Shower Enclosure Not Being Caulked

[D321]

The shower surround/enclosure in our 204RD is not caulked around the top of the enclosure, nor is it caulked around the bottom of the enclosure. We mentioned this at the time of the walk-through and were told it was not supposed to be caulked. The wallpaper behind the shower surround is the same wallpaper as on the walls. I even called Coachmen and spoke with a representative who told me he really wasn’t sure if it should be caulked or not. I’m wondering if anyone else with a Coachmen trailer with this shower surround/enclosure, particularly a 204RD, has noticed this. If so, have you caulked around it top and bottom, or brought it to the dealer’s attention? My concern is the possibility of any open plumbing behind the surround being exposed to water, in the event water runs down the wall behind the surround. I’m not concerned about the wallpaper behind it being exposed to water, only any open plumbing behind the surround. I’ve posted some photos in order for you to see the top and bottom areas of shower surround which demonstrate no caulking was done. Thank you for any comments. [IMG][/IMG]

[Wiscampsin]

The bottom of the walls go over a lip on the shower pan so not much to worry about there. Not sure about the top having to be caulked.

[SeaDog]

In my opinion the bottom can remain open for reasons stated by Wiscampsin however the top should be caulked to stop the condensation during a shower from running down the inside wall and saturating it instead of into the shower. Plumbing behind the surround is not a worry however the wall being wet is. I jus thought of this the wall being damp behind the surround seems like a good place for mold to grow. Just a thought

[RandK-M]

Mine isn't caulked either and as Wiscampsin mentioned the bottom has a lip that goes up behind the wall pieces so that should be fine. Also, that wallpaper is often waterproof. On some trailers, including my last little Jayco, it didn't even have a plastic surround and just had the wallpaper which I questioned, but Jayco and others said that was common and it was waterproof.


Ray

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by D321

The shower surround/enclosure in our 204RD is not caulked around the top of the enclosure, nor is it caulked around the bottom of the enclosure. We mentioned this at the time of the walk-through and were told it was not supposed to be caulked. The wallpaper behind the shower surround is the same wallpaper as on the walls. I even called Coachmen and spoke with a representative who told me he really wasn’t sure if it should be caulked or not. I’m wondering if anyone else with a Coachmen trailer with this shower surround/enclosure, particularly a 204RD, has noticed this. If so, have you caulked around it top and bottom, or brought it to the dealer’s attention? My concern is the possibility of any open plumbing behind the surround being exposed to water, in the event water runs down the wall behind the surround. I’m not concerned about the wallpaper behind it being exposed to water, only any open plumbing behind the surround. I’ve posted some photos in order for you to see the top and bottom areas of shower surround which demonstrate no caulking was done. Thank you for any comments. Attachment 205759[IMG]Attachment 205760[/IMG]Attachment 205763

I have similar enclosure in my unit and silicone-ed the entire enclosure . been 4 yrs no issues . don't expect it to be warranty it's not this is the way they come . get used to making things correct yourself and then you know it'll be done right

[D321]

Originally Posted by RandK-M

Mine isn't caulked either and as Wiscampsin mentioned the bottom has a lip that goes up behind the wall pieces so that should be fine. Also, that wallpaper is often waterproof. On some trailers, including my last little Jayco, it didn't even have a plastic surround and just had the wallpaper which I questioned, but Jayco and others said that was common and it was waterproof.


Ray

Our first trailer had no surround either. We never had any issue with the wallpaper...I always wiped the walls down after showering just to cut down on moisture in the trailer.

[D321]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

In my opinion the bottom can remain open for reasons stated by Wiscampsin however the top should be caulked to stop the condensation during a shower from running down the inside wall and saturating it instead of into the shower. Plumbing behind the surround is not a worry however the wall being wet is. I jus thought of this the wall being damp behind the surround seems like a good place for mold to grow. Just a thought

Thank you for your comment. I hadn’t thought about issue of mold behind the surround. This does need to be addressed further.

[Kimber45]

my first trailer didn't have a surround either. sounds crazy. I also always wiped down the walls after a shower. lucky is was a starter unit and moved on before long term ware. If not having caulk bothers you go buy a tube.

[Draggo]

My current trailer is my 4th one and none of them have been caulked at the top or bottom. The bottom makes sense because of the lip as previously mentioned. The top is open to allow some airflow behind the panel which should help keep it dry and prevent any mold. I've never had a problem with it in 20 years. Plus when you think about it, how much water would actually get back there? It's a trailer shower with a small hot water tank (in most cases) so how long and hot of a shower can you take?

[D321]

You are right! We have done our best to be careful in holding the sprayer high enough to keep water from running behind the surround. We didn’t want to caulk or do something ourselves to cause a warranty issue, in the event an issue develops. We just weren’t sure if the information we received initially on the walk-through was correct. Thank you for your courteous and prompt response. I feel better now!

[Riverbend]

Caulking is just one aspect of RV ownership you'll be best served by doing yourself and to your comfort level and expectations. Regarding the shower, I caulked all around the top of ours, as well as the framework/track for the door...both inside and outside. I also check the caulk yearly.

[Huntnfishn]

Bottom should not be caulked. Those are supposed to be left open to drain back into the pan. Even though it seems wrong, leaving the top without caulk will actually allow for better ventilation behind surround and result in less mold.
If you "seal" everything up with caulk you will end up with mold behind surround guaranteed.

[Riverbend]

Originally Posted by Huntnfishn

Bottom should not be caulked. Those are supposed to be left open to drain back into the pan. Even though it seems wrong, leaving the top without caulk will actually allow for better ventilation behind surround and result in less mold.
If you "seal" everything up with caulk you will end up with mold behind surround guaranteed.

This is obviously going to be a two sided argument. The potential for "airflow" behind a shower panel, at varying gaps of virtually nothing to maybe 1/8" nominally, is virtually nonexistent. But it will, if uncaulked, allow oxygen, which I doubt could be considered to be "flowing". When moisture gets in there from the gaps above, there's your mold manifestation right there. Mold needs moisture, and it needs oxygen. We can agree to graciously disagree on this all day long, and in the end go our own way. But you can bet, as someone who's owned and repaired numerous recreational vehicles/trailers/boats, that I'll be sealing up my nooks and crannies from becoming wet and moldy. Mold is a living organism that needs air and water. Remove the threat, remove the problem.

[NMWildcat]

Caulking the shower panels top or bottom is up to your preference. I always caulk the top if it wasn't done already. Just common sense.
I don't usually caulk the bottom due to the overlapping lip, but in my current shower, it was leaking in the bottom corners where the glass panel frame butted up to the base and the side. Tried caulking just the corners, but ended up caulking the entire base seam to stop it. No problems and it's now six years old. And there will be no mold, if there is no moisture. I have clear access to back and bottom of shower for verification.

[Huntnfishn]

Originally Posted by Riverbend

This is obviously going to be a two sided argument. The potential for "airflow" behind a shower panel, at varying gaps of virtually nothing to maybe 1/8" nominally, is virtually nonexistent. But it will, if uncaulked, allow oxygen, which I doubt could be considered to be "flowing". When moisture gets in there from the gaps above, there's your mold manifestation right there. Mold needs moisture, and it needs oxygen. We can agree to graciously disagree on this all day long, and in the end go our own way. But you can bet, as someone who's owned and repaired numerous recreational vehicles/trailers/boats, that I'll be sealing up my nooks and crannies from becoming wet and moldy. Mold is a living organism that needs air and water. Remove the threat, remove the problem.

It is pretty impossible to keep a complete seal on a surround with a persons weight moving around while showering and the walls shifting going down the road and just normal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. Every time I have seen a surround caulked around the bottom, it results in mold. Every time.
With that being said, you are correct that no matter what, there will always be those who choose to do things their own way.
Good luck.

[Bob43]

My 26RR Grey Wolf was not calked.. I took it apart on about day 3 and Calked all even the Screws that attached it to the wall were not calked when I took them out ... They are now .. bottom line I calked all around but did NOT calk the bottom as it sits on a lip making it difficult for water to get up behind it ..... Right or wrong mine is Calked .. Good luck with what ever you choose to do

Bob

[MilCop4523]

our 2018 KZ was the same way.
I protected the top from shower water coming into the panel area but left the bottom open for any condensation which will occur when the hot water hits a cold wall.
our 2019 GEOPRO doesn't even have a shower enclosure.

[D321]

Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to comment.

[D321]

Thank you for all your comments.

[D321]

Originally Posted by MilCop4523

our 2018 KZ was the same way.
I protected the top from shower water coming into the panel area but left the bottom open for any condensation which will occur when the hot water hits a cold wall.
our 2019 GEOPRO doesn't even have a shower enclosure.

Our first trailer was an EPro. It didn’t have an enclosure either, but we never had a problem. We added additional caulk to some areas around the shower to be sure no seeping water anywhere. We always wiped down the walls and door after showering too. We loved that little 14 foot trailer, but just outgrew it!