How Much To Reseal A Camper Roof

Seal Team Sikaflex 715 And 521

With the decals removed, and the filon de-oxidized, the next step was to caulk and seal our camper. Having been to all the factories, we knew we wanted to use Sikaflex 715 for our TPO rubber roof, and Sikaflex 521 for the exterior filon.

Sikaflex was first brought to our attention by Bob Mehrer of Snowriver in 2007. Bob had tested various sealants and had concluded that Sikaflex was the best. In 2010, Mony Penn of Eagle Cap had also tested Sikaflex and was using it exclusively on Eagle Cap campers for the same reason. Other industry veterans over the years had told us much the same Sikaflex was expensive, but worth it.

TIP: In our, Maintaining Camper Seals article, Mike Kernagis, Service Manager for Palomino RV, recommended Dicor self-leveling sealant for TPO rubber roofs, and Geocel MHRV for exterior filon. Dicor and Geocel are what most RV manufacturers use at their factories and are less expensive alternatives to Sikaflex.

Reasonsto Reseal Your Roof

A leaking roof can quickly become a traveltrailer owners worst nightmare. Even the smallest of holes can lead tosignificant damage and expensive repairs. Because of this, it is recommendedthat trailer owners regularly check up on the condition of their model, andhave it sealed at least once a year.

Leaks can occur from a number of things,whether you are aware of the cause or not. Below are listed some of the topcauses of roof leaks in a travel trailer.

• Roof Damage The leading cause of a roof leakis damage to the roof itself. Falling tree branches, high winds, or sustainedweight on the roof are all examples of how damage could occur and be followedby a roof leak.

• Faulty Sealants Many of the pieces on theroof of a trailer, such as the air conditioner or vents, are sealed using asealant system. Over time and with exposure to the elements, the sealants canwear down or dry up. It will then pull away from the seam, leaving cracks andspace for water to get inside.

• Aging As is with most things, as the age ofa trailer advances so will the issues that occur. Things will not work as wellas they used to or seal to the same ability as they did on a new model. Anaging roof on a travel trailer can diminish its effectiveness to keep out waterover time, regardless of care or maintenance.

How To Fix A Leaky Skylight Roof Vent Ac Unit Or Hatch

Since RVs rooftop systems such as the A/C unit or roof vent are essentially holes cut in the roof, the edges around them can develop leaks that you will need to fix to avoid water damage.

Luckily, its a pretty easy job:

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Eternabond Tape Micro Sealant

About: Eternabond is a tape with a very sticky grey sealant on the back that creates a strong bond with all roofing materials. While not recommended to seal an entire roof because some places cannot use tape, we recommend every RVer carry a spare roll of this stuff.

While not the most cost-effective this tape is very versatile and can be used in an emergency for a quick fix. We have used this stuff to seal up the underbelly of the RV as well as sidewall repairs.

• 4″ x 50′ Foot Contin ROLL of authentic Eternabond repair tape.
• Bonds to surfaces and stops leaks.
• Use on: EPDM, TPO, most PVC, CSPE/Hypalon, CPE, SBS, APP…

Sealant Type: High Strength Micro Bond Tape Sealant

Best For: All roof types, as long as its clean and dry.

How Often Shall I Reseal My Trailers Roof

If you have faced your travel trailer roof sealing issue recently, you might also be asking yourself how often this procedure should be done.

Well, if you want to keep your trailers roof properly sealed and avoid any leaks, you need to consider resealing it once a year annually.

Like this, you will make sure that the roof is in a good state and you will also avoid not only leaks but even extend the lifespan of the entire trailer!

In addition, except for regular resealing of the campers roof, it is also recommended that you check the roof for leaks and sealant deterioration.

This should be done twice a year at least. It will help you to skip any mishaps that may come with the roof issues.

And please remember that without a properly sealed roof, recreational vehicles are way more prone to leaks, further degradation, and thus expensive repairs.

A proper and in-time reseal will prevent all this from happening, and keep you on the road in your trailer longer.

Now, we guess, you might be wondering how the sealing/resealing procedure should be done correctly, and whether it is ok if you do it yourself. Well, lets figure this out!

Briefly:

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What Type Of Rv Roof Sealants To Use

A roof sealer is essential to prevent leaks, leaks and moisture as well as the accumulation of fungi and bacteria. It is very important to apply it, especially in areas where humidity is frequent, where rainy seasons are very long or where weather conditions are very adverse.

So to give the roof of your house proper conditioning without having to pay more, here we show you the best roof sealants that you can apply yourself at home.

This sealant is elastic, it flexes with changes in temperature and with the wind. It is transparent and remains transparent, therefore it does not turn yellow over time. Lasts 20 times longer than asphalt.

It has excellent resistance to ultraviolet rays, adheres to most ceiling patches. You can paint it and it is resistant to mould, and it also freezes and you can leave it in your garage without heating.

It is a superior liquid rubber waterproof product specifically designed for all types of home and industrial waterproofing applications. Its certification makes it ideal for roof applications.

Water-based, it has a low content of volatile organic compounds. You can apply it cold and it has a uniform rubber membrane specifically designed to protect your home.

It can be applied to many surfaces, including EPDM rubber roofs, polyurethane foam, modified bitumen, asphalt, mobile homes, RVs, concrete, woods, and more.

Rv Roof Reseal Cost Guide How Much To Reseal Rv Roof

If youve been living the RV life for any amount of time you know that theres plenty of maintenance involved, and this is especially true of your resealing your RV roof. But what does an RV roof reseal cost?

Well walk you through the average cost to reseal an RV roof in todays guide, along with your options and how to save some money during the process.

The average cost of resealing an RV roof runs between $200 if doing it yourself or up to $800 if you hire the RV roof reseal job out to a professional.

Well walk through these numbers and the variables below.

Read Also: How To Repair A Trailer Roof

What To Do Before Sealing Your Rv Roof

Before you start, heres what you need to do:

Liquid Rubber Rv Roof Coating

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• Make sure this fitsby entering your model number.
• FLEXIBLE RV ROOF COATING – Solar reflective, cool roof, & UV resistant, Final membrane has over 1000% elongation preventing adhesion failure, and is UV Stable stopping the sun from degrading the product
• PROTECTIVE SEALANT FOR – RV roofs, metal roofs, flat roofs around the home, mobile homes, campers, trailer, gutters, sheds, foundations, planter boxes interior basements, fences, stucco, wood, concrete, metal and more
• ASY TO APPLY – Just like painting! Apply by brush, roller or high quality paint sprayer. Use heavy coats to build up the waterproof membrane. You can close the container and use later if you have left over material
• ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY – Liquid Rubber RV Roof Coating is water based, containing no solvents, VOC’s or harmful odors. Safe for humans and pets alike, can be used indoors and outdoors with no special breathing apparatus
• COVERAGE – Apply a minimum final thickness of 1 gallon/50 sq ft . Should require 2-3 heavy coats. 1 x 5 Gallon pail will coat RVs up to 30 feet be sure to use up all material

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Tape All Edges And Seams With Eternabond Tape

Once the sealant has been allowed to dry, you can add an additional step to protecting your RV roof from future leaks by adding a strip of Eternabond tape in a few places. Eternabond has long been used and recommended both for DIY RV roof repairs like this, to avoid more expensive dealer maintenance, and for patching holes to prevent a leak in the event of an emergency on the road.

We recommend that you use generous strips of Eternabond to cover any weak areas of the roof that show wear, significant cracks or holes in the surface of the roof material. We started taping around the front cap of our motorhome using the 4 wide Eternabond. This covered the seals and all of the new sealant we just applied.

Then we ran the Eternabond lengthwise down both the driver and passenger side of the RV roof. We folded the tape over the edge to cover the screws on the side of the roof seams and wrapped it over the corner edge to cover loose areas of the EPDM that were starting to show cracks sure to lead to a leak.

Take it slow, and use an old credit card or plastic putty knife to flatten the Eternabond as you move down the length of the RV.

Use the same principles as you lay the Eternabond over the rear end of the roof as well.

Last, be sure to cover any clear tears on the surface of the roofing material or anywhere that looks weak and could lead to a future leak.

How To Use Flex Seal To Repair Rv Roof

The cost of repairing your RVs roof is not as much as a house roof would cost. But it is still up there and may set you further back than you wanted to be. That is why you need to find those roof leaks and patch them as quickly as possible.

The damage to your RV may not be just to the roof but to other interior parts of your vehicle. Here is how to apply Flex Seal to spare you this agony:

• Dont cover the whole roof- spend the time and find the leak. Patching a small portion of your roof is a lot cheaper than recovering the whole roof.
• Clean the leaky area- you should clean it very thoroughly. Your cleaning should be better than hospital clean. Get rid of all the dirt, debris, old sealant and more.
• Shake a lot- Flex Seal come sin its own spray can. To get it to work right, you need to shake it up and shake it up well
• Spray the contents- After shaking, make sure to completely cover the leaky area. By the time you are done the contents of the can will be on your RVs roof. Use more then one can if you have more leaks or a big one to seal
• Let it dry

Also Check: Replacing Roof Trusses

Cleaning The Existing Roof Seals

We started by unloading our camper so we could access, inspect, and seal every part of the camper, including the front wall and underside. We also didnt want to get any sealant on our truck.

Once demounted, Bill handed us gloves and a small container of acetone. The acetone, as Bill explained, would clean the existing seals so we could see the condition of the seals and determine which seals needed repair.

Acetone is a colorless solvent commonly used to remove nail polish, and as a paint thinner. The RV industry uses acetone extensively for cleaning and removing dirt and sealants before applying fresh sealants.

Gloves on, we climbed up the rear ladder of camper to inspect and clean the roof seals. Angela wasnt wild about the ladder, so she climbed up through the cabover roof escape hatch. She much preferred getting on and off the roof through the escape hatch.

The acetone made fairly quick work of cleaning the seals turning them from a dirty grey-white to a clean off-white. The acetone seal cleaning also quickly revealed seal breaks and potential leaks. Specifically, we were looking for cracks in the roof seals or any place where the sealant had come away from the roofing material.

Heres how Bill showed us to test roof sealant:

2. With your fingers, push on the sealant and check if theres an air pocket underneath, or if it moves. Good sealant will be tight to the camper with no air pockets and will not move.

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How To Seal An Rv Sunroof

Sealing your trailers sunroof might be another point of concern. You surely know that the sunroof on your RV can often be prone to a great deal of leakage, especially if it is not properly maintained. And if not fixed in time, these leaks can later lead to serious damage to the interior of your camper!

Of course, you realize how much that might cost you! You will spend more money on your interior repair rather than on sealing the sunroof properly. So if you want to prevent this from happening, you can seal your campers sunroof in a few simple steps.

But before you start, we want to remind you that it is important that you make use of the correct type of gasket for your car sunroof. The type of gasket you need typically depends on the car model. Youd better consult your RV dealer regarding this information in case you are unsure of the brand to use.

Once you are done with all the preparations, you just need to undergo a few simple steps:

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What Happens When You Dont Repair It

Harm to RV roof will take a range of shapes. If you are a full-time RVer, if you are going out once every season, the RV roof may be affected regardless of where you go. Any damage to the RV roof, such as rot, leakage, and rust, can be caused by water damage. Water can reach your RV quickly and, in a short duration, cause several difficulties.

#This kind of damage to the RV roof will incur thousands of dollars in maintenance. Although others assume that this form of damage can be remedied quickly utilizing such sealants and swift repairs, water can go unnoticed. If the roof is broken, water will reach the roof and the ceiling, drop down the walls and even enter the electric outlets.

#Hail storms are infamous for creating irritating dents in the roof of RVs. Sections and branches are often parked in campgrounds from trees that land on the roof. Intensive heat and sunlight increase your RVs probability of delaminating the gel and painting work.

#Water penetration may do a great deal of harm to RVs as it could result in broad red and mold growth unchecked, sometimes total removal and costly replacement of material.