Time to Winterize Your Refrigerator Ice Maker Water Feed Line

[danemayer]

With temperatures dropping, it's time to winterize your refrigerator ice maker water feed line.

If your refrigerator is located in a slide out, as most are, parts of the water feed line are exposed to outside air. The water in the line will freeze as soon as temps go below freezing. And of course, the line will be damaged. Depending on where the damage occurs, you could end up with water leaking inside the coach.

If you have a residential refrigerator, consult our owner-written Residential Refrigerator Guide for instructions on how to winterize. If you have a Dometic RM1350 gas absorption frig, consult our Winterization Guide for instructions. For Norcold units, the procedure will be similar, but you should consult the refrigerator manual for model specific instructions.

Even if you're located in a relatively warm climate, all it takes is one below freezing night to damage the water feed line. Now's the time to prepare.

Note that on Landmark 365 models, the water feed cutoff line may be in the kitchen island, behind/under some of the drawers.

 

[TravelTiger]

Dan, just curious as I don't have this feature, but might down the road. Is there any kind of insulation that could be applied to the line so that one would not have to worry about nightly drops below freezing?

 

[danemayer]

Dan, just curious as I don't have this feature, but might down the road. Is there any kind of insulation that could be applied to the line so that one would not have to worry about nightly drops below freezing?

Hi Erika,

Since the water is cold and there's no heat, I would expect that insulating would slow the heat loss and maybe give you one or two degrees of extra protection.

Considering the consequences, and variances in temperatures from place to place, I wouldn't rely on one or two degrees of help.

I suppose you could use heat tape, but I'd have to want ice cubes awfully badly all winter to do that.

 

[Sniper]

With temperatures dropping, it's time to winterize your refrigerator ice maker water feed line.

If your refrigerator is located in a slide out, as most are, parts of the water feed line are exposed to outside air. The water in the line will freeze as soon as temps go below freezing. And of course, the line will be damaged. Depending on where the damage occurs, you could end up with water leaking inside the coach.

If you have a residential refrigerator, consult our owner-written Residential Refrigerator Guide for instructions on how to winterize. If you have a Dometic RM1350 gas absorption frig, consult our Winterization Guide for instructions. For Norcold units, the procedure will be similar, but you should consult the refrigerator manual for model specific instructions.

Even if you're located in a relatively warm climate, all it takes is one below freezing night to damage the water feed line. Now's the time to prepare.

Note that on Landmark 365 models, the water feed cutoff line may be in the kitchen island, behind/under some of the drawers.

Good call on this Dan. We just had our Cyclone winterized today, and although we don't have this feature, the very first question the service manager asked me was "do you have an ice maker?"

 

[TravelTiger]

Hi Erika,

Since the water is cold and there's no heat, I would expect that insulating would slow the heat loss and maybe give you one or two degrees of extra protection.

Considering the consequences, and variances in temperatures from place to place, I wouldn't rely on one or two degrees of help.

I suppose you could use heat tape, but I'd have to want ice cubes awfully badly all winter to do that.

I see, better safe (winterized) than sorry!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jassson007]

Just playing devils advocate but what about those of us below I 10 that live full time in our units. Do you think this would be a concern. Only asking as we may see a couple hours below freezing for maybe 3 or 4 times all winter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

Just playing devils advocate but what about those of us below I 10 that live full time in our units. Do you think this would be a concern. Only asking as we may see a couple hours below freezing for maybe 3 or 4 times all winter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We all get to decide which bets to place.

 

[jassson007]

We all get to decide which bets to place.

Was just a curiosity and wanted to get your thoughts. That's all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

I recall south Texas getting a hard freeze a few years ago that caught a lot of people unprepared. Baton Rouge looks like it can get down to freezing once or twice a year, with an historic low of 9 degrees.

 

[JohnD]

My dealershipship offered a free winterization this year . . . but I declined!

For two reasons . . .

1 - because I want to do it myself so I can learn the in's and out's of our new trailer . . .

and

2 - because we are going to travel in the winter months and if I let my dealership do it, I won't won't know how to do it in our new trailer!

My dealership is offering to do the winterization for free because they pi$$ed me off by being lazy on fixing our warranty issues . . .

But in reality I want to do it myself as we are going to the Arizona HOC Rally in Feb, 2016, and I'd rather be able to handle the middle-of-the-winter issues myself!

 

[boatto5er]

Was just a curiosity and wanted to get your thoughts. That's all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you have a water line to the fridge, I would blow out the system with air, shut off the line to the fridge completely for the winter and then turn your water back on. Anytime the temperature is predicted to drop below freezing, put some water in the fresh tank and temporarily disconnect your outside hose (and drain all the water out of it). Unless you are getting below 20, you should be fine. If that happens, blow the lines out and use bottled water and a big jug for the toilet for a couple of days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk