Service Disaster?

ron.dittmer wrote:


I wonder what the repair shop actually did for the $1000 repair bill....apply caulk?

I would assume for that much money they resealed the seams, clearance lights vents and whatnot. Unfortunately that obviously did nothing to address whatever damage has been caused, and is probably still ongoing, from the "bad leak" mentioned in the first post.

I really like the dehumidifier-with-fan idea.

Unfortunately even after the rig is dried out, a lot of hidden damage has occurred.

I wonder what the repair shop actually did for the $1000 repair bill....apply caulk?

Hello again. That's what I am suggesting. The leak in the roof may be sealed but water can still get in at the location I am telling you about. Again, the corner just below the side windows in the over cab bed area. If you push (with your finger) the wall just above the corner molding, I bet it moves in, revealing an easy entry path for water ingress. Any water entering from that location will collect in the front area of the over cab bed floor. I had to do a big repair there.... I was alerted to it by another kind member here who has the same model.

Obatanga Borealis wrote:


How much water could be trapped inside a rig for wetness to still occur WEEKS after a leak has been sealed?? It's not like there's a water line or water tank up there!

A lot. :E I helped pull a rubber roof off a Class C a few days ago and there was a lot of water trapped in one spot under the rubber roof and all the various sealants they had put on the roof to keep water out. This water came in at one of the stanchions for those foolish roof racks. It looked fine/sealed, but water had got in. It rotted out all the door skin in the surrounding area. I haven't bothered yet, to see if there are any signs of the leak (one of many in this case) on the inside of the coach.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It confounds me that many weeks after the shop supposedly sealed the leak, there is still wetness in the area. The shop claims that that's being caused by water/moisture INSIDE the rig. If that is true, how can there still be wetness WEEKS after a leak has been sealed??? My contention is they did not seal the leak; they say they did and I'm still seeing wetness because of water inside.

How much water could be trapped inside a rig for wetness to still occur WEEKS after a leak has been sealed?? It's not like there's a water line or water tank up there!

Here's what I would do immediately. Mold starts within 48 hours. Place a source of heat directly beneath where the leak is and run that for several days. Also, pop off a cab over light to allow the evaporated moisture to escape. That's the best you can do without a tear down. If it's been going on a while you may have wood rot. Good luck with it.

Unfortunately resealing is not going to fix any problems you have with the interior. The RV interior should have been inspected to see how much damage had been done before any resealing was done.

Most of these RVs are built the same. I assume you have a fiberglass roof and fiberglass front cabover wall but whether your roof is metal, rubber or fiberglass there is normally door skin under that, then foam panels or regular insulation under that, then more door skin panels for the interior walls or ceiling.You also have the floor of your cabover which is usually a piece or pieces of plywood, which can also rot out because of leaks.

When water gets in there, it will rot the door skin panels and bunk board, which will turn to mush and cause mold. That issue obviously has to be corrected, which normally results in a rather extensive cabover rebuild.

My son has a dozen RVs at his shop now, and I believe all but one are in there for new roofs, cabover rebuilds, or front wall rebuilds because of leaks. I'm not sure about the one, it could be in there because of a leak. :D

Stopping any leak is one thing, but repairing the damage already done and ongoing is something else.

Howdy, I have a similar rig. 2003 Mini 24V. One great other member, with a the same model Winnebago, here alerted me (Thank You again Cloud Driver) to the fact that the lower corner of the overhang one both sides, was not sealed correctly from the factory. Not the roof itself. This corner is not supported / or sealed suffeciently by the aluminium corner molding. When this are leaks it stays wet as the water can not evaporate . I suggest you check this area and be suspect of the leak in the roof being re-sealed, truely resolving the issue. PM me for more details if you want.

I can open a joint in the ceiling sheeting above the cabover bed. This could be a way to dry it out. I was prepared to cut away part of the ceiling sheeting when we had a leak on the joint between metal roof and plastic front. Luckily caulk replacement plus covering the joint with Eternabond put an end to the leak.

gbopp wrote:
Put a dehumidifier in your rig and a fan to circulate the air. You need to start the drying process before you get mold.

Yes!

Problem is that many places will only do EXACTLY what you tell them.