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rodknocker's avatar
rodknocker
Explorer
Apr 19, 2015

Mystery leak

My 5th wheel has a leak coming from somewhere. I have looked everywhere several times, paid two shops to find it, re-worked caulk seams and am stumped. Water comes in the back drivers corner after a hard rain. Slides in or out makes no difference. Re-sealed the exterior lights, ladder and vents. What am I missing?
  • Rodknocker, Mine had a leak, turned out to be that mfg ran the roof EDPM material UNDER the rear cap instead of over it. I removed the metal trim, caulked, placed Eternabond over the cap to roof joint, then replace the metal trim piece. No more leaks. Don't assume the mfg installed anything 'right'. Hope yours is simple as a clearance light. My roof leak rotted the floor in the slideout, there was no evidence of water running down to the floor until one rainy day I looked from underneath the trailer at the gap between the rear cap and rear wall; water was running down the wiring and finding its way to the floor. I think I've seen it all now!
  • Some times a clearance light can have a weep hole for draining condensation. And some times the weep hole gets turned up at the factory, trapping rain water and some times that water can follow the wires right into the sidewalls.
  • greende wrote:
    Looks like you should have it pressure tested. I think this would save a lot of time and speculation. Water will travel along framing etc (as already discussed).


    Now that's a great idea!! Thanks
  • Looks like you should have it pressure tested. I think this would save a lot of time and speculation. Water will travel along framing etc (as already discussed).
  • The roof to wall seal? Seriously, when I decided to totally remove and reseal I was amazed at the tiny vent that I would never have even noticed, but once the caulking was lifted I could see where it got in, and how it slid along under the caulking and then dropped.
  • Water getting between the inner and outer walls at a window corner or along the trim between two exterior panels? Then running inside the wall until it finds an "exit"?