RV Appliance Repair

RV Appliances Are Different From What You've Got at Home

That's the first thing most RV owners learn the hard way. Your RV refrigerator doesn't use a compressor like a household fridge. It uses an absorption cooling system that runs on propane, 120V electric, or both. Your water heater might be a 6-gallon tank that runs on gas and electric simultaneously. And your furnace? It's a forced-air system that draws 12V DC power while burning propane.

These aren't appliances you can call a regular repairman to fix. They require someone who understands 12V/120V systems, LP gas, and the specific engineering that goes into making appliances work in a vehicle that moves down the road at 65 mph.

That's what we do. Over 10 years and 3,200+ repairs, Scott Marlins has fixed just about every RV appliance problem you can imagine. From a Norcold fridge with a failed cooling unit to a Suburban furnace with a cracked sail switch, we've been there.

RV appliance failures account for about 22% of all service calls nationally, according to industry repair data. Refrigerators top the list at roughly 35% of appliance calls, followed by water heaters at 25% and furnaces at 20%. The remaining 20% covers washers, dryers, and other onboard equipment. Here in Florida, water heater problems spike during snowbird season (October through March) when part-time RVers are running their rigs full-time for the first time in months.

Appliance Services We Offer

How We Diagnose RV Appliance Problems

I take a systematic approach to every appliance call. Before I touch anything, I'll ask you what's been happening: when the problem started, whether it works on one power source but not another, and if there are any error codes or unusual sounds. That conversation alone narrows things down by about 50%.

Next comes hands-on testing. For a refrigerator, I'll check the burner flame color and shape on gas mode, test the heating element on electric mode, and verify the thermistor readings. For a water heater, I'll check the element resistance, gas valve operation, and thermostat settings. For a furnace, I'll test the igniter, verify blower motor draw, and inspect the burner tube for cracks or blockages.

The goal is always to find the specific part that's failed, not just swap components until something works. I've seen other shops replace a $600 cooling unit when the real problem was a $35 thermocouple. That's not how we operate.

Is your fridge cold on electric but not on gas? That points to the LP system, likely the burner or gas valve. Cold on gas but not electric? Probably a failed heating element. Not cold on either? Now we're looking at the cooling unit itself. Each symptom tells a story if you know what to listen for.

RV Appliance Brands We Service

We're not limited to one or two manufacturers. Over 3,200+ repairs, we've worked on every major RV appliance brand. That includes Dometic, Norcold, Suburban, Atwood (now Dometic), Furrion, Everchill, Splendide, Truma, Girard, and Whale. Whether your RV came from the factory with Dometic equipment or you've upgraded to something different along the way, we've got the experience and parts access to handle it.

What brand and model are your appliances? If you can check the data plate on the unit before calling, it helps us bring the right parts on the first visit. The model number is usually on a sticker inside the access panel or on the back of the unit.

Appliance Repair Pricing

Prices include parts and labor. The range depends on the brand, model, and specific repair needed. We provide a written estimate after diagnosing the issue. The diagnostic fee applies to the final bill if you go ahead with the repair.

The Repair Process

Common Appliance Problems We Fix Every Week

Some issues come through our phone constantly. Here are the ones we see most often in Jensen Beach and across Martin County:

Norcold refrigerators throwing a "no cooling" error code are probably our number one appliance call. About 80% of the time, it's a failed heating element or thermocouple, not the cooling unit. That's a $200 to $350 repair instead of a $700 replacement.

Suburban water heaters that won't light on gas are another frequent one. The igniter electrode wears out over time, or the gas valve diaphragm hardens. Both are straightforward fixes that take about an hour.

Furnaces that cycle on and off without actually heating usually have a stuck sail switch or a weak blower motor. The sail switch is a $15 part, but it takes some experience to diagnose because the symptoms can mimic other problems.

Have you been putting off an appliance repair because you think it'll be too expensive? Give us a call. You might be surprised at how affordable the fix actually is.

Frequently Asked Questions