Water Leak Monitor

Gollycollie, it's RVroof.com. Mine is scheduled in about 10 days.

fourtytwo, I need to learn more about the spray on 20 year roof you are having done. I don't think I am there yet, but that may be something I want to do since I plan to hold on to this motorhome for a long time. What company is it that you are using? $4,000 to not have to deal with the issue again doesn't sound too bad actually.

I have a 2010 Coachmen Freelander which has experienced leaks - around a bedroom window, and apparently on the roof seams (selling dealer claimed to have fixed them). I had the RV Doctor in Fort Myers, FL attempt to identify the leaks and repair them. Their verdict was that the roof was shot and I needed a new one.

I have since lost all confidence in the RV Doctor's operation due to this response and the results of 3 other very simple to fix items that asked them to fix.

While the quality of the membrane used by Coachmen (mine is actually from the Forest River time, but is probably constructed of left overs from before the sale - 08 450 chassis) is about that of a cheap discount store picnic tablecloth (discovered when I replaced a vent with a Fantastic Fan), it didn't show any visible problems, except perhaps at the seams. I had all the seams resealed as a temporary fix, and have an appointment to have a spray on fix in a couple of weeks. When I bought the Freelander 6 months ago, I was aware of gollycollie's problems and factored a spray on roof fix into the purchase offer. For the 28' Freelander the spray on roof is expected to run about 4K ($150 per linear foot) and guaranteed for 20 years. I have to take the MH to the facility near Jacksonville, FL for the solution I chose. A competitor will come to you and do it on site, with what appears to be a similar solution. A third option I found was the "bedliner" application. My concern with the latter two options was the level of experience of those doing the application would be a luck of the draw.

As a super senior geezer (near the end of my 80th year on the planet), eliminating the need to ever again get on the roof, and the probability of ever having a roof leak was an easy decision.

Gollycollie...thank you for that outline of the issues. I had no idea and I am betting many others didn't/don't either, of the vulnerability for an RV consumer and buyer. What a terrible mess to find yourselves in.

I am going to make a suggestion and it may have no merit at all, but it appears that you are in it for the long haul with no other options other than damage control. Could you look at having a spray-on bed liner applied? There has been discussion about this in the past and it seems that with the right application it may just be an answer. One of the tricks, if you will, is when having the batch mixed, that they consider the elasticity factor, and not create a stiff application.


Gary Haupt

Markiemark32 wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Gollycollie...you have a 2013 that has leaked pretty much since you bought it and now you are happy because you have a monitor that tells you when it has leaked some more. I do not understand this at all. Shouldn't you be after the manufacturer to address the ongoing issue?


Gary Haupt

Little search, you can see some of the history Click Here


Markiemark:C

PS:Gary you were also part of that discussion.............

Which led to my question.


Gary Haupt

Yes this has been an ongoing issue since I bought this motorhome. I would love to say I could get some satisfaction from the manufacturer and/or dealer, and I have spent a lot of time trying to do that. In fact the local dealer had my unit in his shop for 123 days in his attempt to correct the issue. Since that time I have not had any water in it until earlier this week. This is the rainy season in Florida so it has been rained on a lot and I have watched it closely. If you know the history of this motorhome, it would actually accumulate water in the ceiling above the driver’s head and then dump it on him (me!) when he turned a corner. Am I happy about things as they are? No I’m not, but I also have learned enough about laws governing problems with recreational vehicles to know that there is little you as a consumer can do.

The biggest issue is that the laws are very complicated and highly skewed in favor of the manufacturer. In Florida, RV manufacturers had a big part in writing the laws that govern this process. Another major issue is that the law excludes an attorney from recovering his fees if he wins a case. The only exception to this is the State of California where the consumer can recover attorney costs. If you search for an attorney in Florida that specializes in RV warrantee issues you may find a couple, but if you do the same thing in California you get tons of them. There is no money to be made by an attorney in RV law because the laws exempt it, and most attorneys aren’t Santa Claus, so unless you are in California, you are on your own.

What I am saying is that the cards are so badly stacked against the consumer when it comes to RVs, it is a lost cause even before you start. Also, the manufacturer and dealer are well aware of how they are protected, so they don’t seem to worry about it. Go out and buy a new Chevy or Ford automobile and have a problem with it that keeps it in the shop and unusable for 123 days and you will get a lot of action very quickly, but have the same issue with your RV and you are just on your own. Laws governing cars have some teeth, but the laws that are on the books don’t do anything to protect the RV consumer and the dealer and manufacturer know it. All those laws do is give us a false sense of comfort and security that we are protected. I want RV consumers to know their rights, and the fact is they really have no rights under the law. I am probably oversimplifying it, but that is basically the way it is. All you can do is rely on the honesty and integrity of the manufacturer and dealer.
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So I am make the best of the situation I am in, and that is what I am doing by installing a water leak monitor in the area of my motorhome that I know is prone to problems so I can fix a leak before it causes more damage. (Personally, if I were an RV manufacturer I would be ashamed to know that I produced a new product that needed to be continually monitored for leaks.) The other thing I can do is try my best to honestly inform other owners and prospective owners of the issues I have had so they can be a more informed consumer. I receive emails regularly from people in the same situation that I have been in or that are shopping to buy, and I share with them what I know. If there was something else I could do, I would do it. I am retiring in 6 months and a large part of what we want to do is wrapped up in our motorhome, so I can either continue fighting a battle that is unwinnable or try to make the best of what I have.

garyhaupt wrote:
Gollycollie...you have a 2013 that has leaked pretty much since you bought it and now you are happy because you have a monitor that tells you when it has leaked some more. I do not understand this at all. Shouldn't you be after the manufacturer to address the ongoing issue?


Gary Haupt

Little search, you can see some of the history Click Here


Markiemark:C

PS:Gary you were also part of that discussion.............

Gollycollie...you have a 2013 that has leaked pretty much since you bought it and now you are happy because you have a monitor that tells you when it has leaked some more. I do not understand this at all. Shouldn't you be after the manufacturer to address the ongoing issue?


Gary Haupt

Any plans to fix the leak or are you just curious about when the wood gets wet enough to set off an alarm?

Be careful... by the time the probes get wet enough to set off alarm damage has already occurred IMO. The probes basically short circuit or complete the circuit and alarm goes off. They don't say that in vid
but you can plainly see the metal probes on bottom. If that's the type you have. If you have a type that detects moisture without probes, please post make and model. I'd like to put several in RV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmFG-Q_OrAM#t=68

Not saying it is not worth it or bad idea. Saying it is not the cure all, but would be handy water leaks that were big.

When I had a water leak I never did see any water till to late. Just had a few drops in the front window frame. Took out the front window and entire front was exposed to water for long time because most wood was history. Water was making its way thru the middle running light then soaking into luan wood. After fixing I put in a shelf that has a removable wooden back to it and I can now look behind with flashlight and do a better inspection.