Bug Screen

[drjp]

I got my new 5.0 and I am installing a Camco bug screen over the heater vent. But instead of using the funky springs that are included which I find are inadequate, I’m going to use some safety wire and wire the screen in place.

My question is, do any of you put a bigger screen also over the external water heater vent? Have you had problem with bugs getting in to the water heater also?

Thanks!

[cpaharley2008]

Actually I'm not aware of any bugs in the heater nor the water heater vents....

[C&G in FL]

I have bug screens on the water heater, the refrigerator, and the furnace.

[Donna D.]

Yeah, depending on where you live, bugs can take up residence in appliance vents. Guess the smell of propane attracts them.

[drjp]

I have bug screens on the water heater, the refrigerator, and the furnace.

Yeah, you sure need screens, at least in the south and in California. Yellow jackets, etc, taking up residence in the units.

Did you install the screen for the water heater on its outside door hatch?

[Doug & Betty]

I too vote for screens on the furnace, refrigerator door, and water heater door. Anywhere flying critters can get in and make a nest. I wired them all in place with stainless wire as opposed to the springs that come with. An easy one-time preventive measure to eliminate nests.

Safe travels,
Doug

[CharlesinGA]

When shopping for refrigerator fridge screens, pay attention to the length in the description, and the shape of the screen on the ends. Very rounded ends are for Dometic vents, and very squared ends with only the slightest rounding in the corners are for Norcold vents.

For my Atwood water heater (and I think you can do similar with Surburbans) I used #8 stainless wire mesh, common with beekeepers, I got it from Amazon. Cut to size and spent a lot of time wiring it in place with .020" stainless aircraft safety wire (which I have LOTS of). This is not a welded mesh, it is interlaced wires so cut and handle carefully.

Bee Keepers #8 woven wire mesh

Depending on the furnace you have, I used a this Valterra screen for Atwood 8500 furnaces. It fits under the grill, remove the cover and install it, possibly securing with safety wire in the corners, and close the cover on it, as it will be held in place.
Valterra A10-1302VP furnace screen

For the Dometic Fridge vents that are 20 inches long, these fit perfectly.
20 inch long Dometic fridge vent screens

Fridge vents need lots of safety wire are tiny wire ties to hold them in place. They provide very few plastic wire ties. If you need more I suggest black ones as they will not deteriorate in the UV like white ones will.

Thomas & Betts Ty-Rap TY523MX Cable Tie with Stainless Steel Locking Device, 4", 18 lb, Nylon, 6.6 Weather Resistant, Black (Pack of 100)

Charles

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by drjp

I have bug screens on the water heater, the refrigerator, and the furnace.

Yeah, you sure need screens, at least in the south and in California. Yellow jackets, etc, taking up residence in the units.

You failed to mention mud daubers! They are the biggest concern where I live, and even though my trailer is stored in a three-sided carport, I have two king-sized sheet sewn end to end to cover the Max Fan, the A/C shroud, and the 5.0TA’s escape hatch/skylight or else I get clumps of mud underneath them.

Did you install the screen for the water heater on its outside door hatch?

That I did. And I did use the springs to hold it in place, and has been there since 2015 without falling off. Having the RMD8555, I have a rectangular screen that fits behind the grill of the Norcold vent opening ETI was using at that time. It does not consist of strips for the slots and does not need to be secured with zip ties. My furnace did not have a specific screen designed/manufactured for it and no good way to wire on a “generic” screen, so I got an oversized rare earth magnet which attaches to the furnace’s exhaust port and another magnet on the outside of the screen holds it in place. It is easily removed for traveling and use (do not want to block the exhaust in any way, but is rarely used anyway) although it has been “forgotten” a couple of times and stayed in place even though exposed to road vibration and bumps. The magnets are rather strong.

Without bug screens, the mud daubers would likely put my appliances out of commission.

[drjp]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Without bug screens, the mud daubers would likely put my appliances out of commission.

[emoji106] Yep, experienced that once in California.

[dstreight]

Our little all electric 15A didn't have a screen over the microwave & refrigerator vent...and wasps & mud-dabbers filled it; what a mess.