Forum Discussion

mckind's avatar
mckind
Explorer
Sep 25, 2016

roof leak

Went on a weekend camping trip this weekend. We had a moderate shower for about 30 minutes Saturday afternoon. Saturday night I get into the overhead storage above the bed to grab some clothes and they are wet. No signs of a leak anywhere in the storage compartment, just wet clothes. I look at the roof of the camper and I see what I suspect is the culprit, a crack in the sealant where the roof meets the nose of the camper. I assume water entered and then wicked to the easiest exit point, my underwear and socks. Since I am relatively handy, and cheap, what is the best way to go about repairing this?
  • voodoo101's avatar
    voodoo101
    Explorer
    Sep 25, 2016
    The seam where the end cap meets the roof requires constant attention. Both front and rear but front has caused me more issues. Clean and re-caulk as suggested. Look at the seam and at the edge of the caulk where it can wick under. Check them each time you have a reason to be on the roof. My 16 year old fiver has seen it many times. Next worst place is a skylight-another name for a hole in the roof. Just part of the continuing preventive maintenance. Bill
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Sep 25, 2016
    Slownsy wrote:
    Re cork it, chech at least every 6 months, they all get that way.
    Frank
    Yep, mine didn't leak, but I did notice the crack like that the last time I was on the roof. Cleaned and re-caulked.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Sep 25, 2016
    Use a heat gun on low setting and a plastic putty knife to remove the old caulk.
    Then recall with Dicor self leveling lap sealant (caulk).

    Probably the best repair is a wide strip of Eternabond from the roof to the nose cap.

    If you use only caulk, check it a few times a year.
    Eternabond and Dicor are excellent products.
  • mike-s's avatar
    mike-s
    Explorer
    Sep 25, 2016
    Remove as much of the old stuff as you can without damaging the roof, scrub it as clean as you can, let it dry, and cover with Dicor self-leveling lap sealant.

    Or, do basically the same, but finish by covering with Permabond tape.

    The Dicor is cheaper, and should do a better job with what you've got. Permabond works best with fairly smooth/level surfaces, and you have some uneven edges to seal.
  • Slownsy's avatar
    Slownsy
    Explorer
    Sep 25, 2016
    Re cork it, chech at least every 6 months, they all get that way.
    Frank

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