Roof maintenance. Need advice.

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Falconwing2016

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Posts
13
Location
Ontario
I've been doing some research about sealing the roof of my RV. It has a rubber roof membrane.

It seems that the Dicor rubber roofing coating system and the self leveling lap sealant are the go-to products for this. For those that use this method, how often are you applying the coating? I've also heard of people just using the lap sealant and foregoing the coating system entirely.

I've also seen videos of people using durabond tape.

Maybe there's something else?

Which method works best? I'm in Ontario so the RV will see all 4 seasons. Its a used 5 year old unit and the roof is in good shape but I want to preserve it.
 
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I simply keep my roof clean and go over all joints with Dicor every fall. One tube is all I need. I just want to prevent water from getting in a crack, freezing, and we know where that ends. The tape is good if you get a rip or an issue, think of it as an excellent bandaid. Recoating should not be necessary for 10-15 years. I will say that I do cover my TT with a decent cover, it helps keep the elements off. Many don't like the concept, but I have a 2012 TT and live in modest midwest usa environment and it keeps it looking practically new.
 
Spencer pretty much summed it up. Check the seams a couple times a year and clean and caulk as necessary. Scrub the roof using a soft brush and one of the cleaners approved for the rubber membrain. Done. Over the years I have tried some of the junk sold to RVers to make the material last longer. None of it IMHO is worth a hoot.
 
It is a good practice to use a quality cleaner for your roof a couple of times a year. I always used Spic and Span with a fresh water rinse as it was recommended by the EDPM manufacturer. After a few years I began to use Roof-Gard on the roof annually after cleaning as I found that it lessened the chalking and stayed much cleaner.
 
You don't re-coat a rubber roof until it is physically worn out, i.e. the canvas backing is starting to show through. It's not a routine maintenance thing that you do - re-caoting is a 15-20 year thing. I suspect you are conflating the application of a protective finish with re-coating. The so-called "rubber roof coat" products that you just spray or wipe on are basically floor wax. Dicor calls theirs "Rubber Roof Protectant". The coating systems are an entirely different animal.
 
Falconwing2016 said:
It seems that 10-15 years is the range based on what I'm seeing here.
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I don't think you can generalize very much. I see EPDM rubber roofs that have lasted 20-25 years and others that barely make 10. Differences in the environmental exposure makes a huge difference, e.g. acid rain, industrial wastes in the air, parked under trees vs open, amount of ultraviolet light, etc. Further, some people recoat simply for cosmetic or reflective reasons - they want a bright white roof. And others use re-coating as a substitute for caulk maintenance - they hope that covering everything is bound to fix whatever leaks exist.

Dicor warranties their EPDM membrane for 12 years, so that should give you a baseline for expected normal life. You can be sure they expect it to last longer than that!
 
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Tileman said:
This is what I used to coat my roof 5 years ago. It still looks new today. Henry 887 Tropicool White 100% Silicone Reflective Roof Coating (24-Piece)-HE887HS078 - The Home Depot
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My roof didn't look to bad. It was old and I was going cross country so I considered it preventive maintenance. The plastic vent covers were showing there age, so I took a chance and rolled the Tropicool on all of them. That worked great. It reflects uv. They offer a lifetime warranty. I can't attest to that because I'm still alive. Do some research. See what other users have to say. I used a roller and a paintbrush to apply. I went with 1 gal. pails instead of the 5 gal. I was afraid that the 5 gal. would start curing before I got it applied.
 
I was in the commercial roofing business for 40+ years so I know a little bit about roof membranes. There are two basic types of roof membranes used on RVs - EPDM and TPO. EPDM will feel more like rubber if you push on it or try to scratch it. TPO will feel more like plastic or vinyl. Both should easily last for 20 years. Neither one of them will benefit from a coating. In fact, coating your roof may make future maintenance more difficult. All you need to do is check all the penetrations and make that they are sealed. I use a good quality urethane caulk. Eternabond tape also works well for repairing any tears or loose seams. Any kind of treatment or conditioner is a total waste of money. If you want to clean your roof, use Spic & Span and rinse with water. Whatever you do, DO NOT use silicone coatings or caulking!!!! Nothing sticks to silicone, so any future maintenance will be difficult.
 
A silicone coating will not harm your roof membrane. It just makes future repairs more difficult as it is difficult to get anything to stick to silicone. If future repairs are necessary, you may have to try to remove the coating in the repair area.
 
B.E.S.T worked very well and got the roof cleaned to my expectations. I used the entire 48 oz. on about 400' ft of roof, or about 2X the recommended amount, just because the roof was so dirty. I'd recommend the use of a very stiff brush for the cleaning and the use of an extension handle to save your back.
 
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I saw a product on facebook, it is a SEMCO liquid membrane and as I read through the comments it seems like it works well. I want to try it out too. Let me know your thoughts.

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