Roof - What is your advice for leak?

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KandT

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OK, sorry if you read my last post about my roof but as I learn my position changes.  Initially, I thought I needed a new membrane.  Now I am thinking that is overkill.

What would you do if you had this problem? 

As you can see I have some rot on the inside ceiling (third pic).  It is back by the blackwater vent.  The roof has a seperate soft spot.  Not sure if it is rot or seperated luan.  No sag on the roof except when I step on the soft spot and no sag on the ceiling.  No visual evidence inside the MH except where there is some rot.  Even that is not overt - I had to pull the ceiling back after seeing some little black spots.

How do I diagnose this issue?  How do I dry it out?  Any chance it just needs recaulked and maybe a new vent?  The softspot on the roof is near the air  conditioner.  Any chance there is a caulking leak there?

Any help is much appreciated.  I am thinking the black membrane is in good condition except for the tears which I will repair with eternalbond, recaulk and then paint with Dicor EPDM sealant. 

I am hesitent to take it to a dealer.

Thanks in Advance!!
 

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Sorry to say, but you have serious problems.  Wood rot,mold issues can lead to health issues. I would tear the roof off, inspect and remidy any rot/mold problems and rebuild the roof.
 
My advice stands. ;D

You may get lucky, but from my experience, by the time most problems show themselves the damage is worse than it appears.  The only way to know for sure is to peel back the membrane.

As I said i would tarp it until you have good reliable weather.  In Pa that's May if your lucky, unless you have a garage or car port to work under.

You can try to remove the A/C  face plate from the inside and see if the roof is in good shape along the edges.

I wouldn't bring my TT to any dealer without complete confidence in their staff. 

How long do you plan to keep it?
Even the work you want to perform isn't going to be cheap.

From my perspective if you want it for more than a year or two, and don't want to ruin a trip over a looming issue then fix it correctly.

Sealing in water damage is a complete crap shoot.
 
I think you are best off giving it away and finding a different RV. I don't think it is fixable without spending more than the RV is worth.
 
We have been itching to get a class "A" so maybe this is the time.  Not sure what to do????
 
New roof from one end to the other then sell it out of town as a handy man special. The wood rot probably extends down inside the walls. Once it starts it will just get worse.
 
A new membrane (or not) is the least of the concerns here. As others have said, the damaged area needs to be opened up and the rotted wood replaced. That could be a moderate handyman chore or a real can of worms, depending on how far the damage extends in ceiling and walls. Paying someone else to do it, especially at RV dealer rates, will be a major expense, so DIY is the preferred solution. However, it is not a chore for those lacking handyman skills, or a place to work while protected from weather.

Patching the membrane stops the leak, but what about the damage already done?  I would start by removing the outer covering in that area and determining how much of the roof substrate needs to be replaced. Maybe you will be lucky and tearing up that one section of plywood will be enough, but the fact that you can see rotted wood from the inside makes that doubtful.

I suppose you could patch the tear(s) and then sell it as-is. A handyman type might buy it, or maybe somebody really naive.

 
KandT said:
We have been itching to get a class "A" so maybe this is the time.  Not sure what to do????
Click to expand...
you could just drive it over to a big rv dealer and trade it in....  let it be the dealers problem. 

TPO roofs on rv's typically only last about 10 years,  so look for a class A with a solid fiberglass roof.    :)
 
The advantage of a fiberglass roof is that it is less susceptible to the tears that seem to be the cause of the problem on this coach. Tearing aside, I think TPO lasts much longer than the 10 years that Tony suggests; the material itself is warranted for that long. In my opinion, 15-20 years would be a reasonable expectation.

The real culprit here is that the previous owner ignored the tear and subsequent leakage, so rot damage started and kept on spreading. Prompt attention would have avoided the damage - it doesn't happen overnight.
 
One thing you should do is go around the entire rv on the in and outside, paying particular attention to the top and bottom wall edges, and push real hard looking for anything soft, spongy, or de-laminating.  Do the same inside.  Look for anything suspicious.  Water damage along the floor under cabinets, etc.  It may give you some kind of indicator whether the water intruded beyond the roof.  Still it's risky not to know for sure and just seal it up.
 
the lifespan of a membrane rood has a lot to do with maintenance......

wet climates dirt can induced mold rot,  and sun/smog damage kills them out here in the west. 
 
Makes you wonder, If all manufacturers would for a few dollars more just put a plastic roof on all motorhomes and trailers would that be too much to ask for. How much more could it be to install plastic. All comes down to the almighty dollar and where they can cut corners. I have been looking at higher end trailers, the Blackstone and the Black rock, and the Arctic Fox. They are all quite expensive , and they all install membrane roofs. You can tell I am not a fan of membrane roofs.


Bill
 
billwild said:
Makes you wonder, If all manufacturers would for a few dollars more just put a plastic roof on all motorhomes and trailers would that be too much to ask for. How much more could it be to install plastic. All comes down to the almighty dollar and where they can cut corners. I have been looking at higher end trailers, the Blackstone and the Black rock, and the Arctic Fox. They are all quite expensive , and they all install membrane roofs. You can tell I am not a fan of membrane roofs.


Bill
Click to expand...

Plastic?  Without adequate UV protection most plastics will desinigrate in a few short years.  Do you really want some loose plastic flapping in the wind while your driving down the road?  I think not!
 
there has to be some new kind of plastic roof material that can handle the elements ..

they have been using cad/cam formed plastic panels on cars for years now.

labor is an expensive part of production,  hand formed fiberglass is a rather labor intensive procedure.
 
I have an appt. at an RV repair shop tomorrow.  It is easy to get an appt. during February in Pennsylvania.

The picture makes the rot look worse than it is.  It us only about 4 - 6inches around with dry wood around it.



I will see what they think.
 
SeilerBird said:
I think you are best off giving it away and finding a different RV. I don't think it is fixable without spending more than the RV is worth.
Click to expand...

How much do you think it will cost to fix and how much do you think it is worth?
 
I said plastic, however I should have said fibreglass. Our coach was 10 years old and the fiberglass roof was still in great shape, and needed little in the way of maintenance  during the period we had it..


Bill
 
per NADA it appears to be about a mid $30k motorhome,    so, it may be well worth putting a new roof on.

    or ! ..you could trade it in on a shiny new class A .... ;).
 
I am a DIY guy and I suggest that you completely remove the covering so that you can see all the damage.  Make sure you have a large canvas in case it rains.  Replace or get help replacing the rotted or soaked wood and trusses.  Then remove all vents, air conditioners and anything that sticks above the roof line.  Then install a rubber roof membrane and lap over the edge as it was originally  and  replace the removed A/C, etc and seal everything really good.
It is beyond me why anyone would suggest giving away such a MH but then I guess some just don't know how to fix stuff.
I am guessing that you are able to do this with a helper.
Marvin
 
Th
GA_Boy said:
I am a DIY guy and I suggest that you completely remove the covering so that you can see all the damage.  Make sure you have a large canvas in case it rains.  Replace or get help replacing the rotted or soaked wood and trusses.  Then remove all vents, air conditioners and anything that sticks above the roof line.  Then install a rubber roof membrane and lap over the edge as it was originally  and  replace the removed A/C, etc and seal everything really good.
It is beyond me why anyone would suggest giving away such a MH but then I guess some just don't know how to fix stuff.
I am guessing that you are able to do this with a helper.
Marvin
Click to expand...

Thanks GA boy - looks like I can do it if need be for not all that much money (in RV terms).  Just some work which thanks to my father I am not afraid of!
 
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