318SAB inner workings

[Thoth1987]

Hello everyone. I have a 2011 Cougar 318SAB. Recently my furnace vents and under the fridge started smelling a fair bit like urine. Or something like that. It's a bit strong. I'd really like to get to the bottom of it. I'm sure it's mice, as I've had a few issues with them and there is still one there occasionally that hasn't been caught. I'm curious if anyone knows the under storage area well. I'd like to take apart the wall by the water heater but not if it won't open up any new areas to possibly fine mice/set traps/find source of the smell. It's definitely stronger in the furnace area under the fridge. Can I somehow gain access from the outside? Pull some stuff out and get a big open shot of the furnace or an area right by it? If so - does it require some power cutting off/dismantling? Thanks ahead fellas. I'm living in this thing and want to keep it in best a shape as I can. I have tried cutting off all access points with steel wool but clearly I'm missing a spot or 2 somewhere.

[chuckster57]

Unfortunately your not going to get much access from the outside. Your best bet is to look for the return grille to the furnace and take it off. If the outside of the furnace is just two vents then taking them off won’t get you where you want to go. I would take out drawers and such to gain access.

[Thoth1987]

Well that sucks. I don't see any drawers that would work and I'm not sure where the return vent is, unless it's the one under the fridge. Would still love to know if taking the storage wall area apart in the underneath storage would allow me to gain more access of if it'll just be a waste of time. Thanks for the info though. Appreciated!

[chuckster57]

If your trailer is a fifth wheel, taking off the rear wall of the basement/front compartment should give you lots of access.

[Thoth1987]

Thanks for the info! I did try and get into it all this weekend a bit. Looks like the walls behind the direct wall I can remove[where my hot water tank is]is fastened from the inside and or stapled to the aluminum skeleton down there. So I'm unsure I can go any further without being able to properly reattach it all after. So maybe there's another way in or I'm just going to have to make it a summer long project. Pretty disappointing.