Tree limb vs Roof, Tree wins

We stayed at a campground in a forest on the western side of the Sierra Mountains in California. There were a mixture of trees including some tall Sequoia trees. These have pine cones which when green are very solid and heavy. They can be up to a foot long and have a sharp pointy end.

The whole time we were there these kept falling. Squirrels would chew on the stem and drop them to the ground so they could chew into them to get the seeds.

They never hit our RV but a nearby TT had the roof punctured by one of these pine cones. It went through the roof and ended up on the floor.

Look up!..and carry a chainsaw.

Avoid short trees with tall trailer!

I agree with RV circus.

I wouldn't worry about it. Certainly check their work & keep an eye out for issues, but just enjoy camping. It's not worth stressing about the what if's.

The insurance company is actually responcible for your roof being in good shape for a few years. If the roof is not repaired right, and say starts leaking in the area of the repair, say 3 or 4 years from now, you can have the repair re-done. Of course after 4 or 5 years, it will be considered normal wear and tear to have the roof re-sealed along it's seams, and such with rubber roof sealant, or other products.

Normally you should be resealing the seams every year if there is visible damage to the caulking. That is inspect yearly (or twice a year) and repair any visible leaks or damage to the caulking.

Good luck,

Fred.

mjmaddox wrote:
I know this must have happened to someone else, so I'm looking for experienced advice. Unfortunate incident with a tree limb and my 5 month old trailer has to have a new roof. Covered by insurance and currently being repaired by local jayco dealer.

Once the work is complete, What should I worry about for the future? Once I take delivery is that all their liability? What if I find a leak later? Will I be able to prove its a result of the repairs or am I on my own? I'm notorious for living under a black cloud so I'm expecting the worst. Should I just chill out and hope for the best or is there some due diligence I should prepare for or be aware of that could bite me later?

Thanks for any reassurance I can get.

You are 5 months into a 2 year warranty. Should be all the reassurance you need. I'd think the roof was better now since it wasn't slammed together on an assembly line. So blow away the black clouds, go camping, have a beer and chill out.

We had the same thing happen just over a year ago, taking out both the roof and the awning. Insurance paid for both. When you get it back hose, the roof down very well to make sure you have no leaks.

Your problem is one I think about occasionally, too. We park our trailer under oak trees in our back yard. That can easily happen to us one day, as well.

What should I worry about for the future?

This assumes that there is something to worry about.

IMO, an EPDM roof is very durable. The material is used on countless roofs and has been for many years. The places where the roof is cut like vents, AC access, and the screws through any trim are the leak-prone points. As long as those are sealed correctly, you should have no problem. It may be that a repaired roof is installed better than at the factory. Technicians have more time and the repair company is charging top dollar for their efforts. They need to do a good job or will soon lose their customers.

The OP doesn't say if there was substantial structural damage but something like that is a whole other issue and would almost mean the trailer would have been a total loss.

My suggestion would be to look beyond the black clouds to the sun shining behind.

No experience but; I would take pictures of damage and repair with date option on camera. When taking delivery of repair get a list of work completed. The question for the first two years will be what stresses were induced that did not immediately become evident? Were there cracks in supports that were not obvious but later failed? Did insulation get compressed and damage ducting of AC?
Better if the tree fell so you could start fresh? The positive view is that you are getting an inspection and repair that may make the unit better than new.