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Whiskey_River's avatar
Jun 23, 2016

Roof Vent Sealant Goop

Getting ready to install a 2nd Air Conditioner in the front/bedroom of the 5th wheel. I scrubbed the roof & removed the Maxx Air vent cover. The existing vent that gets removed looks like Keystone must have dumped 5 gallon of sealer/goop to seal it at the factory. My question is what is the best way to remove it. Hair dryer or heat gun or something to put on it to soften it up to scrape it off being careful not to damage the rubber roof. How has anyone else removed this sealant??
Thanks for your help....

5 Replies

  • 3m caulk remover makes removing old sealants painless. The best procedure is to apply the remover. cover with Saran wrap for 12 hrs. and then remove the old sealant with a rag or scraper. After removal, follow up with a solvent like acetone, lightly.
  • OK Thanks all. It looks like just as I thought. A good 2 hour project just to remove the goop. But they don't leak and I'm sure that's what the manufacture wants.
    I checked what is used to clean a rubber roof best before using Eternabond and they say acetone, so after scraping & pulling the goop off, I will clean the area with acetone before setting the A/C gasket in place.
  • I just had to replace a vent in my TT due to a broken frame.

    Once I cleared the screw heads and removed the screws I used a wide plastic putty knife to push between the roof and the vent frame. Once I got it loose enough to grab a flange with my fingers I pulled up and the vent came free.

    Then I used the same plastic knife to carefully work the old Dicor and the butyl tape away from the rubber roof. I also utilized a small plastic kitchen scraper for the finer bits.

    Changing the vent was about a 15 minute job. Scraping all the old goo and schmoo off took me about 2 hours.

    Have patience and know it will take a while and you'll be fine! Do be careful not to puncture or tear the rubber.
  • Like gbopp says. And if using a brand new plastic scraper, I would round the sharp corners of the scraper blade with a file or sanding block so they won't catch the roof material and dig in.
  • Heat gun on low and a plastic scraper will do the job.
    Just take your time.

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