We re-seal, re-seal & re-seal more units every year, in fact I keep 3 guys employed year round who specialize in doing this work. I'm always looking and asking questions from every angle to stay on top of the products available. A few years back now is when different companies started crossing over from bedliners to roofs. As of date I believe Rhino is still the only one who has a product that was designed for roof application, it's called the eco-coat. I've been to a couple training seminars and visited a couple shops that bought into the system. Now those shops are in the southwest and they offer lifetime warranties. Being I'm located in the northwest we see a lot more moisture then others, especially compared to the southwest. All coaches & tow-behinds have a common issues - they travel down the roads twisting and flexing. Think of it as a ice cube tray while trying to get the ice out, that's what were doing to our rv while bouncing down the road. So the real issue isn't keeping the roof product on the substrate, it's keeping the moldings and fiberglass caps around the perimeter stable and sealed. So you apply this miracle product over the roof and give the customer a warranty on the product from coming off, but wait, now because it's such a good product and the customer paid so much that now they think the're good to go and just plain forget about it. So it flexes and because the moldings are still only as good as the fasteners holding them down they start opening up, not much but enough to allow water to start entering. Now the water gets in and starts deteriorating the screws, still letting moisture in. By the time it's noticed it's gotten way worse.
I still believe that good old fashion common sense and hard work will always prevail over snake oils. Understanding what, where, when & why will save you money in the long run. Putting a team of sealant experts on your coach for 5-7 days, going over every inch of the unit from top to bottom, front to back - every molding, overlap, protrusion, stripping & re-sealing with products designed for the application is the best answer. IMO you don't always get what you pay for, if it's seems like it's too good of a deal then it probably is. And in the case of sealants on RV's it's only going to cost you more in the end - once the water gets in and melts your investment away.
Just an FYI - we charge $1200 labor plus materials for complete strip & re-seal. The products used for the sides will be around $200 & the roof will be around $300. All with a year warranty parts & labor. How long will it last, well it depends, where is it stored, how many miles does it travel yearly, how much sun does it see, how much moisture does it see, does it go to the mountains, does it go to the mountains when the de-icer is being applied, etc. etc. etc.... Bottom line, it will last for many years, but it must be carefully checked & cleaned regularly and any issues must be dealt with asap!
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