Rainwater Leak Behind Kitchen Slide Wall and Mold Prevention

[PMay57]

When camping recently we had rainwater to come in on the kitchen slide out wall behind the stove . At first we thought was coming in at the vent cover location. However we discovered a couple of screws that had allowed a small gap in the roof membrane. Athough my husband had viewed the roof months earlier he had not noticed the area needed to be sealed . The water was running behind the microwave (wall mounted) and running out behind the metal on the backsplash part of the wall. I saw it when it first happened & used multiple towels to soak up the water immediately then we pulled the slideout in until we were able to get home to make repairs . My question is this : has anyone else had this to happen , and if so what did they do . I am allergic to mold & mildew so my concern is remediating any mold or mildew before it is a problem (if I can ) without costing a fortune . Since the water did not sit any length of time on the counters nor did it run down the complete length of the wall behind the stove (that I know of) I don’t think we would have rot . Also I have a product that is used to eliminate mold & mildew in flooded homes , I thought I could pour small amount down the wall area were the water intrusion occurred to prevent mold & mildew. The only problem is there is no way to know if it will dry out . I’m trying to not only prevent mold & mildew but also prevent an expensive problem that can cause delamination. ( the evil word my husband doesn’t want to hear me say . lol ) . I would appreciate any assistance or experience advice . Thank you !! Oh, and I have a 2022 Rockwood Ultra lite 5th wheel .

 

[Bearcatrp]

Get a dehumidifier in the camper. Run it until it doesn’t collect water. Fix the leak and dry it out is about the only thing you can do besides ripping out everything to go after it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If you can, close it up and run a good dehumidifier non-stop for a week or two. If not, ventilate! Open windows & roof vents and run fans. In either case, put a fan directly on the affected area. Remove the contents of the surrounding cupboard and blow air in them as well.

Ventilating works well, but some folks choose the dehumidifier method.

 

[Kirk]

In addition to the previous suggestions, I would also use portable fans to blow air into the areas where moisture was, or could have gone, even if below your line of site. Air movement is the best way to get it completely dry so try to get it anywhere that water may have gone.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Well, here's the thing... unless you are located in the Pacific NorthWest where it rains almost year round non-stop, you are probably in a location with heat and sun. Heat and sun will dry out the moisture without any dire consequences, provided the water intrusion is stopped. A one time "wet" and then a good dry-out will not cause mold and mildew. If the "wet" does not dry out, then yes. But, in order for it to NOT dry out, the camper would probably need to be encapsulated in a vacuum proof enclosure.

These campers are not sealed tight anywhere. They breathe everywhere, even inside your walls and under your floors. If you camper is sitting in the sun with intense heat and sun beating down on it, the WET will dry out. No more water, no mold, no mildew. It really is just that simple.

Now, if the camper is located in a wet, humid, moist environment, then it's possible the humidity in the air could prevent the area from drying out, and eventually develop mold or mildew. But eventually..... eventually ... if there is no more water intrusion, it will dry out.

If it were mine (and I've had water leaks and explosions in previous campers), I'd make sure the roof is sealed, the intrusion spot is fix, and simply keep windows and doors open for ventilation and let the sun do it's job. A one time "wet" and then dried out will not cause rot, especially if your camper frame is aluminum with Styrofoam insulation. You may have water spots on any interior wood cabinets or paneling, but probably never "rot" it wasn't wet long enough.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Well, here's the thing... unless you are located in the Pacific NorthWest

Or the coastal Southeast. Or the RV is mostly always parked in a heavily shaded area...

 

[RayIN]

When camping recently we had rainwater to come in on the kitchen slide out wall behind the stove . At first we thought was coming in at the vent cover location. However we discovered a couple of screws that had allowed a small gap in the roof membrane. Athough my husband had viewed the roof months earlier he had not noticed the area needed to be sealed . The water was running behind the microwave (wall mounted) and running out behind the metal on the backsplash part of the wall. I saw it when it first happened & used multiple towels to soak up the water immediately then we pulled the slideout in until we were able to get home to make repairs . My question is this : has anyone else had this to happen , and if so what did they do . I am allergic to mold & mildew so my concern is remediating any mold or mildew before it is a problem (if I can ) without costing a fortune . Since the water did not sit any length of time on the counters nor did it run down the complete length of the wall behind the stove (that I know of) I don’t think we would have rot . Also I have a product that is used to eliminate mold & mildew in flooded homes , I thought I could pour small amount down the wall area were the water intrusion occurred to prevent mold & mildew. The only problem is there is no way to know if it will dry out . I’m trying to not only prevent mold & mildew but also prevent an expensive problem that can cause delamination. ( the evil word my husband doesn’t want to hear me say . lol ) . I would appreciate any assistance or experience advice . Thank you !! Oh, and I have a 2022 Rockwood Ultra lite 5th wheel .

I've had success using Concrobium Mold Control. I see the company is now owned by Rusteoleum.
However the key is stopping the water intrusion. For that I recommend Eternabond sealing tape. Now owned by H.B.Fuller.