Buying a used Lazy Daze with Roof leak
Hello I went and looked and test drove a 1998 Lazy Daze 26.5 RB that I found on Craigslist. Asking price is $9500 it has new tires brakes and batteries. Overall I think it looks to be in real good s...
Forum Discussion
kevinlyndsy,
I did a quick search on older Born Free rigs and see that the ceiling is nearly flat inside. If the soft areas are not near the side walls, then I think the damage could be limited to the ceiling.
Under the assumption that the damage is limited to the ceiling, if it were me on a tight budget, I would buy that Born Free for the $8000. But I am handy with home improvements. I would not plan on just using the rig as is, primarily because of mold, but also for the sake of structural integrity.
I would cut away a clean section of ceiling material well beyond the area in question. Make the cut nice and square to make the new section easy to install and also for a clean look when done. Remove the bad material and insulation to remove the worst of the material that could be growing mold, and to access the framing. Check not only what is exposed, but also the areas beyond the opening you made. If you see any dark discoloration or patches, you have a serious mold problem. Check for rotten areas using a thin blade screw driver. If it goes into the wood with ease, the framing in those areas needs extra attention. Remove what is soft and also some solid wood with it, then twice spray everything left-over with bleach to kill seen and unseen mold spores. If enough framing material was removed making you question the strength, screw new framing along side them. Long deck screws are great for that. Once the mold is killed and frame repaired, insulate with new material and cut a new piece of ceiling material. Home improvement stores sell interesting 4x8 sheets that make good ceiling panels. A simple square is easiest. Finish off with wood trim. If you do it right, it won't be an eye sore. If the section is irregular because of wall cabinets & walls, first make the new section from cardboard, then use that as a template. Document along the way so if you resell the rig later, you can show the new buyer how well & proper you repaired the damage.
One thing I failed to mention is damage to wood roof sheathing. Damage there is going to require extra care, skill, and determination. Hopefully all damage can be repaired from inside the rig, leaving the exterior alone.
I didn't read the size of the damaged area, but if the area is small enough, the easiest repair would be to replace that ceiling vent with a huge sun roof/moon roof/skylight. Just take the rig to a shop for that if you are not confident in doing it yourself. Some of the new rigs sold today have such fancy features, and even the 1995-2005 Winnebago Rialta has one, so it's not weird to have a skylight in your rig.
If you have mold in there and ignore it, one of your family members can easily develop LIFE LONG respiratory issues. Ignoring mold potential is NOT worth the risk which is one reason why so many people here say to run away from the rig. Of coarse the other area of concern is about structural integrity. You could be on vacation driving on a very rough road, and find that your rig is coming apart. Most often it first shows up in the form of......guess what....a water leak.
I did a quick search on older Born Free rigs and see that the ceiling is nearly flat inside. If the soft areas are not near the side walls, then I think the damage could be limited to the ceiling.
Under the assumption that the damage is limited to the ceiling, if it were me on a tight budget, I would buy that Born Free for the $8000. But I am handy with home improvements. I would not plan on just using the rig as is, primarily because of mold, but also for the sake of structural integrity.
I would cut away a clean section of ceiling material well beyond the area in question. Make the cut nice and square to make the new section easy to install and also for a clean look when done. Remove the bad material and insulation to remove the worst of the material that could be growing mold, and to access the framing. Check not only what is exposed, but also the areas beyond the opening you made. If you see any dark discoloration or patches, you have a serious mold problem. Check for rotten areas using a thin blade screw driver. If it goes into the wood with ease, the framing in those areas needs extra attention. Remove what is soft and also some solid wood with it, then twice spray everything left-over with bleach to kill seen and unseen mold spores. If enough framing material was removed making you question the strength, screw new framing along side them. Long deck screws are great for that. Once the mold is killed and frame repaired, insulate with new material and cut a new piece of ceiling material. Home improvement stores sell interesting 4x8 sheets that make good ceiling panels. A simple square is easiest. Finish off with wood trim. If you do it right, it won't be an eye sore. If the section is irregular because of wall cabinets & walls, first make the new section from cardboard, then use that as a template. Document along the way so if you resell the rig later, you can show the new buyer how well & proper you repaired the damage.
One thing I failed to mention is damage to wood roof sheathing. Damage there is going to require extra care, skill, and determination. Hopefully all damage can be repaired from inside the rig, leaving the exterior alone.
I didn't read the size of the damaged area, but if the area is small enough, the easiest repair would be to replace that ceiling vent with a huge sun roof/moon roof/skylight. Just take the rig to a shop for that if you are not confident in doing it yourself. Some of the new rigs sold today have such fancy features, and even the 1995-2005 Winnebago Rialta has one, so it's not weird to have a skylight in your rig.
If you have mold in there and ignore it, one of your family members can easily develop LIFE LONG respiratory issues. Ignoring mold potential is NOT worth the risk which is one reason why so many people here say to run away from the rig. Of coarse the other area of concern is about structural integrity. You could be on vacation driving on a very rough road, and find that your rig is coming apart. Most often it first shows up in the form of......guess what....a water leak.
