Roof is still leaking

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

You might try closing up the RV and put a fan in a window blowing in to pressurize the interior. Then put soapy water on seams and suspected entry points and watch for bubbles.

I'll see if that's possible. But we don't have a fan that powerful. Most of the air would escape around the vent covers where they come down when closed. Vent covers lower but do not "seal." From what I understand you have to have an extremely powerful fan to pressurize the inside of a 28' RV.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by wildtoad

I second the note on checking the roof AC seal. I had a '88 Winnebago that I unfortunately bought well used and the previous owner had used some form of sealant around the base of the unit instead of replacing the seal. You could not see water on the inside near the ac but all the water ran onto the fridge, rotted the floor under it. As others have said where it shows up may not be where it comes in.

We already added a ban-pan for the A/C and resealed it. But if the A/C was leaking, the water would have to run UPHILL to come through the kitchen and bedroom ceiling. This is what's so frustrating. My husband did everything possible and the old leaks are still there, just not as bad as they were before. All those hours and several hundreds dollars and leaks remain. BTW, it's an aluminum roof with 4 fresh coats of Dicor RV Metal Roof Coating. It says it forms a rubberlike blanket of protection. It's a 100% acrylic resin. The roof look great, like brand new, but the old leaks remain.

Should he have used a different roof coating? Something other than Eternabond? Some other kind of sealer under the new vents?

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by RanCarr

I'll see if that's possible. But we don't have a fan that powerful. Most of the air would escape around the vent covers where they come down when closed. Vent covers lower but do not "seal." From what I understand you have to have an extremely powerful fan to pressurize the inside of a 28' RV.

Some of the fans go into the vents and it's an easy fix to seal a vent well enough for a pressure test.
[moderator edit]

[YC1]

I think we need some pictures. Since you have it covered. Pull part of the cover back to see if it leaks. When it starts to leak, put cover back over that area. Then try uncovering other areas.

I'm chasing an elusive one on my bedroom slide with it in again. It was ok for several years.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by YC1

I think we need some pictures. Since you have it covered. Pull part of the cover back to see if it leaks. When it starts to leak, put cover back over that area. Then try uncovering other areas.

Pictures will not show where it's leaking from. The places have to be too small, too tiny to see with the eye so wont show up with a camera. I cannot climb up and walk on the RV roof. DH is unable to get the knack of using the digital camera. If you noticed, every pic I post here was taken by myself. The leaks are somewhere from the kitchen to the bedroom. DH can reseal everything that is already sealed when we get back from FL. We're out of time now. We have company in from the UK and the holidays are upon us, plus we have to finish packing the NorthTrail.... We'll leave the Class-C covered with a tarp until then.

I'm chasing an elusive one on my bedroom slide with it in again. It was ok for several years.

I heard those slide leaks can be the pits too.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by fletch460

Agree with Conquest, without knowing where its showing up, I suspect marker lights. They drill about a 1/2 " hole and run the wires. I found mine right after a rain. Went out and checked and saw water in lens.

Are your marker lights at the top near the roof where the water can run down into the ceiling? Ours are below the roof/ceiling so can't leak into the ceiling to drip down. They would run down the inside walls or inside the walls. We had that problem with the old Sunline TT.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by Conquest102

I agree with the AC check the screws inside. Mine turned several times seemed to take of 1 of my leaks. Also on the front glass check the bottom where glass meets the rubber mine had dryed out and shrunk away from glass. Also top of marker lights they are BAD for leaks.

Yes, the bottom of the cabover front window seal has shrunk and been resealed by the last owner. But the water is dripping down from the ceiling and for that window to leak into the ceiling the water would have to first run UPHILL, then drip down from the ceiling.

[genesimmons]

if there is any trim,like where the awning fabric slides into. where they have that vynil trim stuff, check under that, old screws might be rusted out and letting water in

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Check the awning attachments points top and bottom. Also check the A/C gasket. if it the original, you would be better off to jsut replace it.

Ken

The A/C gasket was replaced and the A/C set in a ban-pan and that was sealed. It raises the A/C above the roof so hard rainfall and A/C moisture doesn't run back into the RV.

We had to cover it for the winter because of the holidays and getting ready to leave for FL.

Ya know, we met a senior couple with an old Class-C at Seven Points CG near Nashville TN who, after trying different fixes, and spending hundreds of dollars for coatings and Eternabond and sealing compounds, just like us, still has leaks in the roof. They bring a tarp everywhere with them and cover the RV as part of their set-up. He said they had to give up finding the leak or leaks. They couldn't afford to replace the rig and had put so much into it they couldn't afford to replace it either. So in order to go camping they had to tarp the top to keep the inside dry. I'd like to know what they did when they were on the road and it rained. I didn't think to ask.

I have a feeling the entire back half of the roof of our Dutchman is rotten. The area over the rear bedroom sags enough to hold water. The water that leaks in is a reddish brown and that's not a good sign.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by genesimmons

if there is any trim,like where the awning fabric slides into. where they have that vynil trim stuff, check under that, old screws might be rusted out and letting water in

When we get back from FL in April we're going to have to recheck all these areas near and at the roof-line again. I personally didn't check that area. The white coating he put on the roof covered the trim/seam at the very top. I know it didn't leak until we took the rig out for an hour ride to recharge the battery etc. The next rain after that long ride, it leaked again.

[Aguyfromcalg]

The pressure test is the best way to find the leaks.
Tape up the vents as suggested. Go rent a high speed fan. Soak you RV in a soap solution. And mark the bubbles. Until you do this you will be just wasting time and monies trying to guess where the leak is at.
Remember until you find and stop the leak there is mild and rot occurring in your RV.

[HTFireMedic]

If you know anyone at the local Fire Department, we all use positive pressure ventilation fans. They are usually gas powered and portable. We can pressurize whole 2 story houses with 1 fan.
The key for us is using the air current to create a seal at the door. Pressurize for a minute or two and spray with a dawn and water mix.

[wanderso]

It may be easiest to have camping world perform the leak / pressure test that others suggest.. $90. Of course you don't have to hire them to perform the actual repair. In the end it will likely be less expensive than trying different options to try to find it. In my case, the roof was leaking near a skylight and back corner of the roof and seeping in. The prior owner had put tons of "goop" (tech term there, lol) on various places but did not solve the problem. We removed all the goop, removed and re-seated the skylight, vents, etc. with the proper Dicor self leveling caulk for our roof style and the leak problem was resolved.

Some skylights if you have one can have cracks that are hard to spot and contribute to the leak.

In any case, the pressurize leak test at camping world would be worth it to employ.

As an aside, I've seen the same model of my RV and witnessed leaks in the same exact area so in my case it revealed that there is a common design flaw and continued upkeep in the roof areas that is key.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by wanderso

It may be easiest to have camping world perform the leak / pressure test that others suggest.. $90. Of course you don't have to hire them to perform the actual repair. In the end it will likely be less expensive than trying different options to try to find it.

Do they do it while you wait? CampingWorld isn't that close to where we live and staying at a motel in Nashville overnight would cost a lot more than the $90 the test would cost.

In my case, the roof was leaking near a skylight and back corner of the roof and seeping in. The prior owner had put tons of "goop" (tech term there, lol) on various places but did not solve the problem. We removed all the goop, removed and re-seated the skylight, vents, etc. with the proper Dicor self leveling caulk for our roof style and the leak problem was resolved.

Some skylights if you have one can have cracks that are hard to spot and contribute to the leak.

No skylights, just vents and every one was replaced and resealed.

In any case, the pressurize leak test at camping world would be worth it to employ.

As an aside, I've seen the same model of my RV and witnessed leaks in the same exact area so in my case it revealed that there is a common design flaw and continued upkeep in the roof areas that is key.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Same to you.