Roof questions.Will a leak show inside before its too late?

[yankeeslover]

thanks for helping. I was wondering from the resident experts here. If i missed a small tiny hole anywhere in the roof during my inpspections, If it started leaking will i see this on my wall or ceiling and if so will it be too late? i inspect my roof a couple times per year.. get on my hands and knees.. But im sure, that its always possible to miss a tiny pin hole if one were there. I always check in cabinets and all along the inside of the trailer. I am just wondering if somehow a pin hole going unnoticed will ruin trailer? I am sure there is no guareentees, but if water were to leak thru roof would one be able to notice it inside before its too late or is it too late once you notice it inside? during the camping season i check inside the camper every couple weeks, and during winter i usually go out once couple times per month to look inside the camper...thanks again..im sorry, im still learning the trade.. im trying my best to getup on roof and look, but im sure its always possible that i might miss something from the outside..thanks again..

[midnightsadie]

cover for the winter, then your 5 months safe.

[yankeeslover]

i guess the main place im worried about is on the side of the roof... right above where the drip plate is... where does the rubber go, does it attach underneath that? i noticed a couple small holes on my new camper along that long seam right above the drip rail.. im not sure if this is sealant that has little blemishes in it, or if thats the rubber roof itself... i might just plug it up anyways with dicor to be safe..wont hurt..

[westend]

You do worry a lot but in this case your thoughts are well placed. A leak is the #1 enemy of a TT. After restoring my Starcraft and using every possible way to seal against any leaking, I found two small leaks that were visible from the inside. That instigated me to do a pressurized leak test. The leak test turned up about 20 small leaks, pinholes, really. and a few spots around screws.

Here is a pinhole leak:

[yankeeslover]

then i guess next question would be, are pin holes common? i know every situation is different.. but outside of storing indoors all year long, how does one assure there are no holes anywhere? i go up twice per year with dicor and seal up the current seals.. that im ok with... its the rest of the roof that i worry about...kind of hard to detect holes on that big roof..arghhh. maybe i worry too much about nothing..haaha

[ScottG]

Sadly, by the time a pin hole leak is detected it will have soaked everything behind it including insulation that holds water like a sponge. By the time you see it dripping, severe damage may already be done.

[tvman44]

Usually kind of late by then. 😞