How to fix leaking skylight

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Punomatic

Punomatic

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Sep 28, 2009
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Hi, y'all. The TC in my signature has a skylight in the center of the kitchen area.  Last night we had some rain, and the skylight leaked like a sieve.  It is sealed on the aluminum roof with what appears to be dicor self leveling sealer. The sealer looks pretty new, so I am somewhat baffled. We have owned this TC for about 2 years and repaired some leaky windows, using the putty ribbon and silicone.  So, my questions are as follows:

1) How do I remove the "Dicor" material?
2) Should I completely remove the skylight before resealing?
3) Would it be good to use Eternabond tape, or should I stick with the flowable sealer?
4) Why didn't this happen when I was 30 instead of pushing 70?  :eek:

Thanks in advance for your expert advice.

Tom
 
I tried a patch job on our old trailer, it was a waste of time and materials. You will need to scrape the sealer off to access the screws. Once they are out gently work the vent loose then the remaining sealer being careful not to puncture the roof.
If the roof is wood frame the wood is probably rotten. You will have to assess it and decide how far you want to go. Good luck.
 
clean it all off with plastic scraper, plastic razor blades and or gently with regular not sharp metal scraper, clean well specially if there are signs of silicone. butyl tape should be sandwitched between skylight frame and roof excess cut off them dicor or i am liking sikaflex 1a better  to seal ll around edge and any edge that could lead to a leak. on mine after the clean up i layed eternabond tape the covered from where the dome begins over the screws and onto the roof even then caulked the edges. this left it more level and able to drain easier.
 
Thanks for the replies.  This sounds just as difficult as I imagined it would be!! :p  I am hoping there is no rot, because the camper has been garaged between uses, and we usually go out in fair weather.  Just missed this time. (The sun is shining now and no rain is in the forecast for the remainder of our trip.) At the very least, it should not be saturated. There is no staining inside and no odor of mildew or dry rot, both of which I know well from my boating days.

Again, thanks for your thoughtful replies.

Tom

 
I played those patching games, until a close examination revealed small cracks, probably due to UV exposure. Just replace it. They are not that expensive and saves you a ton of aggravation. Once you try to pry it loose, chances are it will crack.

The new skylight does not have to be a perfect match. The replacement I used was a bit longer and wider. Think I paid ~$30.
 
I also layed caulking over anything that appeared like a crack on the dome usually on the corners  so what if you can see it from below. i think the eterna tape took care of some of those also.
 
mikef said:
I played those patching games, until a close examination revealed small cracks, probably due to UV exposure. Just replace it. They are not that expensive and saves you a ton of aggravation. Once you try to pry it loose, chances are it will crack.

The new skylight does not have to be a perfect match. The replacement I used was a bit longer and wider. Think I paid ~$30.
Click to expand...
I took your advice, Mike.  Removed the caulk and found tons of cracks in the flange of the dome. There was a screw missing, too.  I got the dome off and took off the trim around the opening in the ceiling. It was 1/8" plywood that had delaminated. I found some moisture in the framing of the hole, but NO ROT! Hallelujah!  ;D.  I ordered a new dome from EZ Tops Worldwide, Inc..

I didn't get one for $30, but the one I ordered has overall dimensions of 21 1/2" X 37 1/2", so I expected to pay more than that, and 1/3 of the cost is for shipping. It is made of 1/8" lexan. They claim you can stand on the dome and not hurt it.  The domes are made up to order, so it will take 2 or 3 weeks to get it to OR from ME.

I guess we will be taking a break from RVing for a little while. DW wants to try a Forest River rPod, and we found a place to rent one. We may do that in the meantime. Most years we camp at least once a month, so we don't want to miss October; it's my favorite month of the year!  :)

I'll report back with pictures of the new install, when it's complete.
 
Well, thanks to all of the good advice and helpful hints I get on this forum, my new skylight is installed. We went camping on Monday and stayed until Wednesday.  Tuesday night the sky opened up, and we had steady rain for several hours. Nary a drop of water found its way into the camper. Thanks to all of you who encouraged me with advice and how to's. And thanks to Mike, who was adamant that what was needed is a NEW skylight, not just a patch job!

Edit: Oops! Sorry the interior shot is rotated 90 degrees. Some times my tech savvy just leaves me.
 

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Sam! said:
Nice work! How much did the dome cost you
Click to expand...
The dome was $114, but shipping was $43, so the total was $157. This dome is 37 1/2" long and 21 1/2" wide.  I guess the alternative was to only use the camper in fair weather. For me it was worth the money to know I can go out in all kinds of weather.
 
That is not a fun job but I can tell you feel good having done it. 8)
 
You are right, Roy. I have never taken an RV to a dealer, except when I had a MH and needed mechanical work on the chassis components. I do all my own repairs. That way I know how things work, in case I have a problem in the future. Did the same through owning 6 sailboats. DW thinks I'm a skinflint, but part of why I do my own repairs is the above, and part is the satisfaction of knowing it's at least done with care and a good deal of thought, even if it may be a bit unorthodox on occasion.  ::)
 
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