Solomon, Light, M1 sealant over the top of each one. YouTube video by C.L.S. Its super durable as well, the company claims it can last 18-35 years. CPR, However, even RV covers have their disadvantages. Backer Rod, RV Water Hookup Filling The RV Fresh Water Tank Issue Fix. Additionally, damage thats allowed to sit unaddressed can get worse, and lead to more issues or more extensive and expensive repairs. ), Try the RV LIFE Pro Bundle FREE for 7 days, RV Mods RV Guides RV Tips | DoItYourselfRV. The hot desert sun and dry air can do a number on RV rubber roofs. Albion, Once dry, the liquid roof barrier protects it from UV rays from the sun and also adds weatherproofing to block moisture and slow wear-and-tear from the elements. Fasteners, Winco, TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) is probably the most common material used for RV roofs. Electric Service Products, Let tj@E Thanks for the great article! This includes items like solar panels, air conditioning units, roof vents, and antennas. When doing so, be sure to caulk all around the air conditioning unit, roof vents, skylights and any other places where there may be a crack or seam in the roofing material. Roofing Fasteners, ETERNACLEAN. You can also use denatured alcohol, acetone, mineral spirits, or the EternaClean if you have it. For a rubber roof, you should be able to use a putty knife to scrape off the worn rubber material in sections. Quarrix, If youre out camping and theres a hole in your RV rubber roof, youre going to need to do some quick repairs. Watts, This is the best method. Do I Need To Use RV Water Pump When Connected To City Water? If your RVs roof is made of EPDM or TPO, you will need to re-coat it every year or so to maintain it properly and maximize its lifespan. It has a unique, woven fabric backing with microsealant composition so that it bonds perfectly on flat surfaces as well as around curves, angles, bolts and pipes. Log Home Products, Accessories, Have a question about ANYTHING related to RVing, join the conversation at any of our awesome RV forum communities. The liquid roof costs almost $90 per gallon, which covers about 42 square feet. These are found on both ends, and the sides of the camper. / Terms, Copyright 2003-2022 Best Materials Be careful not to get water inside the hole. PVC Roofing, They are great options to have if you want to use them but they arent required. While its some fantastic stuff and an excellent way to go for a long lasting camper roof sealant it does have a few downsides you may want to consider. Attic You may also need to remove a plywood sublayer. Thanks! particles. Flashing Tape, The roof-cleaning process offers the perfect time to check your RVs roof for leaks. Remove Protecto Polyurethane Foam, Eternabond, In this article, Im going to focus on RV rubber roofs since they are the most common kind of camper roof and the kind that I have lots of experience with. Robetex, Ad #q%FI)([7W^O(3? ASI Flame The most common types of camper roofing material are TPO, EPDM, fiberglass, and aluminum. After youve installed the plywood sublayer, skim coat your wood to make the joints seamless with the existing roof. You can also use EternaBond Roof Seal Tape for longer scratches or to reseal the molding and trims on the roof. contamination or oxidation. Rubber EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) is a synthetic rubber material with membrane-like construction that is often used for flat roofs like those on RVs and travel trailers. Rubber, RoofTop National Nail, Hatch, If oil Depending on the material and the weather, the roof material may need to sit in the sun to relax or soften up so you can get rid of the creases and bubbles. Sealer, Until now. Retrofit Pipe Concrete Anchors, Sometimes the plastic cover on the back can be hard to remove. Dow, How Fast Should You Replace A Chipped Windshield? Diamond Saw Blades, That includes around the vents, skylights, and fans. Cut the excess fabric underneath the newly mounted side termination bar. You will need to cut them out later and you dont want to fall through them. Although this is normal, its a clear sign that its time to recoat the roof. We travel full time in our RV and write about what we learn and share our experiences. JL These patches are very durable, and provide a permanent solution to a tear or small hole. Hot Tar Kettles, Eternabond is, 4. Tape, As you power-wash the roof, ask your spouse or a friend to walk around below you inside the camper, checking the ceiling and walls for dampness or drips. If you think its something you can do I recommend checking out this awesome YouTube video by C.L.S. Pipe Flashings, SFS Intec, I dont have any experience with Crazy Seal but it seems like a solid product. As you wash or rinse the roof, look for cracks in the roof seal and feel for any soft areas that may be a sign of water damage or rot. You can check out some more RV roof coatings in this post here (click to view) if you want to read about some other options. (AC, vents, fans, fridge vent cover, TV antenna). As soon as you notice leaks or other damage in the roof or its fixtures, repair them. Over time, rain, wind, snow and even UV rays from the sun can break down the seals and RV roof material, leading to water damage and other issues. Now start rolling out the rubber roof membrane little bits at a time. Eternabond tape Solar, Rivets- To keep everything nice and dry, you could use some butyl tape behind the termination bars. Alpha With the new roofing material installed, youre almost ready to get back on the road. You can use EternaBond tape here as well. AES Raptor, Concrete Repair, Remove all the termination bars, end strips, and caps. The repair steps are very similar to the ones used for small holes or scratches. This keeps the material from ripping when you cut it. Heres how to replace a rubber RV roof! By regularly coating your RV roof with this type of protective sealant, you can prolong the life of your RV and prevent water damage from happening. Pam Re-caulk with Its not the destination, but the journey. You might never have to reseal it ever again if done right. Don't try to pull the whole Well, it depends a lot on the situation. In the opposite order of removal, you now need to install a layer of plywood (if applicable). base of roof penetrations (vents, hatches etc), put another layer of Campers from states like Arizona and Nevada might need a new roof a lot sooner than an RV from a more moderate climate like Montana. Pylex, You may not be able to get 100% of the adhesive off but most of it should be removed at this point. Make sure you mark where the holes in the camper roof are. Put the new rubber roof membrane on either the front or back of the RV. Power Tools When you plan to repair or replace your campers roof yourself, there are some tools youll need to get the job done as quickly and effectively as possible. Prep is the most important part of RV rubber roof repair. Sealing Washers, American plastic abrasive kitchen scrubber in repair areas. Theyve sought adventure together for 5 years now and have done a lot of international traveling, including RVing in Mexico. Like fiberglass, aluminum has fairly low maintenance needs, and unlike rubber or fiberglass, its non-toxic. Wood Deck Hardware, Before you can replace your whole roof, you need to know what youre replacing. If you dont know what kind of roof your RV has or what kind of rubber its made of (there are two main kinds), check out this article for more information. ES Products, remove edge metal, you can overlap the outside of the metal with You Unleaded vs Premium Gas: Is The Upgrade Worth The Cost. e6)EIgf"{lf||U7$8GzR'F5'_)F]TH_rGetd|lF hV23dp",5g;p~Y7U?K The best sealant to use depends on the roof surface and the application. Babcock- Start with a bucket of warm water and dish soap. Swan Vents, At RV LIFE, we believe it should be simple. Especially if your RV spends most of its days in covered storage. Foam Roofing, Heat makes the adhesive soft which loosens it and makes it possible to pull up. She is one half of DashboardDrifters.com and the founder of RVSpotDrop, a web service for full time RVers. RV & Trailer Roof Although every job is different, some general tools you should have on hand for dealing with your RV roof include: Acetone or other cleaner, like a 3M Scotch Bright Pad, Razor knife or shears for cutting the replacement material, Scraper or utility blade to remove old caulking. I have been looking at a product called crazy seal (https://crazyseal.com/crazy-seal/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkr7Eot6e-AIVUm5vBB0Efw-xEAAYASAAEgIQxvD_BwE) which is expensive but appears to reseal everything without having to tear off the old rubber seal. We welcome your ideas and Even if you did a fantastic job cleaning the roof, its likely to still be dirty or stained in some areas, so using a EPDM primer will prepare the surface for a better bond between the roof and the tape. Saw Blades, Fasteners, Now that youve removed the old leaky roof, its time to replace it. Copyright 2022 You can also do it yourself, and there are some really good RV rubber roof kits (click to view on Amazon)that come with almost everything you need like the rubber roof membrane, adhesives, putty tape, and lap sealants (no tools included). 7. You dont want any amount of water leaking into your RV. Research Campgrounds, Plan RV Safe Routes & Turn your phone into an RV GPS. Reinstall your termination bars along the sides, rear, and front of your RV. You want to do this after cleaning so the seam tape will stick. Deck Hardware, If your RVs roof is aluminum or fiberglass, you can use the same mild detergent you use to wash the rest of the RV. Werner, Whats the Easiest Way to Remove EternaBond Tape? Its optimal to store your RV indoors, but this is often very expensive and might be out of budget for most RV owners. Were Jenni and Jesse. The roof of an RV can be easily forgotten since its very much out of sight, out of mind. / Privacy & Security If youre going to reseal the traditional way you will need to remove all of the old caulking first, which takes a ton of time. Apply the patch so that theres at least two inches of overlap on all sides of the repair area, and cover any reinforcement fasteners. Secure the edges using wood-to-metal screws or staples. You will be able to go back and do that part later. Lead Sheet, If you dont have either of those things even some RV sealant (self-leveling or non-sag) could be used as a temporary fix. In small sections at a time, apply the roofing adhesive. Waterproofing Products, Roof/Deck Repair, It can even be used around vents and fans. Stinger, Using a plastic brush or sponge, scrub around the damaged area plus a little bit more. Levis, backing away AS YOU stick it down by sweeping in gradual circles with One thing you dont talk about is using a roof sealant to cover the entire roof. Flashings, Inspect the plywood underneath and replace any pieces that are damaged or soft. EPDM Accessories, Combining heat with a razor to cut any stubborn strands that dont want to release makes EternaBond removal a lot easier. Power wire brush old joints to remove all surface silicones. Then, cut off the excess material. Jaaco, Industries, now have a great looking and long lasting new roof. RV Trip Wizard helps you plan the perfect trip and our RV GPS app turns your phone into an RV Safe GPS to get you there safely. If you decide to pay a professional when replacing your RV roof or just resealing it, the resealing portion of the job alone may cost between $1,000 and $1,700, or as much as $2,000 for larger RVs. EPDM roofs usually start to look more worn faster because its a black rubber layer with a white coating on top. Window Flashing Traditionally people use RV self-leveling lap sealant (click to see a review of the best ones) to keep all of the roof accessories and edges of the RV roof sealed and weatherproof. Hidden, Deck price; best if old roof is not well adhered). Sharp corners have a much higher risk of peeling up over time than rounded ones. Aluminum roofing sheets cost around $3 per square foot, so the cost to replace the roofing material on a 30-foot by 8 -foot camper would be around $770. Portals Plus, Strong-Tie, Plastics, The only thing underneath it is wooden boards that make up the roof. If you need to replace part or all of the plywood on your RV roof, be sure to use care. Colloid, Just make sure its clean and you can put the EternaBond tape right over the top of it. Fix leaks quickly and as you discover them to minimize damage. This requires patience and something to push the wrinkles out with. Make sure you keep track of all your RV maintenance and repairs with an online tool such as RV LIFE Maintenance. EPDM Adhered But there are a lot of factors that can reduce life expectancy a lot. Make sure you put putty tape on the inside of the side bars. You may need to remove it at some point and your best friend is going to be heat. Pro tip: Drill a hole or use a hole punch to mark the corners of the required holes. The problem is, planning epic RV journey is somewhat complex. Rope, Thank you for stopping by. Grouts, If you already own or recently acquired an older RV, there may come a time when no amount of resealing or recoating is going to solve your leaky roof.