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gottatrotter · 09-01-2011, 03:29 PM

forgive me, but what's a reefer? Its just under the cabinet between the sink and the front door, and is mounted on the underside of the belly. should it be that open...the mesh is about 1/4". not going to stop a bug.

ROBERT CROSS · 09-01-2011, 03:40 PM

Sorry....60's term.

Lets try "fridge"

It allowed cool air into the area behind the fridge to cool the coils.

Sneakinup · 09-01-2011, 03:44 PM

Not to panic.

Termites are easily eradicated. There are two basic kinds. Drywood and subterranean termites. If the trailer sat for a long time, the subs come up from the ground making dirt tunnels up your tires, jack stands, etc to the wood. Without a moisture source, they won't live without going back in to the ground unless there are leaks in the trailer keeping them alive. Drywoods fly in through a crack and bore in to wood. They can survive in the existing wood and will leave piles of what looks like sand. It is actually called Frass, which is really excrement and they toss it out of kick holes. I like to say it is ... "From their A$$". Either way, a treatment of Termidor (available online) sprayed on your floors and soaked in will do the trick. Termites make caverns in wood. Easily filled with epoxy, or even just pouring carpenters glue in the holes.

If they have done extensive damage, the wood will just fall apart. Many times it is still solid and can be filled. If you are walking around in there, it is probably OK. Usually water does as much damage.

How do I know all this? I renovated a bungalow that had been infested with both types of termites and had them in my storage mobile home... and while between real jobs, worked for a termite company.

As far as you getting them in your home... if they are drywoods and swarm (fly off in the hundreds to thousands) and get in your home, you could have problems. They are harder to stop or detect.

You'll be OK. First dig in see if you can find live ones. They look like maggots. Then, KILL THEM!

Gene · 09-03-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottatrotter

forgive me, but what's a reefer?

A reefer is a place where you put lots of ice cream so you can eat it all after you smoke a reefer. Same word has different meanings. I haven't seen a thread on how to fix a broken reefer that you smoke, but many on the kind that keeps ice cream and beer cold.

Is that all clear now?

Gene

gottatrotter · 09-04-2011, 06:50 AM

thanks gene...got it. I think you're all right. I does appear to be a reefer vent. now that a new reefer is going in i'm hoping it's no longer necessary and I'm planning to close it up. Any objections?

ROBERT CROSS · 09-04-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottatrotter

thanks gene...got it. I think you're all right. I does appear to be a reefer vent. now that a new reefer is going in i'm hoping it's no longer necessary and I'm planning to close it up. Any objections?

I would try it first. When we replaced the fridge in our 63 I was able to make the opening smaller but when closed off completely performance suffered. Try duct taping it over little by little keeping track of reefer temp.

Bob

marzboy · 09-04-2011, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottatrotter

thanks gene...got it. I think you're all right. I does appear to be a reefer vent. now that a new reefer is going in i'm hoping it's no longer necessary and I'm planning to close it up. Any objections?

I would not close it up. The vent hole is there to allow air to travel up the back of the fridge and out the chimney above. They work on evaporation by passing air over fins on the back of the unit (kinda like you car radiator). If there is no air flow the fridge will not work properly. You can buy a solar powered vent fan that attaches to the back of the fridge to aid in creating airflow.

overlander64 · 09-04-2011, 08:23 AM

Greetings gottatrotter!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottatrotter

thanks gene...got it. I think you're all right. I does appear to be a reefer vent. now that a new reefer is going in i'm hoping it's no longer necessary and I'm planning to close it up. Any objections?

You definitely do not want to cover up the fresh-air intake for your refrigerator vent. Restricting the air flow will definitely impair the efficiency of your absorbtion refrigerator. That floor vent helps to create the chiminey effect that allows your absorbtion refirgerator to function properly. The option is to cut a vent panel in the side of your coach (much like what is used in some of the new Airstreams) which is something that most Vintage Airstreamers don't want to consider. Proper sized screening will prevent bugs from entering through the air intake.

Good luck with your coach!

Kevin

P.S.: When my new Dometic refrigerator was installed, the original opening was maintained with new stainless steel mesh screening being installed over the opening. Ten years later, and the refrigerator still performs flawlessly and no problems with bugs entering the air intake.

worldinchaos · 09-09-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottatrotter

your words of encouragement and the revelation of repair costs through the factory have given me new determination to tackle this project myself. I will have to swallow my pride and bring in some muscle from the hubby and sons (all of whom doubted my ability to begin with). but in the end she'll be great. Planning to gut it first, then strip off the lino tiles to get a better look. Not tearing out any floor until I get an experienced opinion. Hosed it with poison, but I'm worried they may still be in the insulation. Hoping i can maybe get away with a partial replacement. thanks for all the support!

Looks like termites are really biting you in the AS, huh?

I'm glad you are maintaining a go-getter attitude in the face of all this discovery work that hadn't been anticipated. Just remember, the hubby should be easy to convince to help on this. Just promise him all the new tools that comes with working on an Airstream!!

If you are pulling out the interior skins (which is really one of the easiest steps compared to all the other major parts of a restoration), then you can just replace all the insulation, and you probably should now that you have a rivet gun and all the cabinets removed.
That will alleviate your fears of them hiding there, with the only remaining place being under the subfloor in that insulation. However, if you are soaking that whole area in poison it should drive them away and/or kill them. You could tent the trailer too.

There are unfortunately many people who have started such an undertaking and then given up. The advice I always follow when doing jobs like this is to compartmentalize each of the individual tasks. You can keep a dream in your head of what it's going to look like eventually, but don't even begin to think about how you are going to put all the cabinetry or electrical back in yet. Focus on one or two issues at a time, and you'll never be overwhelmed. Just my 2cents.

Good luck!!