Water Damage/Roof Leak

Depending on how SOFT things are up there you might want to just seal it up and run...if you got a 50' roll of Eternabond tape you could just go right over all the seams....be sure to roll over the job with a small roller...by the time you get into the time and expense of the repair, you might exceed the cost of the trailer....Just. Thought...I bet 75% of the older trailers out there have soft spots on the roof...the main thing with the eternabond tape is the prep,,,,clean the surface well, let it dry, and roll right over it....

Gunter: If you have to replace roof boards, I would not recommend OSB board. It is made from waste wood, and when it gets wet it falls apart. I would recommend exterior grade plywood sheathing, as it is water resistant.
The main thing is that you have to replace any water damaged wood, or you will be wasting your time.

Wow, thanks for all of the replys that are really helpful.

I already ordered Liquid roof, dicor lap sealant and also Eternabond, so I have the stuff when we arrive on saturday. I will go then to homedepot and check for the OSB after I checked how much damage occured. It was also my intention to check the rest of the roof for sure....

Can Eternabond be put over the old caulking or does all the caulking at the edges need to be removed first?

Here are some pics of the leak:









Hope this works....

Ginter, if you cannot find the robertson screwdriver & replacement screws, let me know what you need i will Fedex them to you. I am in Canada where they are readily available (in stainless) and live right on the US border, so easy to ship..

My suggestion is to buy some liquid EPDM, I've used a product called "Liquid Roof". It is a 2 part system that you mix together and apply like a thick paint. When it drys it forms into EPDM rubber, just like the roof membrane on your camper. It will adhere to your roof as well.

I would cut back the rubber away from the soft wood. I would then cut out the soft roof sheathing, making sure you cut back until you have good wood. Check the 2x2's underneath... hopefully they are in decent shape. If they are rotted as well, you gotta replace those too. Once all the bad wood is out, let it dry out completely. Then replace the wood with similar quality and dimension and replace any wet insulation.

Once the roof sheathing is back on, make sure the adjoining rubber roof is clean and dry and mix up the Liquid Roof EPDM. Paint the liquid EDDM on the exposed wood, making sure to overlap the existing rubber roof. Put on sufficient layers to build up the material to the correct thickness. Let it dry for a couple days.

You will once again have a seamless rubber roof and will have repaired the soft sheathing.

While you are fixing that, thoroughly inspect the rest of the roof. If the caulk failed in one spot, it could have easily failed in another spot as well. Make sure you fix EVERYTHING the first time. After the roof is fixed and solid again, I would recommend putting Eternabond tape over all four edges of the roof and overlap the siding. Caulk requires constant inspection and re-application. Eternabond tape will last longer than your trailer. Do it once, do it right, enjoy camping!

Trim strips are attached with "Robertson" screws which are square indent for screwdriver. You will need a #2 Robertson screwdriver.
If you will Private Message (PM) me once you see what needs to be done. I can help you with more specific information on how to proceed. Pictures would be helpful. Let me know if you can send pictures too, and I will tell you best way to do that also.

Another place to check for leaks on Zingers is around the rain gutters and the area where the aluminum starts to curve down from the roof right where it meets the insert moulding.

I was chasing a leak in the cabinet next to my bed for a long time. Always thought it was the cap seal. Even put Eternabond tape on all the seams.

Turned out to be the deep valleys in the aluminum and insert moulding.

Todd

Depending on the size of the repair and the condition of the rubber, splicing a new piece of rubber might be an option...post up some photos, lots of good support help here...welcome to the USA and RV net...

Thanks for the fast answer.

I will see the whole damage when we arrive on saturday. My buddy jacked up the trailer so no more water can flow into the leak.

Trim strips are fixed with screws?

Would be great if you can get me further information. I will come up with details when we arrive and I could see it.

I have done roof water leak repairs on two trailers. One was a complete roof replacement including boards, and other was a front corner where I had to peal back the roof membrane. Once water gets under rubber roof, it will peal back very easy.
I would first recommend that you have someone put a tarp over the roof to stop the water from getting in. With RV leaks it is what you can not see that is the big problem.
With past trailer I started by taking out damaged ceiling and wall paneling first to get scope of work from below before having to open up roof to replace damaged roof joist or studs in walls. First you will have to take out cabinets for access.
On the top side you will have to take off roof edge trim strips at front, and down side to be able to peal back roof. You will then be able to see any structural damage to wood joist. After replacing damaged wood I cleaned under side of roof membrane with a wire brush, and applied roof contact cement to repaired roof and underside of membrane before reinstalling it. You will need new putty tape to reinstall strips and Dicor Roof sealant.
This is the basics of repair, send me a PM if you need more information.