Started the Eternabond Tape project, good thing I did

[brobox]

One year old coach, 5,600 miles, stored inside since new.

Removed the first Girard awning sweep and found 2 normal maintenance cracks in the sealant right at the roof and side seam. Photo 1

Removed the second sweep and found a large, need attention now crack, also right at the seams that could have been a leak ready to start. Photo 2.

Eternabond Tape now in place and the annual maintenance cracks will never have to be worried about again. Nor will there be globs of sealant over the years that look like seagull poop Photo 3

Nice thing about the Entegra's they do have a water sweep that does help prevent water from beating on those areas, but I wouldn't trust it in a heavy, driving rain. I was surprise that my "new" coach was already due for roof spot sealing, but I'll never have to worry anymore.

[RW8804]

Hi Chuck,
Wow! I have a few questions:
1) Where is the awning sweep? Is it the long rubber part where the Girard meets the roof?
2) How did you take off the old sealant? Heat gun and putty knife? Something else?
3) Did you clean/treat the surface before you applied the tape?
4) How long was the project?

[brobox]

Hi Robert,
1. Yes it is the long rubber pieces in about 4 or 5 sections. Four screws to remove each one.
2. Nothing to do to the sealant except to clean it with lacquer thinner
3. same as 2
4. I worked 3.5 hours today and did the DS and both caps. I forgot my knee pads (a must) so I'll finish the PS and all of the vents, skylight and anything that has a screw going into the roof.

I ordered 3 rolls of 4"X 50" black on ebay for $51.25 with free 2nd day shipping. I'll know more tomorrow, but I think I would have been OK with two 4" roll and one 2" roll for the vents etc.

[fla tom]

Chuck do you think it would be best to remove most of the sealant first?(I know much more labor) or do you feel leaving the old sealant in place covered(and protected) by the eternabond would actually provide a more impervious seam? Please post copious photos as I will be copying you soon.

[hawgguy]

Chuck, you are a font of information and inspiration. Thanks for the ideas.

[brobox]

Tom, I did the Eternabond on the Travel Supreme with no prep work except for cleaning with lacquer thinner, it looked brand new 10 years later. The roof caulking on the Entegra is much heavier and not uniform at all. It won't look at smooth as the TS did (photo attached) but it will prevent any weather or water intrusion for 50 years. No need to do anything to the current sealer. I ran the tape over the existing cracks, it's better than caulking. The more protection the better. Eternabond Tape is designed for roof repair without stripping the roof off......works the same way on MH seams, thank goodness. On the Entegra roof there are going to be wrinkles and creases in the tape, but it can't be helped as the caulking is not smooth anyway.

The tape does go on a little easier if you peel the backing one foot at a time and kind of stretch the tape, just a little, as you put it down. When I got to the end section, I used a wallpaper seam roller to roll the edges and my hand to push the tape into all of the crevices of the roof sealant. Trust me, it will look better than factory

I also taped behind the Girard mounting brackets, helps if you fold the tape in half first and start at the bottom. Still not easy, but doable.

Tools needed:
Knee pads, Lacquer thinner, rough towels, Shop scissor, Razor knife, wall paper seam roller, screw gun with #2 square bit.......NO beer, you'll be on the roof

[brobox]

Originally Posted by hawgguy

Chuck, you are a font of information and inspiration. Thanks for the ideas.

Bob, you are welcome. I hope I am playing it forward for all of those that have helped me over the years. I was really surprised to see the seam maintenace already being needed, but the Travel Supreme was the same way after the first year.

I just talked to a forum member that just had his second seam repair at Entegra. First a skylight, then a vent seam repaired. That is what motivated me to check and do my roof before I had small leaks.

[DSL417]

Now, I'm confused. As I am extraordinarily knowledgable with Girards and how they attach to the Entegra (as I have one crooked bolt that allows for a major popping when there is differential heating during the day on the Girard awning). The Girards are attached by bout to a housing to the coach. You refer to the awning sweep...you lost me. Are you talking about the rubber flap that directs the water on the roof to a couple select points to run off the roof? That rubber doesn't move to the best of my knowledge???

If so, while the sealant under might crack, it's openness to water seems unlikely...not that it hurts to eternabond it...but I'd be surprised if I saw a leak in that area. Tell me where I'm missing it.

[Bill in FL]

Chuck, have you found that 4 inch tape is wide enough in all cases or are there some areas that 6 inch might cover better due to the neven nature of the existing sealant?

[brobox]

Dave, you are correct about the sweep/rubber flap and as I said that was one thing nice about the Entegra setup. However if the rain is blowing from the outside of the sweep in, what is there to protect the crack?. Does the rubber flap protect water intrusion at 70 MPH? If there is a crack in a weatherproof sealer, water will find a way to get to it.

If the sealant has cracked in those places, where is the next one going to start? One memeber just left Entegra having his second seam with leaks repaired in two years

Look at the number of older MH's that said they have never had a water leak, but there is water damage in the ceilings or walls......Slow leaks from sealant leaks, very possible.

I see large cracks like that, and I am going to fix them and not take the chance that a rubber flapper will protect it as it only protects one side of the roof.

Entegra's also says the roof sealant needs to be maintained once a year (not under warranty), why not do it all at once?

[DSL417]

OK...I was somewhat thrown by the picture and the screws comment because the Girard attaches by bolts and the mount is covered, and I would assume already eternabonded in your earlier efforts. Trying to figure where you were talking about. I don't think water would stay long enough to leak if it blew in, but stranger things happen. Did you have screws showing suggesting that the "goop wasn't applied well in that area?

[brobox]

Bill, on my seams I found 4 inch to be very adequate. I now wish I would have ordered one of the rolls in 2 inch for all of the vents and skylight seams. I am going to be doing a lot of scissor spiting to cover all of the other caulking spots.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by DSL417

OK...I was somewhat thrown by the picture and the screws comment because the Girard attaches by bolts and the mount is covered, and I would assume already eternabonded in your earlier efforts. Trying to figure where you were talking about. I don't think water would stay long enough to leak if it blew in, but stranger things happen. Did you have screws showing suggesting that the "goop wasn't applied well in that area?

Dave, the sealant was applied fine, just like it is suppose to be. No screws protruding. The cracks I discovered are normal one year roof maintenance seam cracks.....nothing more. I don't plan on trading my MH in every two years and those crack are a heck of a lot large than I would let go, but that is me and the way I maintain my coach. If others want to let it go, that's OK with me. I just shared what I found and others can take it as they wish.

As far was water blowing in, you should see what happened to my S&B from water blowing in from a hurricane Charlie. If it wants to get in, it will Water blew in the small crack of my roof vent and the entire ceiling had to be replaced.

[DSL417]

No argument...plan to do the project on mine....although we might not experience a hurricane out West anytime soon. The CA folks would probably like to see one!