Resealing the RV roof

[Papa Dee]

I am, when it warms up, going to consider resealing my RV roof. I have seen 4" wide tape and self-leveling caulking. Which would be better.... or would a combination of both be best? ...... any thoughts

[1100mike]

The tape is almost forever, caulk is a continuous chore. Just clean it well before Eternabond tape..
Did mine 2 years ago, looks great!

[ChrisParise]

Originally Posted by Papa Dee

I am, when it warms up, going to consider resealing my RV roof. I have seen 4" wide tape and self-leveling caulking. Which would be better.... or would a combination of both be best? ...... any thoughts

It's a 2018, right? What does your roof inspection show? Any cracks, pits, or voids?



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[Chuck_S]

Eternabond tape is a commercial roofing product originally designed for building roofs but adopted by the RV community because it works so well. Best applied to a spotlessly clean surface. Just follow the instructions to including rolling after installation.

Unlike Mike I did mine in 16 years ago and it still looks and performs well.

Preventive maintenance over all roof seams especially the front and end caps and around any openings. While you're up there ruthlessly caulk all the clearance lights and check the skylights and vent covers for degradation from sunlight -- I had one turn to granola after a dozen years.

Use the self leveling caulk where you can't tape and note you can tape over existing caulk as there's a good bonding surface on either side.

-- Chuck

[Bob K4TAX]

I guess my first question is, "why on a 2018 trailer does the roof need to be sealed?".

Ours is 2016, has been outside all of its life, and looks new.......when I clean it. As I understand, unless there is damage, sealing or resealing is not generally recommended.

Bob

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Bob K4TAX

I guess my first question is, "why on a 2018 trailer does the roof need to be sealed?".

Ours is 2016, has been outside all of its life, and looks new.......when I clean it. As I understand, unless there is damage, sealing or resealing is not generally recommended.

Bob

Since you asked, the Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Seal which everyone raves about tends to shrink and crack after a few years. Water can infiltrate through the cracks or at the edges where it has pulled back.

I would not be surprised to see this on a five-year old trailer, although I just started to see problems on our 2008, a decade older.

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by Bob K4TAX

I guess my first question is, "why on a 2018 trailer does the roof need to be sealed?".

Ours is 2016, has been outside all of its life, and looks new.......when I clean it. As I understand, unless there is damage, sealing or resealing is not generally recommended.

Bob

I guess my first question is, "why call a class C motorhome a trailer?" The thread is posted in the Forester and Sunseeker forum. OP's RV description is in their profile.

[Chuck_S]

Roofs are roofs.

-- Chuck

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

Roofs are roofs.

-- Chuck

If roofs are roofs, are they Fiberglass, EPDM, TPO, PVC, Aluminum? Would they all be maintained or repaired in the same way? It's probably best for someone to know the RV's roof type before offering advice.

I looked up the brochure for the OP's 2018 Forester and it's claimed to be fiberglass.

[TowPro]

did you know you should inspect and seal that roof at least 2x per year?
just an FYI

[Duckogram]

While roofs are roofs and trailers are trailers the material used on F/SS for many many years is Filon. While commonly referred to as fiberglass because it contains fiberglass it is a glue down roll on product. In recent years FR has been using silicone sealant (search KaryKatz posts to find the brand) however Dicor SL lap sealant was the standard on the OP’s unit.

As mentioned, cleaning and inspections are paramount to maintaining roof integrity. It has been my experience that eternabond tape is easier to maintain. I used that method when I replaced vents with fans (search my 2800 post to see photos of that). Eternabond recommends applying sealant around edges and over seams as well. While that is not necessary it will prevent peeling of the TPO top layer.

One factor that might be considered is that for some reason folks purchasing a MOTORHOME with a taped roof tend to think there is/was a problem with it.

Here is an example of a roof on a trailer taken in Zakopane PL. A fine trailer solution.

Happy Holidays to all.

[Papa Dee]

The reason I asked the question is... when I was working on my roof ac unit, in the rain, ( l was inside) there was a leak around the unit. It was 7°F that night.... I'm not going up on top to check until it warms up!!!! When I do I want the best info while considering the fix. All of you have given me alot to consider. Thanks

Papa Dee

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Papa Dee

The reason I asked the question is... when I was working on my roof ac unit, in the rain, ( l was inside) there was a leak around the unit. It was 7°F that night.... I'm not going up on top to check until it warms up!!!! When I do I want the best info while considering the fix. All of you have given me a lot to consider. Thanks

Papa Dee

Air conditioners usually do not have any sealing. A foam gasket is used between the unit and roof. The air conditioner should be tightened from below until the gasket is compressed to one-half it's original thickness.

Leaks occur when the gasket is compressed EITHER TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE.

[TowPro]

I'm still trying to picture it raining at 7 deg F.

[Chuck_S]

It's a hard rain.

-- Chuck

[Bob K4TAX]

Originally Posted by BehindBars

I guess my first question is, "why call a class C motorhome a trailer?" The thread is posted in the Forester and Sunseeker forum. OP's RV description is in their profile.

The OP had it stated as an RV. { I didn't look at his profile} Now in my thinking, a jet ski is an RV, a pop-up is an RV, a TT is an RV, a 5th wheel is an RV, a rock climber is an RV, and so on. Guess the term RV is somewhat generic.

However, I've never seen a pop-up, travel trailer, 5th wheel referred to as a "coach". That's quite clear.

Just all semantics. Just don't get one's shorts in a wad.

Bob

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Bob K4TAX

The OP had it stated as an RV. { I didn't look at his profile} Now in my thinking, a jet ski is an RV, a pop-up is an RV, a TT is an RV, a 5th wheel is an RV, a rock climber is an RV, and so on. Guess the term RV is somewhat generic.



However, I've never seen a pop-up, travel trailer, 5th wheel referred to as a "coach". That's quite clear.



Just all semantics. Just don't get one's shorts in a wad.



Bob

But did you not see that this thread was posted in the Motorhome section's Forester and Sunseeker sub-forum? It's shown at the top of the page and in the New Posts list.

[Bob K4TAX]

Nah, didn't bother with the small print.

Bob

[Papa Dee]

Ah, come on, TowPro,..... I tried to ask a legitimate info seaking question.... if you read my text, in the afternoon, while raining, I was working on the ac unit. That night, it got to 7°F. I was concerned about the roof leak resulting in water freezing in the walls causing damage.... a legitimate concern.

[ChrisParise]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Air conditioners usually do not have any sealing. A foam gasket is used between the unit and roof. The air conditioner should be tightened from below until the gasket is compressed to one-half it's original thickness.



Leaks occur when the gasket is compressed EITHER TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE.

This appears to be the guiding answer to Papa Dee's subject title "Resealing the RV roof".

What I would do, when the weather warms up, is conduct an overall inspection of the roof seams first focusing on the area near the AC shroud and any other nearby roofing protrusions where sealant may be leaking - water leaks will follow roofing trusses or substrate seams dripping out of other available roof openings so be aware of an origin point away from the ac opening. A wall leak can also be a leaking culprit if up high enough to get into the roofing area but I would focus on the horizontal roof first

Remove vent covers and the AC shroud as necessary to find potential leaks. If the foam seal on the AC is leaking a temporary fix could be made until the unit can be removed.

Dicor self leveling lap sealant may be the easiest quickest way to seal any cracks or voids given colder temps the OP is experiencing. If I wanted to eternabond it later when warmer this still gives that option.

I would keep the sealant warm in the house before using. It should flow well. I would recommend a rotating barrel caulk gun with a trigger release - about $10 at Lowes etc.

Check the Dicor application temp range but I have used it successfully in temps just above freezing - it just takes longer to reach full cure.


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