Roof Leak Repair

[KE5ZRT]

The 1988 Southwind I am purchasing in 7 days has some minor water damage to the interior walls. I am fully capable of making the necessary repairs to the paneling, but I need to know what you think is the best sealant to repair the fiberglass seams on the roof of my RV. I searched these forums and haven't found any previous discussion of the subject. I would be grateful for any advice.

http://www.openroadsradio.net/attachments/photobucket/img_7455_0_84d3fbd6fdc9ec88ebe7c4987a923242.jpg

[WD8QBQ]

I have had three products recommended by friends that have used them and really liked the performance of each. I have yet to use any of them and don't know which I would choose if the need should arise.

http://www.tapecoat.com/other_pages/roofseal.html

http://www.eternabond.com/?Click=2058&gclid=COPx9fmh6qQCFQw7gwodnie_2g

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/proflex-brushable-sealant/21208

Good luck, whatever you decide!

Remember :poke: good cleaning and preparation of the surfaces in question is paramount to a good job.


JIM :2cents:

[Radio]

I used eternabond tape to seal up a badly leaking semi trailer that housed a mobile MRI unit. Works great. Even patched a few punctures in the units awning with it. Looks like crap ( on the awning) but it doesn't leak!

[W5DOK]

I inspect the roof on my motor home at least annually and re-seal any suspicious areas with self leveling caulk. After you have got all the areas repaired, clean all of the chalky residue off and coat the roof with mop n glo. (assuming you have a fiberglass roof and not epdm)

[KE5ZRT]

I inspect the roof on my motor home at least annually and re-seal any suspicious areas with self leveling caulk. After you have got all the areas repaired, clean all of the chalky residue off and coat the roof with mop n glo. (assuming you have a fiberglass roof and not epdm)

I have never seen self leveling caulk at my local home store so I assume that would have to be purchased at an RV dealership? Why Mop-N-Glo...does it help with water proofing? In the Army some people used Mop-N-Glo to shine their boots. It worked great until they got wet and your boots turned blue!

For fear of asking too many silly questions, I am off to Google EPDM.
:confused:

[KE5ZRT]

Google research now completed--I am certain that my roof is fiberglass and not EPDM.

[W5DOK]

Mop n Glo seals the roof and stops those ugly white streaks on the sides of the coach. It may yellow slightly but no one looks at the roof of the mh anyway. The yellow will go away just in time for another application.:) Self leveling caulk is available at most rv supply stores. Or you can probably order it from some discount supply stores such as PPL motor homes.
See you down the road.

Doc
W5DOK

[wa8yxm]

There are two products for work on Roof, Eternabond Tape for long cracks or tears or big holes.

and if you have a rubber roof.. Well Eternabond works on that but the company that knows those Rubber roofs best is Dicor.. And they thus make the best caulk.

They also make the roof.

If you have a whole lot of roof to "treat" There are re-roof products that work well.. Snow-Roof is one such product. I've used it on a trailer (Aluminum) with good results, and on a house that was very poorly roofed.. In fact if I'd have been there when the professional idiots nailed that roof on I'd have kicked them off the roof physically.. but that is another story (I used to do that kind of roofing .... but properly)

[KE5ZRT]

I used a product called "Cool Coat" to seal the cracked caulking in the roof and it seemed to work well. I found another leak around my rear AC (over the bed!) and I found a great source information online at http://bryantrv.com/roofacleaks.html for troubleshooting AC leaks.

[KE5ZRT]

We had 3" of rain followed by 3" of snow and I found that my roof leaks were caused by bad AC seals rather than cracking caulking at the roof seams. I replaced the seals on both AC units and patched some of the windows with silicone. We have more rain/snow predicted so my work will be tested soon.
http://www.openroadsradio.net/attachments/photobucket/img_7572_0_10a76269435ed04fdca49bcabb256c32.jpg
you can see that the gasket was coming apart at the seams.
http://www.openroadsradio.net/attachments/photobucket/img_7572_1_e9f0b20e667cdc6f9c55c75a3b0752dd.jpg
I did not like the factory screws protruding into the gasket material, so I got out the angle grinder and solved that little problem quickly!
http://www.openroadsradio.net/attachments/photobucket/img_7572_1_e9f0b20e667cdc6f9c55c75a3b0752dd.jpg
I hope the noise didn't bother my neighbors too much. I feel confident that all of my roof leaks are repaired.
http://www.openroadsradio.net/attachments/photobucket/img_7572_3_0c08808e5c4d94768bef41860185bb00.jpg

[WD8QBQ]

Looks like you have gotten to the heart of it Chris, hope your efforts cured everything.

Seriously now, your living in the coach so why stick around your local for that kind of weather.

Three inches of snow already, give me a break. :whistle:


JIM ;)

[KE5ZRT]

I was hoping for rain or snow today to test my work, but the forecast did not pan out. Moving to nicer weather would be great, but although my home is mobile, my job is not.

[WD8QBQ]

Well then that's understandable, I thought you were done working and on the leisure road. :hammer: