to remove the summers dust, pet hair, oh that's right
we don't have pets or smoke in these Coaches do we. ahem. then re assemble
the covers, slide those electrical heating units back in and tighten the 2
screws that hold them there. Pretty easy huh? and safer for the Family as
well. The LP units are a bit more complicated but not if done in a careful
manner. Open the grills in front of the LP units, many are behind magnetic
panels and just pop open with a little help. Vacuum the areas around the
heaters and oh yes, a little attention to the grey sniffer that you will
find by each one is in order too perhaps. Those that do not have the mud
dauber screens installed over the out side intake/exhaust ports need to do
a quick check for nests made over the summer and perhaps needs a little
cleaning as well. More could be done to the burner section of the LP
heaters but unless you have been there it can be intimidating to some.
Then there are the diesel fired units, a quick check to be sure the pumps
are running and impellers are not frozen up is always better done when your
not shivering from cold, with fingers so numb that you can't feel them.
Anyway, just a thought about safety and preventative maint. now can
head off problems of a system that you will depend on to keep things warm
and cozy while snuggled up to a significant other, watching a movies off
the dish or dvd, a bowl of buttered pop corn being shared with a cup of
coco, while the heating units just hum right along easy as you please.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
http://home.swbell.net/rlf47/index.htm