rubber roof treatment

[hoddinron]

Hi all,

Our 2016 Sabre 25RL is our 2nd 5th wheel, and 2nd trailer with a rubber roof. Last spring I had Parliment Coach in Clearwater treat the roof. 
They washed it, and put a sealant on it, but it didn't look much different than it did when I took it to them.  Previously I had a roof treatment done at Camping World, and they charged a LOT more, but it was a much more thorough job.  Looked like it was "re-coated" - not just cleaned and sealer put on it.

I'm somewhat of a maintenance freak, and want to take care of this roof, especially since we live in west Florida, and the sun is brutal. 

What is the appropriate maintenance schedule for the roof? And how often do you do it? 

Thanks for you expertise on this.  I get a lot of different prices and opinions at the dealerships!

Ron and Joyce

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The rubber roof doesn't need any "treatment" to make it last - most of those treatments are just cosmetic, a waxy substance to help it shed dirt.  Washing it occasionally helps keep grime from building up and mold growing in the pores of the EPDM, though.  Use any household detergent and add some bleach to help kill/remove mold spores.

Re-coating is different matter. That is done when the EPDM has worn away and the backing fabric is showing through. It is NOT a routine treatment.

What IS necessary is periodic inspection and touch-up of the caulked seams and openings around vents and such. You can DIY that easily if you don't mind crawling around the roof on hands & knees. Use a EPDM lap sealant such as Dicor 501 Slef Leveling.

Here is Dicor's recommendation for maintenance of their EPDM rubber roof material:
https://dicorproducts.com/product/dicor-epdm-rubber-roofing-3/#care

 

[hoddinron]

Thanks Gary.  That's kind of what I expected.  I had the first trailer's roof recoated after a few years in the FL sun.  This one is so new I think I'll wash and inspect and perhaps seal it again this spring.

Ron

 

[John From Detroit]

That Dicor cleaner is a fairly "New" product (meaning less than 13 years, MY RV is 13).

Back in 2005 IT was recomended to use Spic&Span.. which I have done 2x a year since new.. Beyond that exactly what Dicor recommends.

I may switch to Dicor's cleaner as Spic&span is getting harder to find.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I always used a heavy duty, multi-purpose detergent plus a generous amount of bleach, whether the roof was rubber, TPO or fiberglass. Spic & Span used to be a favorite of mine as well, but increasingly hard to find.  In more recent years I've used Simple Green, Mean Green, Purple Power, etc.  As long as it does not contain caustic chemicals or  petroleum-based solvents, it will not damage the membrane or anything else.

The Tilex that Dicor recommends is simply a pre-mix of detergent and bleach, combining cleansing with mold removal.