theoldwizard1 wrote:
the bear II wrote:
Delamination is not rampant in the RV world. Very few RVs have delamination of the siding when compared to the total number of RVs on the road.
Good preventative maintenance will keep water out. Our current 5th wheel is a 1994 model that we have had since new. It has never been covered and has sat out in the weather 24/7 for 23 years. 2 years ago one small section of the siding showed signs of delamination. It was due to a leak around one window. Because I was taking care of my 90+ year old dad with dementia I had stopped doing routine inspections and maintenance so the 5th wheel and our house suffered a little.
Preventative maintenance is important...
First, 23 years on an RV left in the open is an AMAZING feat ! Many (most?) would have been towed to the junk yard by then.
IMHO, it is a sad state of affairs for the entire RV industry that leaks are as common as they are ! Crowned roofs are a step in the right direction as are true one piece "rubber" roofs. But I have lived in my current house for over 40 years and never had a leak (the roof is about 20 years old and the windows about the same). I do no "careful inspections" or maintenance. Why should this be a requirement to insure longevity of an RV ?
There are thousands of enclosed utility trailer (not including the millions of full size cargo trailer) on the road. I have only been in a few, but I can not say I have seen any with obvious leaks. They use a rounded roof to wall connection. Why is it so impervious to leaks ?
The really issue with leaks is not the walls, but the FLOOR ! If rot sets into the floor you might as well scrap the RV. CampLite is the only trailer I have ever seen advertised that has an ALUMINUM FLOOR ! Combined with no wood (except in cabinet doors) make it impervious to rot, but not leaks.
You do not hear about too many leak issues with eggshell (2 piece fiberglass) either.
My 89 Layton has sat outside, uncovered it's entire life. Original one piece aluminum roof and regular maintenance is what keeps it going. To the poster who claimed fiberglass rigs were lighter, I'm not so sure that's accurate.
