How to Seal a Roof Leak on an RV
RV roofs are the most important part of the entire unit, since everything that's inside your RV sits underneath it. Most modern RVs now come with rubber roofs, which are durable but can be punctured with sharp objects. Underneath the rubber lies plywood sheets, which are seamed together in several places. If a puncture occurs on the rubber, water can seep underneath and leak through the plywood seams. Most leaks occur at the front or rear of the RV's roof. Water stains inside the RV may not indicate the leak location. Carefully scan the rooftop to pinpoint the entry point. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Liquid Roof EPDM rubber
- Butyl Tape or rubber patch
- Electric drill with 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch bits and mixer
- Gallon bucket
- Paint roller with a short nap
- Paintbrush
- Plastic squeegee
- Masking tape
- Paint thinner
Instructions
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Liquid Rubber Repairs Most Small Leaks
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Assess the puncture point and determine if it's small enough to seal with one of the many roof-sealing products available. One of the most highly recommended is Liquid Roof. This repair product is made from EPDM rubber, which is essentially the same material that rubber membrane RV roofs are fabricated with, but in liquid form. Liquid Roof is a one-coat material, needs no primer and becomes waterproof immediately on contact.
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Clean and dry the area to be sealed. If there is old caulk or coatings in the area, carefully remove the material with a wire brush and scraper. If the tear is extensive, you can first seam it back together with adhesive Butyl Tape, a pliable sealing material that will stick to rubber and other surfaces like metal and fiberglass. Smaller holes can be sealed with a rubber patch, available from your RV dealer.
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Wait until the temperature is above 55 degrees to begin working with Liquid Roof. Although you can apply this product in colder temperatures, the chemical will not cure until the weather warms up. If the weather is hotter than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, you will have approximately four hours to work with the material before it becomes too thick to apply.
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Turn your drill mixer on and empty Liquid Roof into the gallon bucket, then add the catalyst. The catalyst is a proprietary-formulated chemical compound that activates the curing and adhesion capabilities of Liquid Roof, once the two are mixed together. Blend the catalyst and Liquid Roof together by moving the drill mixer up and down and in circular motions for at least 3 minutes until all material has been stirred. Let it stand for 30 minutes.
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Adhere masking tape around the perimeter of the repair area. You can do this while your Liquid Roof mixture is curing.
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Pour Liquid Roof onto the repair area and gently use your squeegee to spread it over the surface. Next, take your roller brush and roll it over the area. If you are repairing a tear near a vent or antenna, use a paint brush to apply Liquid Roof, using long slow strokes. You'll know you've used enough product when the brush marks have disappeared.
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Wait for the material to dry. You'll know it's done when you can touch it and it doesn't feel tacky. While waiting, clean up your tools using paint thinner. Upon completion, gently remove the masking tape.
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Tips & Warnings
You can refrigerate leftover Liquid Roof and save it for another repair job or touch up, up to several weeks later.
Never use any roofing tar or other sealants to repair a rubber RV roof, such as silicone, Kool Seal, Polyseam Seal or Dyco. These materials are not approved by RV manufacturers and removal is difficult, if not impossible.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rv,motorcoach image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
