Bubbled Fiberglas

[Espnart]

We just brought a 2012 Viewfinder 19FK from an elevation of 4500 feet to 8500 feet, then back to 5500 feet, in high southwest temperatures. This was over a two-day period. When home, I found a round area of about 1.5 feet where the Fiberglas had bubbled. It is not crazed or cracked. I am concerned that it may not deflate and that the stress on the fIberglas will result in a leaky break. Any words of advice or experiences like this to share? Thanks much.

[LVJJJ]

darn sun, darn water. The two can cause delam. Bought an Arctic Fox several years ago in Las Vegas and lived in it in the Thousand Trails campground for a while. After a while when the sun got around to one side of the TT I began to notice a slight bulging in about a square foot area. Would go down a bit at nite. Traded that one in.

Now have an '05 Trail Cruiser with a couple of places where its delaming a little. The idiot manufacturer secured the fridge freezer drain hose just behind the removable vent, not to the outside. So the water ran down between the aluminum frame and siding since then everytime the fridge defrosted so lots of water caused a line of delam as it headed to the floor. I obviously took the screw out of the hold down and threaded the pipe out the vent holes.

[Espnart]

Thank you, all, for your comments and insight. Most of the bubble deflated with cooler night temps. That doesn’t eliminate the delamination issue but your input helps to understand where to head next. Thanks again -

[Ralph_Cramden]

david_iona wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Around that time there were a lot of RV's having problems with the adhesive bonding the wall. So it may not be a water intrusion problem at all.

My previous 2005 fifth wheel delaminated most of the rear wall about 8 years after I purchased it new. I was very meticulous about maintenance and roof/seams recaulking. My insurance refused coverage for repair so I paid for a local repair and when the rear filon was removed it was not bonded to luan but glued to cardboard sheeting and the repair shop said it was glue failure most likely caused by residual humidity build up over the years. Upon contacting the manufacturer for my brand and asking about the cardboard instead of luan I was informed it is not cardboard it is "compressed fiberboard"......how about that!

Most front and rear walls that do not have a fiberglass cap are as you describe. A sheet of filon glued to what is essemtially paper, and only attached at the perimeter. Thats why you see waves in them even when new on a dealers lot. The only manufacturer I know of using a true laminated panel the same as the sidewalls is Rockwood/Flagstaff. In fact their roofs are laminated also, 5" thick in the center and crowned down to 3" at the edge with the AC ducts formed in the foam layer.

[david_iona]

ScottG wrote:
Around that time there were a lot of RV's having problems with the adhesive bonding the wall. So it may not be a water intrusion problem at all.

My previous 2005 fifth wheel delaminated most of the rear wall about 8 years after I purchased it new. I was very meticulous about maintenance and roof/seams recaulking. My insurance refused coverage for repair so I paid for a local repair and when the rear filon was removed it was not bonded to luan but glued to cardboard sheeting and the repair shop said it was glue failure most likely caused by residual humidity build up over the years. Upon contacting the manufacturer for my brand and asking about the cardboard instead of luan I was informed it is not cardboard it is "compressed fiberboard"......how about that!

[Huntindog]

I'm gonna build a big shed for my house. It will last longer/stay nicer that way.

[SidecarFlip]

ScottG wrote:
Around that time there were a lot of RV's having problems with the adhesive bonding the wall. So it may not be a water intrusion problem at all.

May or may not be but I'll put my bet on water intrusion. It has some age and probably little pro-active care.

I've looked at many older units and they all have one thing in common. Water issues number one, oxidation of seals number 2 and rotting sub floors number 3.

Before I bought my new one, I was a Craigs List junkie but I took along my IR camera and thermometer. Was amazing what I found under the 'covers'.

Even new units are suspect today. After all, they sit outside from the time they are built to the time they sell at a dealer, exposed to the elements.

[ScottG]

Around that time there were a lot of RV's having problems with the adhesive bonding the wall. So it may not be a water intrusion problem at all.

[SidecarFlip]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Sorry but you just lost thousands in resale value!
Delamin8is most of caused by moisture in the Luan behind the fiberglas! Maybe a minor leak around the window.

I will not buy an RV with WOOD backed fiberglas!

Kind of severely limits your choices then, in as much as 90% of them today are vacuum bonded fiberglass (Filon) over wood substrate.

I'ts delamination for sure probably cause by water intrusion from a leaking window seal. Seals and caulk need to be checked and maintained a couple times a year, something very few owners do until bad things start happening. The they 'reactive' instead of being pro active.

Exactly.....wood backed fiberglass as opposed to what? Azdel backed fiberglass ( which still can delaminate and is a lot of marketing rigamarole) or stick and tin ( which the siding can have water blow through the s lock seams if it does not blow off completely from the factory idiots blowing staples clear through the nail flanges, not to mention caulk joints that have to be thicker and backed up with succesive layers of butyl tape to account for the highs and lows in panels)?

Looks like Bob wont be buying any RVs. They're all junk when you get right down to it lol.

It's interesting Ralph, that the level of 'junk' isn't commensurate with the price either. You can buy an entry level RV and it's good to go or you can buy a high end one that leaks like a sieve and is falling apart inside. No rhyme nor reason other than shoddy workmanship and lax maintenance on the owners part.

I've seen countless RV's parked outside uncovered in the winter around here, loaded with snow and seen them in the same spot in the summer, untouched and I know they are deteriorating.

Mine stays inside under roof when I'm not using it and I check all the seals and caulk couple times a year. I expect mine to last at least 10 years, my previous one was 15 years old when I sold it and I got top buck because it was tight, dry and everything worked but it had to be maintained. You maintain your house...You maintain your vehicle, you maintain your RV... all the same deal.

[Ralph_Cramden]

SidecarFlip wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Sorry but you just lost thousands in resale value!
Delamin8is most of caused by moisture in the Luan behind the fiberglas! Maybe a minor leak around the window.

I will not buy an RV with WOOD backed fiberglas!

Kind of severely limits your choices then, in as much as 90% of them today are vacuum bonded fiberglass (Filon) over wood substrate.

I'ts delamination for sure probably cause by water intrusion from a leaking window seal. Seals and caulk need to be checked and maintained a couple times a year, something very few owners do until bad things start happening. The they 'reactive' instead of being pro active.

Exactly.....wood backed fiberglass as opposed to what? Azdel backed fiberglass ( which still can delaminate and is a lot of marketing rigamarole) or stick and tin ( which the siding can have water blow through the s lock seams if it does not blow off completely from the factory idiots blowing staples clear through the nail flanges, not to mention caulk joints that have to be thicker and backed up with succesive layers of butyl tape to account for the highs and lows in panels)?

Looks like Bob wont be buying any RVs. They're all junk when you get right down to it lol.

[GrandpaKip]

The thing to do as soon as possible is to find out why to prevent further damage. More than likely there is a leak somewhere. If so, it will get worse.
If it is as HuntingDog said, it may or may not get worse.
A pressure test will show you if there are any leaks.
Good luck.

[SidecarFlip]

WNYBob wrote:
Sorry but you just lost thousands in resale value!
Delamin8is most of caused by moisture in the Luan behind the fiberglas! Maybe a minor leak around the window.

I will not buy an RV with WOOD backed fiberglas!

Kind of severely limits your choices then, in as much as 90% of them today are vacuum bonded fiberglass (Filon) over wood substrate.

I'ts delamination for sure probably cause by water intrusion from a leaking window seal. Seals and caulk need to be checked and maintained a couple times a year, something very few owners do until bad things start happening. The they 'reactive' instead of being pro active.

[WNYBob]

Sorry but you just lost thousands in resale value!
Delamin8is most of caused by moisture in the Luan behind the fiberglas! Maybe a minor leak around the window.

I will not buy an RV with WOOD backed fiberglas!

[Huntindog]

Sounds like delamination. The trip probably had nothing to do with it, other than causing it to show up now. Likely road vibration and weakened glue just let go.

[Espnart]

Driver side, about a foot from a window, at about 4 o’clock...