Window leaking

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J

Jimdamedic

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Jul 22, 2015
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157
Forgive my imprecise terminology with this post. We had a rainy weekend in Iowa. Poured all weekend and no leaks. On the way home, in the driving rain, one of the windows leaked. This is a sealed window, in other words, it doesn?t open. There is a piece of weatherstripping on the outside. It?s not exactly loose but not exactly right either. Can I use silicone caulk around the outside?  Does the weatherstripping have to be replaced?
 
No way of knowing exactly what you have.  Silicone is never used on a trailer because nothing sticks to it and future repairs are extremely difficult.  If you have a window leaking, it is best to remove it and seal it properly, applying caulk around the edges is simply a band-aid fix.
 
If you can take a picture of your window and post it, we can give you better advise.  In short, this link is to some very good RV sealant, comes in different colors too.    https://www.amazon.com/Geocel-28100V-Crystal-Flexible-Sealant/dp/B001FC98X2

 
Butyl tape is often laid down around the opening of a window before the window is installed, then the inner and outer parts of the window are inserted and screwed together. When the screws are tightened, it compresses the tape and seals the window. Over time, the tape can ooze out of position and create gaps, which can cause a leak.

You might want to try snugging down the screws on the inside of the window frame to recompress the butyl tape. That may, or may not close any gaps that are creating the leak. A more long term solution would be to remove the window, scrape away the old tape, and install new tape. It's not a difficult task, but it takes a little time. I would not recommend using silicon to seal the window.

Kev
 
Yep..leaking window...next comes delamination.
Watch this video on:https://youtu.be/SpCmg8BTuFE
Go here to lean about sealants: http://www.delamrepair.com/bestrvcampermotorhomesealantscaulks.html
I recently used Sikaflex urethane to bed and seal a few windows on my Class C.
I found it athttps://www.rvroofandwall.com/rvcaulksandsealants.htm

Just don't repeat what the factory did, because it will leak again!
 
I would not recommend using Sikaflex glass sealants between metal window frames and the sidewall. If you ever need to replace or repair the window, the sidewall will be damaged to get it out.  It's great for bedding the glass itself in the frame, though.  Roader didn't mention which of the many Sikaflex compounds he used, though, and other types of Sikaflex are fine for sealing joints and mated surfaces.  I mention this because Sikaflex is well known for high performance glass sealants and used by many professional glass shops on windshields and such.  If you just ask for "Sikaflex", you may get one of those instead of another type.

Between frame and sidewall you want something that stays somewhat flexible, so butyl tape or a common door & window caulk is a decent choice and convenient to use. Properly applied, it should last a couple decades, yet still be removable at need.
 
Honestly, the best way to find a leak is to box it in somehow and pressurize it to see where it is leaking on the outside. A sealed wooden box is preferred. You only need to increase pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure, then you can spray soapy water on it and see where it bubbles.
 
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