Bounder: Question on EPDM Roof on '97 Bounder

[Old Bounder]

I thought I had done sufficient research to know what product to buy to re-coat my roof, but now I'm confused again.

I purchased a product called Liquid Roof Coating for RVs from EPDM Coatings, Liquid Rubber, EPDM Rubber and Liquid Roof Coatings for Roof Leak Repair because they state that it can be used over any roofing material. This may be wrong.

When the product arrived, it states that it is not to be used on Alpha Systems roofs. Does this just mean Alpha Systems TPO, or does it mean that it does not work on Alpha EPDM as well?

I have a query in to Fleetwood Customer Service to try to determine conclusively just WHO made my roof material. I thought it was Dicor, but it may be Alpha.

[SarahW]

I hope Fleetwood can help you. If you find out from them, please post their response as it might help someone else in the future.

[rvguy40]

Is your EPDM original to the coach ? If so, its a 99.9% likelyhood that its Dicor EPDM... they pretty much have cornered the market. Thank God you arent talking about smearing your roof with Kool Seal.... whoever tells people its safe to use on EPDM should be shot.....it looks pretty and white till you wash the roof, then it peels off in sheets......

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by rvguy40

Is your EPDM original to the coach ? If so, its a 99.9% likelyhood that its Dicor EPDM... they pretty much have cornered the market. Thank God you arent talking about smearing your roof with Kool Seal.... whoever tells people its safe to use on EPDM should be shot.....it looks pretty and white till you wash the roof, then it peels off in sheets......

Sorry, rvguy, but Fleetwood RV Customer Support confirmed today that the roof EPDM used on their coaches is made by Alpha Systems.

[Paul R. Haller]

It doesn't matter who made the EPDM membrane. Don't use anything on it other then mild detergent to clean it (IE Spic n Span) and do not cover it with anything. Its designed to chalk after exposure to ultraviolet and it produces white streaks it left on its own. If it's covered with anything it voids the manufactuers EPDM warranty.
-Paul R. Haller-

[JimM68]

Originally Posted by Paul R. Haller

If it's covered with anything it voids the manufactuers EPDM warranty.
-Paul R. Haller-

Ah, Paul, this coach is a 97. It''s been out of warrantee for at least a decade.

Not sure about this roof brand stuff, but I used liquid roof on a pace arrow (Fleetwood, 1999) i used ot have, and HIGHLY recommend liquid roof. It looked great, wore great, and totally stopped those nasty white streaks i used to get from the morning dew or any other wetness.

Liquid roof is for edpm, not tpo.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by JimM68

Ah, Paul, this coach is a 97. It''s been out of warrantee for at least a decade.

Not sure about this roof brand stuff, but I used liquid roof on a pace arrow (Fleetwood, 1999) i used ot have, and HIGHLY recommend liquid roof. It looked great, wore great, and totally stopped those nasty white streaks i used to get from the morning dew or any other wetness.

Liquid roof is for edpm, not tpo.

Jim, I find your post very interesting, because what you claim to have done, is exactly what I was hoping to do.

I purchased the Liquid Roof and when I went to the Pro Guard Site (the makers of Liquid Rubber and Liquid Roof) for application instructions, I see this warning that says;

*****Liquid Roof should not be used alone on Alpha brand rubber roofs, click here on this Service Bulletins link for more information*****

I contacted Fleetwood and they assured me that my original roof was an Alpha Brand EPDM rubber roof. They admitted that they had heard many horror stories about various coating reactions with the EPDM roof, but would not discuss any specifics. They simply referred me to Alpha.

I contacted Alpha and their only comment (repeated as an answer to any question I posed to them) was; "We make our own coatings and they work with our product"

I contacted Pro Guard Coatings and was told that using their Proflex Primer would allow me to safely use the Liquid Roof. They have never issued the same warning for their Liquid Rubber, because they have never received the same feedback from it's use on Alpha roofs that they did from the Liquid Roof product.

Folks have claimed to have used Liquid Rubber on Alpha roofs with no problems.

I'm still confused, but will proceed with the use of the primer and then the Liquid Roof.

My biggest concern is that I will lose the polymerization between the old and new EPDM rubbers because of the primer (epoxy) barrier between the existing EPDM and the new liquid roof materials.

This defeats the purpose of going to the added expense of trying to buy, and use, the best product for the job. AND adds additional expense on top of it. GRRRR!!!

[Paul R. Haller]

My 97 Jayco carried a 25 year warranty on the original EPDM membrane. I still wouldn't put anything on it. Coatings only use is to lighten your wallets, they do not enhance or make the roof more durable and they may actually hurt them. But if it makes you feel good it's your choice and your membrane.
Paul R. Haller

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by Paul R. Haller

My 97 Jayco carried a 25 year warranty on the original EPDM membrane. I still wouldn't put anything on it. Coatings only use is to lighten your wallets, they do not enhance or make the roof more durable and they may actually hurt them. But if it makes you feel good it's your choice and your membrane.
Paul R. Haller

You are exactly right. It IS my choice, and what you do, or don't do, with your roof is of NO concern to me.

I want the white color returned to my roof to help keep the coach cool in the heat of the summer, and to improve the looks of the unit. Again, MY choice.

Just FYI - EPDM "coatings" do enhance the existing roof, because they actually have the same chemical composition as the original EPDM and will amalgamate into one layer of roof.

There are many "coatings" available that do as you say, and only provide an unnecessary coating on the roof. I don't intend to use any of those.

[benningtonr]

So what is the verdict, I have a 92 pace arrow and need to do something to the roof. I have no leaks. But still need to clean it up somehow.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by loulong

I thought I had done sufficient research to know what product to buy to re-coat my roof, but now I'm confused again.

I purchased a product called Liquid Roof Coating for RVs from EPDM Coatings, Liquid Rubber, EPDM Rubber and Liquid Roof Coatings for Roof Leak Repair because they state that it can be used over any roofing material. This may be wrong.

When the product arrived, it states that it is not to be used on Alpha Systems roofs. Does this just mean Alpha Systems TPO, or does it mean that it does not work on Alpha EPDM as well?

I have a query in to Fleetwood Customer Service to try to determine conclusively just WHO made my roof material. I thought it was Dicor, but it may be Alpha.

Dicor is a distributor of Alpha products. In fact Dicor is the biggest distributor of roofing products to the RV industry. They don't manufacture much if any of the products they sell.

[Paul R. Haller]

I will restate only what the manufacturers literature states. Whether people choose to ignore the EPDM membrane manufactuerers literature is their decision. Dicor does not reccomend anything other then occasional cleaning with a mild detergent to keep your factory 25 year warranty intact. IE spic n span
-Paul R. Haller-

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by Paul R. Haller

I will restate only what the manufacturers literature states. Whether people choose to ignore the EPDM membrane manufactuerers literature is their decision. Dicor does not reccomend anything other then occasional cleaning with a mild detergent to keep your factory 25 year warranty intact. IE spic n span
-Paul R. Haller-

My roof is not Dicor, it's Alpha, so I don't care what Dicor says. And I don't care squat about a 25 year guarantee. I just want a white roof.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Dicor is a distributor of Alpha products.

Not so, in the case of EPDM! Dicor EPDM roofing is made by Carlisle Syntec Corporation. It's erroneous posts like this that just adds to the confusion.