Help locating a leak

[mfdengineer]

Hey folks. I'm looking for some help from those that have dealt with this or something similar. I just bought this trailer and was aware of the leak. I got a heck of a deal because of the leak and damage. I initially thought it was coming from the window but I have eliminated that. I took the door sill plate up and pulled the carpet back and it looks like it may be coming from the door or up ahead of it somewhere. The shower is against the wall to the right of the door so it will be difficult to get behind it to look.

I would appreciate anyone's input. I did check around the outside of the door and it is caulked really well with no gaps. There are no vents above it in the roof that it would be coming from.

[2012Coleman]

Is that the entry door? If so, I'd say the seal around the door is leaking.

[RVcircus]

+1 on the pressure test. You don't want to fix what you think was the leak and it come back to bite you.

You'd be surprised how far water can travel from the source. We had rot 15' away from where our roof was leaking. 2 leaks in the rear corners of the roof caused damage to 15' along the side of our roof, the entire rear wall, about 8' of the side walls, and 3-4 feet of the floor.

Here's a link to Seal Tech testing locations: http://www.sealtechleaktesting.com/

westend wrote:
The damage to that floor is much older than three days. more like three months. It looks like the water is coming from behind that wall.

IMO, the best way to find any water leaks from the exterior is to do a pressurized leak test. Search the forum for that or Sealtech.

[mfdengineer]

Thank you for the input. As soon as I get time I plan to check the roof seams. This trailer has an all aluminum roof so it would most likely be a seam or something. I will post back as soon as I find something.

[IBcarguy]

Leaks usually always start from roof seams. I've had 2 leaks in the past with one that did major damage. I ended up peeling the rubber roof back and replacing a lot of the wooden roof on one corner. Turned out to be a big job. Good luck

[towhead]

before you pull off any paneling, take down the trim around the skylight over the shower and check to see if the skylight is leaking. Good luck

[mfdengineer]

Yeah the previous owner never used the water the two years he owned it. I hooked water to it long enough to check lines and flush them out. Less than a few days. You can definitely tell by the stains that it's been leaking for far longer than a few days. I will be trying to pull the panelling off to check the plumbing but I really don't think that's the issue here. I'm betting on the skylight or roof seam.

[Itchey_Feet]

You say that the plumbing is OK as it has been winterized!!! There could be a leak in the ( unpressurized portion of the plumbing ) drains from (shower toilet, bathroom sink) that can leak only while being used and draining (no pressure) We had a Class C that only leaked when someone was in the shower and bathing. Body weight caused a separation during this period. JMHO

[westend]

The damage to that floor is much older than three days. more like three months. It looks like the water is coming from behind that wall.

IMO, the best way to find any water leaks from the exterior is to do a pressurized leak test. Search the forum for that or Sealtech.

[mfdengineer]

I know its not coming from the plumbing. Trailer has been winterized and plumbing has not been used. We just had about three days of good rain so it most likely is coming from the roof or maybe skylight over shower. I'll just have to climb on the roof and investigate.

[gbopp]

Did you check the entire roof? And, where the roof meets the walls.
Water leaks can be difficult to find.
If you get a fairly warm day, maybe you can spray the RV with a hose to see where the water is entering.

[coolmom42]

Check the wall behind the shower. It could be coming from the shower plumbing.

Also check ALL the penetrations---any lights, handles, etc.