Permanent roof sealing.

[TCollins]

Rat Fink, as mentioned above nothing is permanent. You don't necessarily need to fix, repair or replace caulking every year but you should inspect the roof at least annually. Since you are afraid of heights it would be well worth it to have someone knowledgeable inspect the roof for you and touch up any areas that need attention.

A mobile tech may be ideal for you. I would not drag the camper to a dealer/service center for such work unless that is your only option.

[Gary RVRoamer]

It's the seams and openings that leak, and they leak because an RV flexes and vibrates a whole lot more than a fixed dwelling. All the joints literally get torn apart. Yeah, many RVs could be built a better to reduce the seam movement problem, but it's still gonna be subject to leaks over time. And Eternabond tape is little better than lap sealant if the seam moves around very much. That said, I would use Eternabond as much as possible if I couldn't get up on the roof to check very often. Properly applied, it covers a wider seam area and is less likely to get cracked open. It doesn't work well everywhere, though, e.g. along complex curves and around small openings like vent pipes.


I've owned rigs with EPDM, TPO, fiberglass and metal roofs and they all leak sooner or later, and near always at those seams and edges. I've had exactly one roof membrane leak, and that was from a low hanging branch on an EPDM (rubber) roof. It ripped a 6" gash and I was immediately aware of it, so it never got a chance to leak.

[udid]

Originally Posted by lonfu

Mr. Fink, I recommend some Henery's tropicool and eternabond roof tape. Tropicool is from home depot and eternabond from amazon. go have a look at it. roofing tape is the "new tech" caulking. It works better than caulking, lasts longer, and is easier to install. It is more expensive, but you won't need to check it each year. As far as the roof goes, stay on your hands and knees, it will keep you from putting tiny pin holes in your roof from the stones caught in the tread of your shoes. Make sure you clean your roof before installing tropicool and clean where ever you install the roof tape. Don't drink before you crawl up on the roof, that will help a lot with the vertigo...

I always make it a habit of taking my shoes/sandals off before heading up on top. Barefoot only. That is the leading reason of wear on the roof (dirt/stones) caught in bottom side of shoe/sandals.