Community Forums

aaron81182 · 05-27-2013, 11:02 PM

Hey guys, just noticed a few leaks around my vents and one deffinate leak in the back bedroom. Just wondering if you guys could give me a few tips on fixing the leaks and preventing new ones. Is there some product I can spread over the whole roof to protect this? Like perhaps with a roller?

wildtoad · 05-28-2013, 06:25 AM

I would think not to your whole roof question. You will want to go up on the roof and inspect everywhere something protrudes from the roof. Each vent, skylight, antenna housing. You will find that the sealant around them has perhaps dried out, curled up, cracked, or otherwise is past it's useful life. Depending of your roof type, you may have sealant all along the roof edges too. You will want to remove the old sealant (usually a time consuming job) and then replace it with the proper sealant for your roof type. Any RV supply store can advise as what is best to use.

While your up there lube the antenna gears. Another common source for leaks is the seals for the roof AC unit.

SarahW · 05-28-2013, 08:20 AM

What Tom said is exactly right. Also check carefully around your clearance lights as they are also a common location for leaks. Good luck.

CampDaven · 05-28-2013, 08:47 AM

Had an 84 FW Jamboree. Aluminum roof. After I identified the suspect spots, I used a non-silicon calk on lights and such, and Dicor self leveling lap sealant on roof seams. Eternabond may be just what you need on big seams. I put roll on primer and sealant from Dicor on the rest of it. Check your windows in the cabover too.
The flat roof holds water. Parking at a slant when storing it may help, but an ADCO cover is best.

Happy trails!

adamVA · 05-28-2013, 07:20 PM

Look on roof, near where you noticed leaks inside, for general problem areas (mine was front seam and edges + vent + old antennae location, yup LOT of leaks!). On closer inspection up top you may see tape pulling up or old, cracked caulk in obvious need of replacement. Mine had tape that, when I pulled up an edge, there were collections of water that had seeped in and under and getting into camper.

After much much research, I recently finished scraping/stripping old tape/caulk and cleaning leftover gunk with acetone off aluminum roof then used putty under vent and Dicor self-leveling caulk over vent screws then Eternabond tape over vent seam and over front seam and down front corners. Lots of work, maybe overkill, and not cheap but I expect this fix will last a very very long time.

PS> If you have a rubber roof, I have read that this process is NOT the same so research alternative methods deeper.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11457...82978731528380

https://plus.google.com/photos/11457...82978731528380

Gocoffeer · 05-29-2013, 07:55 AM

If the rig has a dirty roof... A good practice is to wash with some comet and a scrub brush....or a bleach and dishwash detergent solution before the repair. Let everything dry and air out....then inspect all seams.... all fixtures that pierce the roof and around the AC unit. Eterna bond tape... Dicor lap seal..... and the liquid roof repair kits are all great items at your finger tips

Voyager35L · 05-30-2013, 03:50 PM

I have had roof leaks for five years...so I decided to ask an Rv dealer to do a roof pressure test. Rejected, it is too time consuming and too unpredicable...so I did it myself by putting my leaf blower through a window sealed by carboard with a slight hole to accomodate the window opening. I plugged up the dryer vent and the stove vent with plastic bags to close the vent and the top fan area. The positive pressure produce d four leaks...determined with bubble soap...and that was the start. I now am doing it for the third time to determine why a window is leaking after the rv was washed. I own a 35 foot class A Winebago.