Originally Posted by
flyu2there
Changing out a refrigerator has to be a dreaded day for the coach owner, especially one of the big 350 pound double door boyz. First you need two to three gents that are a strong as bull oxen while at the same time are as graceful as ballerenas....that's a tall order outta the gate. Next you need the windshield guy to pull the windscreen. Next you need a scissor lift or a fork lift for the actual units. Should you have carpets, they will need to be covered with plastic, heavy plastic because the old beast WILL LEAK something, usually a variant of rusty looking water. Should you have tile or marble you will need something to balance the load....maybe a pair of 2 X 6's cut to length for the dolly to roll on, unless the sound of plink plink plink dosen't cause concern. Then comes the transition from the dolly to the selected lift outside of the windshield without damaging anything.....now reverse the entire sequence. I have seen this done but once, it was not a pretty sight.
We have noticed with both rental and personal properties that the life span for most major appliances appears now to be about 10 years....tops. Sure, repairs are possible but the parts are costly and usually need to be ordered.
Topping off with R-22 every six months means a leak and it will get worse, sooner or later it will need to be repaired or replaced.
My unit is fast closing on ten years of age and I know that, unless I sell or trade up, I am looking at a change out in the not too distant future. My plan it to change to component units, Sub-Zero comes to mind. It's like comparing an old console stereo to component stereo, one can chage out and upgrade parts without exchanging the entire unit. They come in an array of sizes and shapes and yes, they are a bit expensive, but if you plan on keepin your coach it is probably a sound investment.
John