Roof Leak

Water can ru a long ways. There is only o e way I know of to positively identify leak spots. That is with a seal test. As an alternative you can try a leaf blower.

I had that same kind of strip along the back of our last TT. It didn't ever leak but I was suspicious of what ever thin sealant they used. I ended up putting a piece Eternabond tape all the was across to cover it.

Sorry for my inexperience, but what is a "seal test"? And how would a leaf blower be used to find leaks?

JRMunn

A seal test is a means of pressurizing the RV to test for leaks. You apply air to the inside of the RV by using the leaf blower usually through one of the roof vents. You then use soapy water along all joints, windows and seals to see if air is leaking via soap bubbles.

You might check YouTube for a video on how to perform one. A quick check of the forums here didn't produce anything but I remember reading how to do it before.

On a side note, did a factory tour of the Coachmen facilities this summer and at least on the TT line they did a seal test at the end of the line. Every unit got tested before it left the building.

Good luck, John

Pressure test is the best way to determine source of leaks - they cost about $100. Not familiar with L your referring to - might be someone placed it there to mitigate known water problem - if so lousy fix. Check the roof caulking everywhere the actual source of the leak may not be in the vicinity of the wet carpet (water maybe entering from different location and traveling along the interior of the ceiling cavity). Water leaks are PIA and if not fixed quick can result in expensive repairs - don't ignore.

Front and rear seams always leak eventually.
Go get some 4" wide Eternabond tape and seal the front and rear seams with it.
You will never have a leak there again.

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. I hope I found the source of my leak at the driver's side end of the L-shaped metal strip (above the wet carpeting) that I now think must cover a transition from the "rubber roof" to the fiberglass rear cap of the trailer. This strip catches most of the water running down the back half of the trailer roof, before it runs over the back windows, and sends it off to the side, where a small dam is formed by a mound of caulking that extends from the metal piece to a roof rack post. Near the "dam" on the driver's side, I found where caulking along the metal strip has lifted off the roof. My short term solution was to clean the area on and above the metal strip with a stiff brush, blow it off with compressed air, and then spray a can of white Rustoleum Leak Seal along its edge - with extra attention and amount given to the area where I think the leak was coming from. This provides a penetrating, waterproof covering that I hope will stick for the rest of the winter. If the leak continues, I will move on to the suggested pressure test and also try a layer of sealing tape. If this patch does stop the leak over the winter, then I can pull the metal strip off next summer, when all will be dry, and fix it right - including use of sealing tape once the mounds of caulking are removed from the many screws. Thanks again.

JRMunn

Since you are going up there anyway to make a temporary repair, why not do it right and get the job done permanently? I did my Sunnybrook roof seams and penetrations with Eternabond tape when my trailer was around one month old. That was over 13 years ago and it has never leaked one drop since. All you need do is clean very well on either side of the front and back caps where they meet the rubber roof. No need to remove the caulking - just clean it very well. Apply the tape, roll it down and you are done. It will last the life of the trailer and you will not have to worry about any more leaks. :)

You can see the tape under the coating I put on our roof last year. I painted right over the Eternabond tape. In this area, I used two overlapping strips of 4 inch tape. The best price I found was from the link above. I carry another roll in the trailer for emergency use. Have not had to use it but have given almost half away to others for their emergencies.
Barney

Barney,

Your roof-end strip looks a lot like mine, and I wish my setup was similarly simple. But I have both roof rack and ladder posts that complicate matters just above the strip, and even more screws. I have also already applied the Rustoleum leak seal and will probably need to remove it before using tape. Thank you for letting me know that I don't need to remove all the caulking over screws before applying tape. Because I have other projects underway right now, I am hoping that more permanent roof repair won't be needed until next summer - although I realize that if the roof keeps leaking, I really will need to find the problem and fix it now.

JRMunn

JR,
My trailer also has the roof rack and ladder at the rear. Back there, I only needed a single strip of 4 inch Eternabond tape to seal the junction of cap and roof instead of two overlapping strips. It came out looking just like the one I pictured on the front.

Here is a picture of it just before painting with the blue masking tape applied. The ladder is just behind me on the left side and out of the picture.
Barney