Pressure Tested Camper Leaks Found
Set up a leaf blower to pressurize the camper. Went around the whole thing with soapy water. Four leaks along the corner moulding. Removed the insert trim and screws along the bottom side and co...
Forum Discussion
SidecarFlip wrote:
Been my personal experience that your average Home Depot leaf blower won't produce enough pressure to compromise any impending leak points that aren't already compromised.
You 'think' your camper is a sealed space... It isn't by a long shot.
This was also my experience. There are plenty of spaces that air was escaping. The area where the gas pipe passes thru the camper, the sewer outlet, the bottom of the door and the stove exhaust vent. I wasn't initially wasn't getting enough pressure to reveal anything. The stove vent is cracked and needs to be replaced anyway, so I removed it and duct taped the opening. That gave me just enough pressure. I'd say maybe 1-2 psi?
As far as the leaking area...good news. I was able to remove the moulding with some heat applied (Didn't take much to soften up the sealant). Upon inspection, I can see where the filon/wood siding was not cut straight, which left nary an edge to seal to. It appears to be dry and not damaged much, if at all. I believe I caught it early. Had I not done this test, I'm sure this would have spread and become a rotted/delaminated mess down the road a couple years.
The reason I was able to push in on that spot is because it wasn't properly glued or affixed (whatever they do). There's a small gap directly behind it which allowed it to flex and I guess eventually break the seal. This was not clearly obvious during my previous inspections as I don't go around pressing on every inch of the camper. In this case, the CA drought was a good thing. I'll post some pics as I can.
