Community Forums

frederick w · 09-26-2011, 07:07 PM

My MH is a 2000 Fleetwood with the EPDM
rubber roof covering.

How long might it last? (MH is not under cover).

Will the life of the EPDM be extended if one uses
Proteck-All type of cleaner and protectant?

Thanks in advance for your comments

Steve & Bunny · 09-26-2011, 07:22 PM

Since your MH is a 2000, your roof could be just about done for. I've seen them fail in as little as five years. I've also seen them last fifteen years or longer.
Whatever you do, do NOT use any petroleum based cleaner

or protectant on it. My own recommendation is to clean it regularly and gently with a soft brush and Dicor rubber roof cleaner. Use a long handled brush and a ladder, the roof will be EXTREMELY slippery when it's soapy.
Inspect all seams carefully at least every six months, and use only Dicor lap sealant to reseal any gaps.
There are cheaper products out there that will work just fine, but Dicor makes the rubber membrane, they should know how to clean it without damage.

JimM68 · 09-26-2011, 07:39 PM

The roof of my previous moho, a 99 fleetwood pace arrow, looked like this before coating with EPDM Coatings, Liquid Rubber, EPDM Rubber and Liquid Roof Coatings for Roof Leak Repair liquid edpm.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any shots of the completed roof, but it looked like brand new.

Submustang · 09-30-2011, 06:59 PM

The roof on our 95 is still fine. I had to reseal the seams in 2006 not long before we gave it to the kids. We and they periodically clean and treat it with the approved cleaner. It has spent most of its life in Western Washington and is covered with an Adco cover in the Winter.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-01-2011, 07:18 PM

The EPDM itself is guaranteed for 10 years by the manufacturer (usually Dicor), and in some cases that is all it lasts. However, I think most people get 15 or more years from it, with reasonable care. Care mostly means occasional washing and no scrapes with tree limbs and such. Waxing it really doesn't help except for cosmetics.

If the roof coating wears away and you can see the fabric backing, it can be re-coated with liquid EPDM and you can probably get another 5+ years from it. And then maybe re-coat it again.

Ozarkan · 10-01-2011, 07:56 PM

I just traded my 1989 Executive MH on an up grade. The roof was cleaned 2 to three times a year and it was parked out side with not protection and it was still good.

Theberrys · 10-01-2011, 08:20 PM

Mine is a 99 and I use Protect All on it. Rubber Roof Cleaner - Protect All
so far no sign of wearing out and no leaks.
It's stored outside in New Mexico year around with no cover.

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=ae67f...2766057%212573

Dick

Gary RVRoamer · 10-02-2011, 03:32 PM

Outdoor conditions like acid rain, industrial pollutants and plain old grit in the air can have a dramatic effect on the life of a rubber roof. And to a lesser extent, a TPO roof as well. Washing and applying waxes may have some modest success in combating those things, but they are still going to shorten the life of the roof.

ccook129 · 10-02-2011, 07:28 PM

Sold my 1990 MH to my kids and the roof is still good,washed 3 times a year.

LadyFitz... · 10-02-2011, 10:25 PM

I'm wondering if coating EPDM while it is still fairly new would prolong its life. Liquid Rubber Roof isn't the only game in town. Kool Seal makes a coating that is compatible with EPDM. I've used regular Kool Seal on a mobile home roof and was very happy with it. Besides being very durable, its reflectiveness resulted in a noticeable temperature reduction inside. The only maintenance I ever did on it was to wash the roof and recoat it every five or six years.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-03-2011, 08:03 AM

Are you suggesting coating the roof with Kool Seal RV or Liquid Rubber while it is still new? That would be a waste of time and money, in my opinion. Like re-painting a new car to protect the paint.

LadyFitz... · 10-03-2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Are you suggesting coating the roof with Kool Seal RV or Liquid Rubber while it is still new? That would be a waste of time and money, in my opinion. Like re-painting a new car to protect the paint.

Bad analogy. Car paint is often protected from weather and scratching by a clear coat (scratches can be buffed out without damaging the color coat). Wax is also used to protect car paint from weather. Besides protecting the sheet metal from corrosion, car paint is also cosmetic.

EPDM is mostly intended to protect the roof from water penetration, not look pretty. The concensus is it will deteriorate when exposed to weather, becoming more fragile. Liquid coatings will only be as good as the substrate they are applied to. It seems to me if the EPDM has been allowed to become thin and/or brittle from weathering, any coating applied to it would be more likely to fail. At that point, the only alternative would be to remove the EPDM (instead of coating it) and replace it which is expensive both in material and labor.

Once I get rid of a lifetime accumulation of "stuff," I'm planning on getting a TT to live in full time. It will be exposed to weather 24/7, 365 1/4 days a year. I will be doing some modifications to the TT before moving in. At one point during those mods, the roof will have no heat pumps, vent covers, etc. cluttering it up. That would be the easiest time to Eternabond all the seams, cracks, and joints, then cover everything with a continuous coat of roof coating. Then the coating can weather instead of the EPDM (assuming that theory would be valid).

first5thwheel · 03-01-2012, 12:24 PM

I read this thread. It appears there are two recommended coatings to use, liquid rubber and Kool Seal.

This post is older. Have any of you recoated your roof with either and if so what is your expeariances.

I climbed onto a ladder today and hosed my roof off and insected it. It is 10 years old and appears to be in good condittion still. It did not appear thin, worn or brittle. THANK GOD, however it is considered an aged roof. I am seeing anywhere from a 5 year life spand to 22 years based on all the posts from this thread. I guess it is a luck of the draw how long these rubber roofs really last.

Regardless I have no leakes. Shoud I leave it alone or should I coat it? All the seals ontop are still in good shape with no cracks, just want the roof to last another 10 years if possible....

Any suggestions about the coatings?