Annual RV Air Conditioner Maintenance & Cleaning Tips

Your RV’s air conditioner can fail at the most inopportune times if you don’t take care of it. Regardless if you have a motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer, we will walk you through with these RV air conditioner maintenance, inspection and cleaning tips. These RV cooling system tips will help keep your AC in top notch efficiency on those hot days when you need it most.

Annual RV Air Conditioner Maintenance & Cleaning Tips

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We posted a great how-to tutorial on your RV air conditioner vents and filter cleaning and maintenance. This article will show you how to inspect and maintain the rooftop components of your RV air conditioning system.

Access your rooftop RV air conditioner unit

RV air conditioner units are mounted on the roof which can present an issue if you’re afraid of heights or you’re physically incapable. So, if you’re not up to the accessing your RV cooling system, hire an RV air conditioner service professional.

But if you’re able and willing to do the annual RV air conditioner maintenance and cleaning, we highly recommend wearing non-skid shoes and laces are tied securely. This is not the time to be wearing your Tommy Bahama flip flops.

Also, before getting up on your roof, ensure there’s no grit or gravel stuck in the treads of your shoes before stepping foot on your ladder. Also, if you kneel down, make certain there’s no buckles or anything that could slit, puncture or tear the roof rubber membrane (on towable RVS).

If you hire a professional, we see no harm in asking if you can check the bottoms of their shoes before getting on the roof. Remember, it’s your RV.

RV ROOF MAINTENANCE TIP

Before your or anyone sets foot on your roof, ensure your RV and all rooftop components are not located near any low hanging power lines or cables.

Inspecting Your RV Air Conditioner Rooftop Unit

Ensure your RV air conditioner unit is turned off at the control panel inside your RV anytime you inspect or conduct any AC maintenance. Carefully remove the protective cowling of the rooftop unit to inspect for debris, bee’s nests, dirt, dust, etc.

Your AC unit’s cooling fins should be free of dirt, not bent and in good condition. If the fins are dirty use a prescribed air conditioner cleaning brush and some mild soapy water to clean them.

Be advised, you should never use any stiff bristle brush as it will damage any delicate components or bend the fins of your air conditioning unit.

Inspect the fan blades for stress fractures and excessive dirt and dust that could throw the blades out of balance. Again, make certain you gently clean with the same brush above anything that may hinder proper function.

Inspect the base plate of the rooftop unit to ensure weep holes are not plugged and that they allow condensation to drain from the unit. We found using straw cleaning brushes are great for cleaning tubes, hoses and small holes.

Next, you’ll need to carefully inspect the copper lines of the unit for rust, corrosion and leaks. This may help you identify potential issues before a catastrophic failure happens to your RV air conditioner unit.

Finally, ensure the wiring diagrams, schematic drawings and serial number are still applied and legible. If you need to contact to rooftop unit’s manufacturer for service or parts you’ll need that information when making a service call. I recommend taking a photo of it and keeping it in a digital file folder on your phone, digital device or laptop for later.

Once you’ve finished inspecting and cleaning your RV air conditioner rooftop unit, it’s time to get off the roof and go inside your RV to test your cooling unit at the thermostat. You’ll need to make certain the fan and each zone works correctly.

Inspect your RV Roof

Don’t let the opportunity of already being on your roof preclude you from doing a roof inspection. While you’re up there, inspect your RV’s roofing; roof membrane, skylights, fantastic fan covers, pipes and fittings, caulking, sealants, etc. Note any discrepancies and take care of them immediately.

Knowing your RV roof material will dictate what caulking product to use. Its always a good idea to have a roof repair kit as follows:

- - Eternabond tape.
  - For rubber membrane roof, use this roof sealant. (typically towable RVs)
  - For fiberglass roof, use a formulated silicone caulk. (typically motorhomes, truck campers, and some towable RVs)
  - Caulk gun

RV Air Conditioner Vents and Filters

And lastly, we highly recommend getting into the habit of inspecting and cleaning your RV air conditioner interior vents and filters.

Final thoughts on RV air conditioner maintenance and cleaning

Maintaining and inspecting all of your RV air conditioner components will allow your cooling system to perform at peak efficiency for years to come. The more you use your RV, the more you should be inspecting and ensuring your RV’s cooling system is working properly. And lastly, it’s important to do your air conditioner maintenance AND cleaning before and after you store your RV to ensure it will operate at full efficiency.