Leaks and Water Damage Checklist
It seems someone is always finding a leak and water damage. Then there are the threads where someone spends hundreds of hours rebuilding an old camper. Once the skin comes of the unit, it seems ther...
Forum Discussion
While we don't own a camper right now, we currently have a class C and a tt. But over the years I've broken down the water leak checklist into different sub groups.
Exterior... think like a rain drop. If there is a way for rain water to get in, it will find it. Everything on the outside gets checked. This takes me the most time, usually takes me about hour 1/2 to check exterior. IMO areas that get overlooked are A/C gasket because they do become loose, under the slide (water comes down the side and hits the slide, most water falls off but some runs along underneath of slide) and finds its way in. Outside speakers. Where roof folds over the edge, especially if your awning uses your gutter is attached to gutter. Most water falls off but some runs along underneath of slide). Pay close attention to any horizontal surface
Plumbing (Pressure side and discharge side)
Discharge side...
Under shower, sink
Pressure side...
Don't forget fittings at hot water, sinks, shower, outside faucet.
We don't use fresh water connection anymore. Fresh water is just for testing anymore. I pressure test mine every year to 65psi for 5 min using air. I do have a"test" plug and psi gauge for testing. IMO very few people have taken the time to actually have a method of testing. You can make a simple but effective system for testing with an air compressor if it has a gauge and a valve stem installed in your pressure side. I really got into water leaks several years ago after my cabover window had to be pulled several times trying to fix a leak and kept having problems.
I recently talked about what I do in another post, so copied and pasted from other post. Sorry for being so long winded.
"Don't you have faith in shark bite? But IMO better to test. A proper test and you'll know what pressure you can take. Nothing worse than water leak IMO. I test with air, lots easier to clean up air than water IMO. I believe is called a "test" plug. Screws into fresh water and keeps check valve open. Could do same thing a lot cheaper with $15.00 gauge installed on high pressure side of fresh water. A "pass" for me is 65 psi (air not water) for 5 min. PSI loss with in 5 min...I start looking. Or if you have a psi gauge (and somewhat accurate) on your air compressor, get one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Accu-gage-Chek-Spare-Valve-Extender/dp/B0006O2S8M and install a valve stem (five dollar for a brass valve stem which is best IMO) on in the high pressure side of water system. And get an adapter for air hose, so you can thread end onto air compressor air hose.
As far as "catchment" system, can't think of any other than a mop bucket
Here are RV's spec's that might be old but are right out of the "book" (unless the OEMS's got them changed...again)
Pressurized System Test.
---The test shall be performed by subjecting the pressure water piping system to either air or water pressure for 10 minutes without leakage or loss of pressure.
--- The entire piping system shall be filled with water and pressure tested with air or water at 80 psi to 100 psi (551 kPa to 689 kPa). The entire piping system shall include the hot water storage tank and the pressurized potable water storage tank.
---The water heater storage tank and the pressurized potable water storage tank shall be removed from the piping system, and the remaining piping system shall be pressure tested with air at 80 psi to 100 psi (551 kPa to 689 kPa).
---PVC and CPVC systems shall be permitted to be tested to the manufacturer's recommended test procedure.
Found it...http://bullseyeindustrialsales.com/b-b-r........r-distribution-test-plug-aluminum-113966 Little nipple at end keeps check valve open when testing. But you'll have to buy more stuff to have a complete testing tool. That is why I like the idea of just using a "check a spare" and install a brass valve stem as a test port.
As a side note I helped a neighbor with their PDI. Kind of funny and sad at same time but RV dealer's of a test was basically looking under RV for any water dripping out.
For drainage side of this like under sink I have couple of these in RV https://www.amazon.com/Glentronics-Inc-BWD-HWA-Basement-Watchdog/dp/B000JOK11K I sanded down the little legs to make better contact if any water is present. Also I place on paper, so you can tell visually by looking a the paper every know and then if water has made contact.
Hope this helps. My writing not the best".
Exterior... think like a rain drop. If there is a way for rain water to get in, it will find it. Everything on the outside gets checked. This takes me the most time, usually takes me about hour 1/2 to check exterior. IMO areas that get overlooked are A/C gasket because they do become loose, under the slide (water comes down the side and hits the slide, most water falls off but some runs along underneath of slide) and finds its way in. Outside speakers. Where roof folds over the edge, especially if your awning uses your gutter is attached to gutter. Most water falls off but some runs along underneath of slide). Pay close attention to any horizontal surface
Plumbing (Pressure side and discharge side)
Discharge side...
Under shower, sink
Pressure side...
Don't forget fittings at hot water, sinks, shower, outside faucet.
We don't use fresh water connection anymore. Fresh water is just for testing anymore. I pressure test mine every year to 65psi for 5 min using air. I do have a"test" plug and psi gauge for testing. IMO very few people have taken the time to actually have a method of testing. You can make a simple but effective system for testing with an air compressor if it has a gauge and a valve stem installed in your pressure side. I really got into water leaks several years ago after my cabover window had to be pulled several times trying to fix a leak and kept having problems.
I recently talked about what I do in another post, so copied and pasted from other post. Sorry for being so long winded.
"Don't you have faith in shark bite? But IMO better to test. A proper test and you'll know what pressure you can take. Nothing worse than water leak IMO. I test with air, lots easier to clean up air than water IMO. I believe is called a "test" plug. Screws into fresh water and keeps check valve open. Could do same thing a lot cheaper with $15.00 gauge installed on high pressure side of fresh water. A "pass" for me is 65 psi (air not water) for 5 min. PSI loss with in 5 min...I start looking. Or if you have a psi gauge (and somewhat accurate) on your air compressor, get one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Accu-gage-Chek-Spare-Valve-Extender/dp/B0006O2S8M and install a valve stem (five dollar for a brass valve stem which is best IMO) on in the high pressure side of water system. And get an adapter for air hose, so you can thread end onto air compressor air hose.
As far as "catchment" system, can't think of any other than a mop bucket
Here are RV's spec's that might be old but are right out of the "book" (unless the OEMS's got them changed...again)
Pressurized System Test.
---The test shall be performed by subjecting the pressure water piping system to either air or water pressure for 10 minutes without leakage or loss of pressure.
--- The entire piping system shall be filled with water and pressure tested with air or water at 80 psi to 100 psi (551 kPa to 689 kPa). The entire piping system shall include the hot water storage tank and the pressurized potable water storage tank.
---The water heater storage tank and the pressurized potable water storage tank shall be removed from the piping system, and the remaining piping system shall be pressure tested with air at 80 psi to 100 psi (551 kPa to 689 kPa).
---PVC and CPVC systems shall be permitted to be tested to the manufacturer's recommended test procedure.
Found it...http://bullseyeindustrialsales.com/b-b-r........r-distribution-test-plug-aluminum-113966 Little nipple at end keeps check valve open when testing. But you'll have to buy more stuff to have a complete testing tool. That is why I like the idea of just using a "check a spare" and install a brass valve stem as a test port.
As a side note I helped a neighbor with their PDI. Kind of funny and sad at same time but RV dealer's of a test was basically looking under RV for any water dripping out.
For drainage side of this like under sink I have couple of these in RV https://www.amazon.com/Glentronics-Inc-BWD-HWA-Basement-Watchdog/dp/B000JOK11K I sanded down the little legs to make better contact if any water is present. Also I place on paper, so you can tell visually by looking a the paper every know and then if water has made contact.
Hope this helps. My writing not the best".
