What’s Causing My RV Fridge Condensation? (3 Likely Culprits + helpful solutions)
Are water drops forming on the back wall and leaking from your RV fridge? If so, you may be wondering, what’s causing my RV fridge condensation? While many users report simple solutions to this problem, such as fridge items keeping the door from shutting correctly, there are a few situations that may involve more effort.
There are several reasons why you may have drops of water forming on the back wall of your RV fridge (condensation). It could be a combination of damaged door seals that close the gap between the fridge door and humidity in the air can contribute to excessive buildup of condensation in your RV fridge.
Read on to find out other reasons why your RV fridge may have a lot of condensation.
What’s causing your RV fridge condensation?
If you have a lot of condensation in your fridge, you may have a number of different issues with your appliance. Make sure you read through the following list to see which of these applies to your situation.
1. The Fridge is in a humid environment
The more water there is in the air, the more likely that you’ll have condensation forming in the back wall of the RV fridge. Of course, for non-frost-free fridges, you shouldn’t have to worry about condensation problems, but if your fridge is capable of removing frost, be sure to take stock of the humidity levels in your area.
It is worthwhile checking if you are in a more humid environment than usual, as this may explain the increase in condensation. Of course, an RV refrigerator will be more susceptible to such conditions than an in-home appliance due to additional environmental factors that an RV kitchen may be exposed to. A humid environment can cause leakage from your RV fridge and frosting from your RV fridge freezer.
Solutions for RV fridge condensation in a humid environment
If your RV fridge is accumulating condensation because of the humid environment, there are only a few possible solutions. The first and most obvious solution is to move your RV to a less humid environment.
If this isn’t an option, you can always purchase a portable dehumidifier to keep in the RV. While this might not completely remove all humidity, this may help with some of the condensation you notice building up in the back of your fridge. Of course, one final tip to help decrease the amount of humidity in the RV is to simply keep the windows and doors shut when possible.
2. The fridge door is left open for extended periods
Leaving the door open allows more moist air to enter the interior of the fridge, which can lead to drops of water forming on the back wall of your RV fridge. If you have recently left the fridge door open for any extended period of time, this could be the cause of your condensation problem.
Solutions for RV fridge condensation due to an open fridge door
If your RV fridge is building up condensation because you’ve left the door open too long, you’ll obviously want to close the door. If you feel the contents of the fridge are no longer cold, you may want to decrease the internal temperature of the fridge by turning the thermostat down for a few hours.
3. The RV fridge door has misaligned or damaged door seals
It’s possible the cause of your RV fridge condensation is due to a misaligned or damaged door seal. If the seals are damaged, you’ll have the interior of the fridge exposed to more moist air, and you can expect droplets of water to form in the fridge.
You may need to adjust the fridge door for it to close firmly. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove the damaged door seal and install a replacement.
Solutions for a misaligned or damaged door seal on your RV fridge
If your RV fridge condensation is caused by a misaligned or damaged door seal, you may be able to repair it. If the seal is simply pulling away from the door frame, you can use PVC glue to glue the seal back to the frame.
Of course, if the seal becomes too damaged, you may need to replace it entirely. You can purchase a replacement seal easily online and glue it on yourself.
Is It Normal to have RV fridge condensation?
Yes, it is normal for an ordinary (non-frost-free RV fridge) to have occasional condensation forming.
This is collected and drained down the drain tube and is then evaporated when exposed to the heat from the fridge.
How to test your fridge’s door seal using the dollar bill test
If you want to test your fridge’s door seal in the event you notice RV fridge condensation, you can use a simple test requiring a thin piece of paper or a dollar bill. Insert a dollar bill between the section of freezer door seals that you are inspecting and close the door.
Next, try to pull out the dollar bill. If it slides out with some resistance, then the door seals well. Repeat this test for the remainder of the freezer door seals. Look out for seals that may be out of position or damaged.
Summary of What’s Causing Your RV Fridge Condensation
If your RV fridge is forming a lot of condensation, inspect and confirm that the door seals are intact and aligned, and completely seal the gap between the fridge door and the rest of the fridge.
If you live or are traveling to a high-humidity area, you can expect a high moisture buildup.
You may have a blocked drain tube too, which leads to the condensate buildup and increases the humidity of the fridge.
Where does the condensation from the fridge go?
There is a small trough, usually below the fins, that collects the dripping water. In the middle of the thought is a hole to which a drain tube is collected that drains the condensate from the fridge walls into the drain pan that is heated and evaporated.
Why does water leak out of the fridge?
If the drain tube is blocked with dirt, then the pan will overflow with water. This water will flow down the bottom of the fridge and onto the flow.
How to unblock the drain tube
You can poke the drain hole with a drain hole cleaner (which comes with the fridge) or a plastic straw to remove any blockages that there might be in the fridge.
