Suggestions for sagging roof

[madime]

I have a 20 year old travel trailer where the roof is starting to sag in the middle by the AC unit; it's starting to leak into the RV. Just wondering, is it worth repairing the roof? Or is there a good way to help prevent the water from collecting on the roof?

I've secured a tarp over it for now, but don't know if I should look into one of those complete RV covers, or build a partial roof cover I attach directly to the RV to keep the rain off, or maybe just install a more permanent cover into the ground covering the entire length of the RV (kinda like a carport), etc. I just don't want to invest a lot of time and money if the RV doesn't have a lot of value left in it.

[madime]

Wow, thank you all for the great ideas, feedback & support! You've given me so many things to think about. I really appreciate the help!

[SDcampowneroper]

I have replaced a roof on my 73 TT in 1986 due to the same issues you have. Its a job, not difficult to a handyman with basic carperntry tools.
MY job was a 1973 20' TT with a n aluminum roof made up of 4' panels fold seamed togrther that leaked over 2x2 lumber tapered to 3/4" at the walls.
I removed all the roof to the inside cieling panels and started over. I framed the roof with 2x4 lumber with 1 1/2 arch at the eave to 3 1/2" at the apex which allowed greater insulation and rain snow shed.
Being that campers are built from the inside out, the new luan ply ceiling panels must be placed first, then the trusses, framing, wiring insulation , lastly roof which I did with a 1 piece aluminum sheet roof.
Bought that unit in '78 for $5k, full timed in it for 2 years sold it in '89 for $ 4500 better than new.
Asagging roof is due to thin joists
For me a rebuild paid off very well.

[ksg5000]

As other have said - real fix is too expensive. If your not going to travel then you might away with using a water proof tarp combined with something to support the tarp and keep rainwater from pooling on the tarp. Ain't fancy/expensive but it should suffice for a while. Lots of parked trailers that have the entire top shrouded in tarp.

[ajriding]

I could still see my pics when I was not logged in to anything. hmm...

If it is just always sitting then maybe you can get a 2x4 or something and push the roof up from the inside to take the sag out. It all depends on what is inside. If you do this then you will need a board, piece of plywood about 1 square foot, to more evenly distribute the 2x4 pressure over the ceiling or else you just punch a hole in the roof.

Likely you have some water damage, but not necessarily. Things sag over time.

You can pull the AC ceiling piece off from the inside without having to move the AC unit. Then you might be able to look at the roof structure at the 14.5 inch square roof opening. Look for rot or wetness or mold or black mold.

If there is water in the roof, and you ignore it you can get by a few years. The wet, even if you stop the problem at the source, will continue to rot unless you can dry it out somehow. If you dry it completely and stop the leak then you are fine (as you said it stays parked). Rotten wood when dry is just a step away from saw dust, and it has very little structural integrity, but will not do damage in and of itself. Support the roof with an interior something (2x4 or whatever) and you that fix might outlive the camper

[wopachop]

Borrow a jack from a car and use 2x4s to lift the roof back up. Then stick some more 2x4s directly under the sagging spots.

[madime]

By the way, I don't tow the trailer - I've only let it sit at a lake lot where we have it stored.

@GrandpaKip - I don't know what kind of roof structure it is. The picture link I just added shows where the sagging started, if that helps.

[madime]

Thank you all for the helpful replies. @ajriding - I didn't see your pics come through, but to your comment, I'm not very handy at doing the level of work you described - I could do it with some good YouTube videos, but frankly am not very motivated if the time/cost are beyond the value of the trailer itself.

If it comes through, attached are links to photos of it. One is of the tarped RV and the other is of the roof spot where the sagging is starting - the brown spots are all dirt, not mold or holes or anything. Last year I sealed the entire roof with a few coats of roof sealant and it did stop some leaks, but then it began pooling up a few months ago by the AC unit and then sagging more as of yesterday a little further out from the AC unit (you can see some circles where the water was sitting before I brushed it out).

Does any of this additional insight change anyone's opinion about how salvageable it is or perhaps how I can prevent more rain from collecting?

[ajriding]

Repair all depends on your skills and available time. Anything can be worth doing... or not.
Only you can answer that. Some water-damage projects will be very involved and take a lot of work, some might be easier.

To kep water from pooling just crank your tongue jack up so the camper is slanted and the water will just run off. You might still get pooling where the AC dams up water, but should not be as much.

I had a very damaged roof on a trailer. I had to pull entire portion of ceiling out. Rusted steel frame had to be reinforced, new ceiling panels put in...
Under the AC unit I put a 3/4 inch board all the way across the ceiling, and this was un-necessarily supported by a board down the wall. This board is able to hold up a lot of weight and I could safely walk on the roof there with no risk, and the roof was very solid there. I ended up painting it to match, but these pics are better for illustration.

I have a cargo camper that I put a roof AC on and was able to just weld in new 1 inch square tubing to have more supports under the AC unit. However, this was on an undamaged trailer with no rust and no water damage. It also is very stable and can support more than just the AC unit.

Here is pics of trailer damage, I think pics speak for themselves. This is just to give you ideas...


See the brown board behind the AC unit on ceiling.



See brown board running across and sits on top of the brown board running up the wall.

I used this camper for a year with no issues, then sold it.

[carringb]

You might be able to get by for a few more years if you remove the A/C, cover the hole with thin plywood, and glue down a new section of roof membrane. But the rot is already present, and will continue to spread through the structure until it's not even towable anymore.

[wing_zealot]

Set 6 posts and build a roof over it. Then pull the trailer out, scrap it, and back in something liveable (which will be well protected for many years with the permanent roof).
P.S. deer hunters don't want to stay in a rotted, falling in, leaking, mold and rat infested quarters.

[GrandpaKip]

What type of roof structure is it?
That will determine how to solve your problem.

[Lwiddis]

Sorry but it’s too late for a cover or carport. At twenty years old it is not worth fixing.

[valhalla360]

Unless you simply enjoy big projects, your best bet is sell it as a deer hunter special for cheap.

If pay someone to repair it, expect a bill upwards of $10k and for a 20yr old unit, it's likely not worth $10k.

[jdc1]

Rotted roofs are death to a trailer.