2014 Forest River Salem Hemisphere 282RK

[Eddy G]

How often do I need to condition my roof, and what do I need to use. I do not know if I have a rubber or vinal roof, And What What should I use to seal the side of the camper, I been have told different things, 0ne was Dap 3.0, which is not easy to find. I have been told to use the self leveling caulk on top.

[BigJohnD]

A rough guess, but I'd bet the roof is a dicor epdm. Roof to side wall seams (Where the rubber meets the trim at the radius, dicor 551, which is a non-sag sealant and easy to use. Roof vents, front / rear cap seam, sewer vents etc, Dicor 501 self leveling lap sealant, or coat all the existing dicor lap sealant with Pro-Guard Liquid Roof and be done with it. Side walls and everything else, my preference and a lot of others, Geocel Pro-Flex. Pick you're color, comes in tan, black, clear and a few others. I always use clear. All of the above can be found at camping world for the most part, or ordered at several other RV parts places online. On the Geo-cel, if you want black or tan, usually you have to order online from somewhere other than camping world. Also, note on the Geocel, when applying, you have to work quickly as tack time is quick (do short runs), plus if you use the finger method to smooth it, dip your finger in mineral spirits, not water.

As for cleaning roof, depends on how you use the RV and if it's stored indoors. If outdoors all the time, I'd clean the roof at least 3-4 times a year with the roof cleaner of your choice and a brush. Several types to choose from, and several threads on that. A safe bet that's pretty much the same thing or same effectiveness as dicor's rubber roof cleaner, is warm water and dawn dish soap. As for conditioning, that's up to you. Really no need to, but if it makes you feel better, wipe it down with Aerospace 303 or one of the other roof treatments. You'll find that they might cut back on the black streaks some, but I've never found any of them to last very long. People have had an RV for 10-15 years and never treated the roof, and it still not be too bad. Treatment is more of a sales gimick to me. Manf. just requires cleaning to satisfy warranty.

[oxcamper]

We keep ours parked in a CG under some oak trees. I get up about once / month to sweep and if there's a lot of sap and dust (gravel drives and traffic kicks up clouds of dust), I wash it maybe 2x in the summer and again once before I cover it for the winter. I just use a roof cleaner (can't remember what brand) and a soft bristle brush. This is the time I also inspect the caulk. We use dish soap and the brush for the sides. We don't use any conditioning for either the roof or walls.

If you cover it, get a good quality RV cover, don't try to use tarps, they don't breath and will cause moisture and problems with mold and mildew.

[Eddy G]

Thanks so much.