Roof repair

[Fenneran]

I have a 20 year old Citation TT that we picked up last year at an auction. We've remodeled a bit on the inside and all systems seems to be fine.
I took it to a local dealer to have the roof recoated and they said they found some soft spots, so the only thing they could do was an entire replacement of the roof itself. Like tear it all off. Estimate of $8k-$10k.
Did I mention that's its 20 years old?
So I brought it home and was looking at it today. There is a spot near the a/c that is a bit spongy and one section that has delaminated a bit (they patched that spot when they were up there).
So, the question is: what do you suggest? Is there a roofing "goop" I can paint on to give it some life? It's obviously not worth dropping $10k on tearing the roof off, so we just want to get as much life as we can. I've included a few pics to show what I've got.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

There are numerous coatings you can apply to TPO/EPDM roofs. Look at Henry's tropi-cool, Heng's RV roof coat, RV roof magic, RV Flex Repair, and others. No way I'd re-roof a 20 year old trailer either.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Just don't fix the spongy area - it will still last for years. Overcoat the roof with one of the products that Mark mentioned to provide an effective water seal as well as looking pretty. Just be careful of the spongy areas if walking around up there.

 

[Kirk]

One thing not mentioned is that you need to clean it thoroughly before you apply whatever coating you choose.

 

[Fenneran]

One thing not mentioned is that you need to clean it thoroughly before you apply whatever coating you choose.

Yes. In fact, the dealer cleaned it very well before telling me they couldn't do anything. I ordered the RV Flex Repair and will be doing it next week.

 

[bigb56]

FWIW you can also buy Eternabond in 12" wide pieces. I bought a piece to cover my fiberglass roof where I removed my dish.

 

[RGar1]

I have a 20 year old Citation TT that we picked up last year at an auction. We've remodeled a bit on the inside and all systems seems to be fine.
I took it to a local dealer to have the roof recoated and they said they found some soft spots, so the only thing they could do was an entire replacement of the roof itself. Like tear it all off. Estimate of $8k-$10k.
Did I mention that's its 20 years old?
So I brought it home and was looking at it today. There is a spot near the a/c that is a bit spongy and one section that has delaminated a bit (they patched that spot when they were up there).
So, the question is: what do you suggest? Is there a roofing "goop" I can paint on to give it some life? It's obviously not worth dropping $10k on tearing the roof off, so we just want to get as much life as we can. I've included a few pics to show what I've got.

If the roof is soft or has some soft spots, you will need to replace the roof. If you are handy and have some friends that are handy you could do it yourself. I replaced mine for under $2,000 and that included the rubber,glue and most of the vents. I did hire a local carpenter who has replaced rubber roofs on houses. His labor for a day was about $700. We replaced 3 pieces of MDR board that were soft. I bought all my roofing supplies on amazon.The rubber was 9 x 30. It included 2 cans of glue and 4 tubes of lap sealer. I also replaced the kitchen and bathroom vents, the refridgerator vent and the 2 vent pipe caps. All the material was less than $1300. We got the 3 pieces of MDR replaced and the rubber roof glued down in one day. The next day I got the vents replaced and the following day I put the A/C unit back. So figure 1 full day , 1 - 6 hour day and 2 hours for the A/C. Before you tackle it, watch some videos on Youtube to see how a rubber roof is replaced.

 

[Bzerull]

If the roof is soft or has some soft spots, you will need to replace the roof. If you are handy and have some friends that are handy you could do it yourself. I replaced mine for under $2,000 and that included the rubber,glue and most of the vents. I did hire a local carpenter who has replaced rubber roofs on houses. His labor for a day was about $700. We replaced 3 pieces of MDR board that were soft. I bought all my roofing supplies on amazon.The rubber was 9 x 30. It included 2 cans of glue and 4 tubes of lap sealer. I also replaced the kitchen and bathroom vents, the refridgerator vent and the 2 vent pipe caps. All the material was less than $1300. We got the 3 pieces of MDR replaced and the rubber roof glued down in one day. The next day I got the vents replaced and the following day I put the A/C unit back. So figure 1 full day , 1 - 6 hour day and 2 hours for the A/C. Before you tackle it, watch some videos on Youtube to see how a rubber roof is replaced.

Thank you for sharing this information. Now that you have it, is there anything you would do differently if you were to do it over again? I have a motor home that is over 20 years old. No soft spots (at least i haven’t found any yet). Nothing major leaking, just preventive maintenance is what i have in mind. Thank you.

 

[Kirk]

just preventive maintenance is what i have in mind.

An RV roof should be inspected at least once a year. Check the condition of the roof material and also all caulking used on edges and penetrations. Any caulking that is in poor condition, cracked, or loose should be removed and replaced. Use a caulk type that is approved for whatever your roof is made of.