RV roofs take quite a beating, keep 'em sealed!

The roof of an RV is the single most important body component. If not maintained properly, a leaking roof can cause extensive damage, which is often not covered by insurance.

Safety Note: If you're not comfortable with heights, or being on the roof of your coach, you’re better off leaving this maintenance up to the pro’s. Do this work in fair weather when the roof is dry, and watch what you're doing! There are many tripping hazards on an RV roof. Many travel trailer roofs are not designed to hold a person’s weight, so it is advisable to use a large piece of planking to distribute your weight, keeping the planking perpendicular to the rafters in the roof structure.

RV roofs are skinned in aluminum, fiberglass, or EPDM rubber. With any roof system, annual inspection, and cleaning as necessary are

Sewage vents are good places for a leak.

required. The aluminum and fiberglass roofs can be cleaned using the same cleaners as the sidewalls of the coach. Rubber roof systems have specific cleaners designed for cleaning and treating them. You should clean the roof frequently, as it is better for the roof, and will reduce the number and severity of the grey streaks appearing on the side of the coach.

Skylights, like this one, are sometimes sealed by both tape and sealant, so check them both, and replace as necessary.

Keeping the horizontal surfaces of the coach sealed are of prime importance. Remember, your RV travels down the road, and therefore is subject to a fair amount of shaking and twisting. This takes its toll on the sealants. The sealants are designed to be flexible, but they won’t last forever. It is considered normal maintenance to check the sealants and replace them as they require it. Whether you do this yourself, or have it done professionally, it needs to be done.

Check all antennas for good sealants.

The inspection is pretty simple, really. It is merely a matter of going up and having a look at the sealants. Look for cracking or peeling. Any cracking or peeling is reason to reseal those seams. It is advisable to remove any bad sealants, and clean the surface prior to applying new sealant.

What sealant to use depends on the surface to be sealed. Silicone, in my opinion, does not make a good roof sealant. While it is flexible, I have found that it will separate from the roof surface more easily than the specialized sealants. On the roof, use either C-10, or, for rubber roofs, the sealants sold by the

Awning hardware needs to stay sealed to prevent leaks.

roof manufacturers. These are "self leveling" sealants, which means that, when warm, and over a period of time after applying, the sealant will level itself out. The cooler the sealant, the less the leveling properties, so make sure the sealant is comfortably warm, like leaving it in the sun on a hot summer day. The horizontal surfaces to be considered, include the roof seams, antennas, vents, plumbing vents, solar panels, etc.

Silicone is, however, a great sealant for all the vertical surfaces of the coach. Since most RVs are white, a good outdoor white silicone will do well. Clear and paintable silicone is also available. As with the roof sealants, remove any bad sealant prior to applying the new, and, of course, make sure the surface is clean and dry. The vertical surfaces of the coach to consider for resealing include windows, doors, awning hardware, body separations, appliance vents, antennas, and so on.

With any resealing activity, it is best to make sure that the area will stay dry for a time after the new sealant is applied. Granted, if it’s a big leak during the rain you may not have a big choice, but it will be messy, and tough to remove later on if you need to.

Again, keeping your RV dry is essential for longevity. This is the way to do it! Until next time, Happy RVing!

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