sealed, vacuum bonded roof repair

kat4 wrote:
Hi, I live in Nova Scotia, Canada and I am new to this but I am desperately seeking answers please!

I own a 2006, Triple E, Embassy, 37 ft., class A motorhome.

I had a tree fall on the roof of my RV. Apparently, since I have a sealed, vacuum bonded roof that is no longer manufactured, I am having a lot of problems with a repair. One repair facility took up the rubber membrane and put a new rubber membrane on - without replacing OR repairing any broken plywood ( or luann ). I refused to accept this job. The second repair facility did the EXACT same thing but even worse. They didn't seem to clean anything properly before putting down the new rubber. On top of this, air pockets (NOT bubbles) can be seen from 20 ft away. I am being told this is an awesome job! Is there ANY kind of industry standard? Please don't say talk to insurance because they have hung me out to dry!

Thanks!

Vacuum bonded structures are nearly impossible to fix structurally, study the photos Bert posted, there literately is NOTHING to "sister" to inside the panel because it is pretty much all made up of just foam.

Factory fix would have been to fully remove the roof sections until they got to the section which is damaged then put all of the sections back on (provided it was mad is several sections). IF it is a ONE single roof piece then the only fix is to remove the entire roof and replace with a new roof panel.

Aftermarket fixes would have to be improvised, one would have to create some new structural wood trusses to go from side to side then figure out how to attach to the existing foam filled panels.

Then to even out the roof most likely have to glue down a new layer of Luan over top the existing wood roof (most likely would not be able to staple or nail it off since there most likely is no wood structural reinforcements.

I think if I was the one doing the repair work, I would have suggested removing the entire roof structure, then build a new roof structure using tried and true standard wood roof truss method..

Not an easy or cheap or quick fix..

Would most likely have been far better off to have allowed the Insurance Company scrap the entire rig and taken your lumps on the monetary loss.

Bert Ackerman wrote:
You have yet to post the brand, model, and year. At some point the value is less than the cost of repairs and with RVs that point arrives fast, which probably explains your insurance companies position. It may be a case of just living with it. I assume it doesn't leak?

These are just 2 pics of the roof AFTER repair. It did look better before the repair, was beautiful and smooth.

I am trying this again, thank you for all of your help!

Would you consider this very good workmanship?

To post a picture click here

Just follow the link above to post a picture. If I can do it, you can too.

kat4 wrote:
I am not even sure I am replying correctly, but thank you to everyone who has answered so far. I do not know how to post pictures, am not very computer literate for the most part!

At least post the brand and model. In the pictures I posted of a Rockwood / Flagstaff roof, the metal supports are on 4' centers which makes it almost impossible to patch in a damaged area. The foam and plywood on both sides adhered together is the structure.

Lots of other manufacturers had laminated roofs. They were typically flat on both sides. Jayco had them on certain lines, Dutchmen / Aerolite as well. Seemed to be more of them in the lates 90's early 00's. The earlier Rockwood roofs were also flat.

I am not even sure I am replying correctly, but thank you to everyone who has answered so far. I do not know how to post pictures, am not very computer literate for the most part!

kat, please post some pictures. Each picture is worth a thousand words of problem description.

Not vacuum sealed, vacuum bonded just like the walls, then a membrane is glued down the same as others.





Strong as hell but if damaged structurally almost impossible to repair.

You need to supply more info regard the rv what brand etc have never heard of a vacuum sealed roof, walls yes, I find it hard to believe any repair facility replaced rubber membrane whiteout repair to structure and roof plywood, maybe some pictures of what you are referring to. Where you are located may also be good.
Frank

Sounds like you have a Rockwood / Flagstaff product? They have vacuum bonded laminated roofs. If so the way their laminated roofs are repaired is to replace the entire roof panel. That typically is done at the factory in Millersburg IN. Any other manufacturers using laminated roofs repair procedures would most likely be along the same lines.

Anything short of that is a patch job.

Going forward, please post in the correct forum. Forum Posting Help and Support is reserved for reporting account issues, and for testing purposes. Thanks.


Moved from Forum Posting Help and Support