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UncleGnarley's avatar
UncleGnarley
Explorer
Apr 14, 2015

Shower Skylight Leaking - Quick repair or "go for it"?

Hi, All! I'm brand new to the forum and I'm sure this has all been covered before, but after searching on "roof leaks" and "water damage" among a few others, I decided it might be faster to just start a new topic and see what y'all had to say...

I have a 2005 Starcraft Homestead Rancher 28'. I picked it up in late-2013 in time to make a few trips before winterizing and parking it for the PA winter. I purchased from a local dealer with a good reputation, and didn't figure that two months after the initial check-out that I'd need to do much more than winterize the normal stuff and park it. Being a first-time RV/TT owner, I guess I learned a lesson there. It's got a fiberglass exterior, and I noticed last spring that a section of the fiberglass about 4-6" wide had started to bubble from top to bottom. I really didn't know what it meant, so I just... went camping!

Flash forward to late-2014. I was camping at a motorcycle race and around dinner time it started to rain. I was sitting alone, quietly, and I heard water dripping in the bathroom! It was leaking from the edge of the lower skylight panel into the tub! I immediately put two and two together and realized what'd been happening.

As soon as I got home I pulled the lower skylight panel and saw the damage. The thin laminated wood that trimmed the hole for the skylight was wet and soft. I climbed a ladder and checked the roof around the skylight... Still firm on three sides, but on the 8" between the skylight and the side that had started to de-laminate, I could tell the wood underneath was trashed and basically being held in place by the rubber roof. BTW, the shower is at the extreme rear/"drivers side" of the TT.

I've replaced the upper skylight panel that had cracked and sealed it up really well just to make sure that things didn't get worse, but I'm really starting to dwell on the potential structural damage and worse... the mold that could be in the roof and the wall behind the shower enclosure. Now... on to my question.

Should I leave well enough alone now that the leak is repaired and there doesn't seem to be any "significant" structural damage, or... Do I start tearing into it in an attempt to fix the damage before it gets worse? The wall seems solid both inside and out even with the de-lamination, but I know that the wood in that corner of the roof is bad.

I'm a fairly handy guy who wouldn't hesitate to completely remodel a home kitchen or bath, and I've done my share of framing, roofing, and drywall work as well, but for some reason RV's scare the******out of me when it comes to tearing into them that far. I just picture this torn-up TT sitting in my driveway that's too far gone to repair, and too torn apart to move safely! Am I over-thinking this? And again, should I just go camping and ignore it all as long as I don't find anymore leaks?

If I DO start poking around more, should I start by trying to peel back the rubber roof, or should I try to figure out the jigsaw puzzle that is the interior panels and walls?

Thanks in advance for all your help here... I'm really stuck and could use some guidance!
  • lawrosa's avatar
    lawrosa
    Explorer
    Apr 14, 2015
    I have the same exact issue. Have a 2003 camper that had a leak when I bought it. Guy fixed leak but small corner of roof is gone. Otherwise camper is mint condition..

    I lose sleep over it trust me. For me I have aluminum siding and was thinking to pull the corner strips off, and remove rear siding. Thats would include all the marker lights and tail lights.

    Then remove side trim back some 5 ft and roll the roof back..

    Then I can fix that corner and have piece of mind. Then when done put that liquid roof on it...

    Done.. new camper..

    But its so much work and I am not a carpenter..

    So it goes on year 3 and I am still camping and have done nothing. I do keep an eye on that area though..

    Yes that corner is just rubber roof with a 8x4 triangle missing from the wood underneath.. And I removed the shower surround to have a look and the luan near the bottom of the tub is just paper now. The wood is gone? Guess its wall paper..

    They want 4 K to fix it all.. I said no way I only paid 5k for the camper..


    So I hope you get some responses..

    Oh below is the best video I was going to follow if I ever attempt to work on mine...


    RV roof rot. Roll back roof and repair...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6p8u8HuKY
  • WyoTraveler's avatar
    WyoTraveler
    Explorer
    Apr 14, 2015
    Guess it depends on how long it has been leaking.I had a leak in shower dome on my 2013 MH. I checked roof carefully just before trip all was well. 2 weeks later had water leaking under shower. Checked roof again. Noticed very fine cracks in upper dome. Patched cracks and no more leaks. Been through several rain storms and no more leaks.
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Apr 14, 2015
    One thing I know is that the rotten wood won't get better.;)

    I've pulled apart a couple of travel trailers with leaks, it is amazing where water goes and how much it can rot the frame. i'd suggest to repair it now and make sure you don't have any leaks.

    The last trailer I restored was stripped from the inside and the bad wood replaced. There are pictures and explanations in the restoration thread in my signature line-The Cowboy/Hilton.
  • consumeratlarge's avatar
    consumeratlarge
    Explorer
    Apr 14, 2015
    If it was me, and it's not......I would cut a hole in the ceiling interior at least. Then put a dehumidifier on a short stepladder, or platform, so that the dehumidifier can drain into the shower as it collects moisture. Close the door of the bathroom, too. Spray a mixture of chlorine bleach and water up into there and let the dehumidifier dry out the area. If you're brave enough, get some forced ventilation similarly into the delam area from the outside or inside.

    It's relatively easy to weatherproof your outside repair with those dicor sealants. There are seams everywhere on an rv, and the only ones that leak are the ones that flex, or that weren't done with the right sealant, or have been left in the sun for a long time and crack. Your access patch on the outside (or inside) wall should be pretty flex-free, and can be artfully disguised with a refrigerator plastic vent cover, or some kind of factory looking panel maybe, (non functional except to cover the repair seam).

    I think water intrusion should be dried and sprayed with mold killing spray ASAP. Good for you getting the skylight fixed right away, I would start drying right away. In my experience, forcing air into hidden wet areas can make a huge difference, over days of time spent drying. I have read that mold can be made dormant but not permanently killed, by drying completely. I say treat it, dry it, then look at a 'correct' repair when you can. Meanwhile, you need to get some dry air to it.
  • dadmomh's avatar
    dadmomh
    Explorer
    Apr 14, 2015
    There is a product to use on rotting wood, stops the process and turns it into a rock-hard piece of something with this stuff penetrated into it...Lowe's or HD. Might help your fix. Fixing the leak would be #1. If you plan to keep the trailer for any length of time, suggest you do the job completely. If you're going to unload it in the near future, possibly enough to get through this, advise the potential buyers and hope for the best.

    Water is sure the enemy for RVs....regular built homes as well. Recently house shopping in FL and found a dandy buy on a cute place that needed "TLC". Loved everything until I got to the bathroom. Water damage around the skylight. I told DH to forget this and when he came in and saw it, we ran. Our current house had 2 skylights in the sunroom when we purchased it. Within a couple of years we were seeing the tell-tale signs. All the caulk in town wouldn't fix it, so DH ended up ripping off the ceiling, part of the roof around each skylight, tossed the skylights and replaced the whole thing with solid roof and solid roofing that matched our architectural shingles. Problem solved. I love the look of skylights but they are just a problem waiting to happen.
  • lawrosa's avatar
    lawrosa
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2016
    Well I took the corner off mine and that whole piece of wood is shot... Lookes like that corner of roof and floor too. Looks like the other corner floor has started too. Probably from the leak that was there ..

    I barly managed to get the corner back on. I did reseal the corner with the putty but its only held inplace by the aluminum siding...


    To me its not worth it to rip into it... What I plan on doing is tape some eternabond over the rubber roof that has the wood missing below it. Then get some liquid roof and coat the back last 1/4 of the roof to thicken the rubber...

    I only paid 5 k for the camper.

    Im sure if its osb under there it will just keep rotting wet or not...

    Its cheap 1x3's in the wall..

    To do it right I would have to gut the rear bath, remove rear siding and peel back roof. Way too much work...
  • Paul_D_'s avatar
    Paul_D_
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2016
    To the OP of this topic. I'd consider tearing into the ceiling around the sky light and at the very least see how far the damage has traveled, you may be ok just drying it all out well and mold treating the wood, then replacing a small section of ceiling. Spent last winter fixing the interior of a 2006 Gulf Breeze that i had changed the whole roof including substrait in the fall. It was a good winter project. You will be able to see a lot from the inside and decide if more exploration is needed.





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