# Sticky  Rubber Roof Leak Repair



## ctfortner

I wanted to share this with those who may be in a similar situation as I was.

We bought our camper used from a dealer, but in new condition. There was said to be no leaks at all in the unit. Well, after 2 or 3 good rains, we had a leak, and it was coming in pretty good. I had never worked on a rv camper rubber roof before, so I had no idea what I needed to do, other than dive in and find it, and go from there.

I went on the roof and found a large area where a ton of silicone had been applied. So, I immediately thought, add more silicone. Wrong answer it seems, still leaked after the next rain. After some research, I learned this is NOT a leak fix for rubber roofs. So I put a tarp on it while I did some research.

I had to determine exactly where the leak was, so I used a garden hose and put it in different spots on the roof for a few minutes at a time, until I could find the source. Once I found it, I realized it was leaking in the corner, where the rubber roof meets the aluminum frame of the camper. 

I spent a day on top of the camper, and removed all the old silicone. Then I removed the threshold that joins the roof to the aluminum frame. Once i did that, I was able to lift up the roof about 6 inches and see the wood underneath. The corner that was suspect to being the problem, definitely was due to the wood discoloration, and it was still damp. So I placed a couple of towels underneath the roof to hold it open to the outside air to allow the wood to dry out before repairing. Do this when there is no rain in the forecast :thumbup1:

Now, how to fix it so it wouldn't leak.

I read about some stuff called eternabond, a microsealant tape that has lifetime and worked really well on rubber roofs. I think it was pretty new to the RV market at the time, but it has become quite popular since. I believe it was originally designed for underwater repairs/leaks, and has a lifetime guarantee against leaking. So I guess if you ever sink your camper and need to patch it, it should work underwater 

So once the wood had completely dried, I placed the roof back down in place, and used the eternabond tape (4" wide), which was wide enough to have half on the rubber roof and half on the aluminum frame, therefore completely sealing the wood from water. I debated whether to put the threshhold back in place, since I had basically created a threshold with the eternabond. After some further investigation, I found that putting the threshold back on with the screws I removed, would be just fine. The tape is very sticky and if you screw something through it, it completely adheres to the screws and still provides a 100% seal. So I did put it back on.

After using the eternabond tape over a year ago, not a drop of water has found the camper. knock on wood :thumbup2:

I bought a huge role of this stuff, 40 feet I think, and only used about 10 feet of it, but I plan to do my other roof seams in the near future to prevent anymore leaks. But heck, you can use it for about any leaks. My neighbor had a leak in there above ground pool last summer and i put a patch of it on there, worked like a champ. It is not cheap stuff, but it is well worth it. 

I actually believe now that the people that had the camper sold it because of this. While trying to find the leak I found silicone on the roof, around the ac unit, and completely around one side window of the camper (another story). It was still leaking and I think they gave up on it and sold it. It was practically brand new and didnt have a spec of dirt in it.

You can see the video below for a general idea of the product.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...l=4&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0


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## antigua

Awesome! Almost sounds to good to be true. I could have used ths stuff around my old popup tent traile roof.


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## mailfire99

Great writeup and a good read. I have not heard of eternabond before, but I will be looking into getting some to have around, that is great! :shocked:


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## happiestcamper

I discovered a leak in the same place you did. I cleaned the roof with acetate, put down the eternabond, then covered with rubber roof primer and sealer. Works great.


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## ctfortner

Without a doubt, eternabond is a life saver for campers. I have a huge roll of it, hopefully wont have to use it, but if I do, I know it will do the trick.


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## bigjr

hey where do you get this stuff?


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## happiestcamper

Just add dot com to the name.


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## ctfortner

Yeah, I forget where I got mine, I just searched the net for the best price and ordered it. Its available at many places, but not sure if you could find locally easily or not.


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## crawford

*Leaky roof*

Eternabond tape come in 2,3,4 inches X50 long also 2,3,4 feet by 50 long I just about sealed the whole roof with it


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## jjohn69

I've used stuff similar to what you're talking about, but I don't remember what it's called. I've used it for some years now for sealing around windows and the tops of doors before the siding or brick goes on. It comes in 4" x 20' rolls. I buy it at Home Depot or Lowes in the window and door section. Sometimes they'll have it in the HVAC section because the HVAC mechanics love to use it on the metal supply and return lines. It might be the same stuff. All I know is once you stick it on...you don't peel it off.


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## trixy

I'm sorry to hear that you got a "bad deal" from the dealership. The roof leaking. Tough break! Glad you got it fixed and like mailfire99 said, great writeup and good read!

While it is horrible to find a leak, what so many campers don't understand is the importance of roof maintenance. It should be checked at least twice a year, 4 times if you can. This will (hopefully) prevent ever having a leak in the first place.

If you can't get on the roof yourself, bring your rig to a dealership or have a mobile tech take a look. The cost isn't too bad and it is certainly worth it compared to the cost of a new roof.

I have climbed on the roof of our motorhome on several occations. This fall we had a mobile tech re-seal anything that looked "questionable." To date we have never had any leaks.

Thanks again ctfortner for a great write-up and read!!


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## happiestcamper

If nothing else, everybody should cover their camper. Think about it - if there is a leak, and you keep it covered when not in use, it will probably not be exposed about 90% of the time.

If you know there is a leak, fix it.


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## livefreeordie

My wife and I just invested in a coachman class "c" and are going to be full-timers. the guy we bought it from said the roof was damaged by a hanging tree limb and he sealed it up and guareented no leaks, but it rained yesterday and well it leaked. the bed above the main bed is soaked and all the sheets and blankets as well. i was searching on how to fix it and found this site and joined asap. financially we are tight and wanted to know if there are any least expensive ways to fix the roof.


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## jenroof

You better take some repair on your roofing sides. The leak was just possible because the rubber might be worn. You have to buy a heavy duty rubber for your sidings. Roof Repair


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## hoosiershooter

I just bought a 50 foot roll of Eternabond for about $60 shipped from Roofing Supply USA. Now if the rain will stop I can get the trailer uncovered and start sealing all of my seams and vents and then on to re-coating the rubber roof.


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## ctfortner

Good luck, truly great stuff. Take some before and after pics and post them if you can, others would really benefit from that!


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## jeffmue

Great find Ctfortner and thanks for sharing!


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## annie726

Great Discussion shared here.Roofing is so important for a building.


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## hoosiershooter

*Repair Pictures part one*

I took my new to me rig to my spot on the river this weekend and after setup I decided to get some of the seams sealed up before it rained. This is a 1995 Jayco 3020FK with the fiberglass front and rear caps and a rubber roof. The roof was coated one time in it's life and that was done poorly.

This is the front seam before Eternabond.









This is after cleaning up the loose stuff and rubbing it all down with rubbing alcohol and applying the tape. I went to pick up Acetone or lacquer Thinner, but I could only find it in gallons and I wasn't spending $15 for a gallon. The rubbing alcohol worked out well, everything stuck very well.









Here's one of the vents before repair, I guess I didn't take one of the after. I did roll the tape up the metal frame a little.









And the before of the skylight, after I had started removing the silicone and loose putty.


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## hoosiershooter

*Repair Pictures part two*

And after repair. I wish I would have had the extra cash for a new skylight since I was down to the screws, but the water heater tank was busted so I opted to just stop any leaks.









This stuff is easy to use, just scrape back all of the loose old putty that you can with a plastic putty knife, clean and allow to dry. Make sure you remove all silicone, even Eternabond doesn't stick to silicone. Cut your tape to length, remove a portion of the release liner and apply the tape while pulling the release liner from underneath. I rolled what I could and rubbed down the rest with my hand and a rag. I pulled back a few areas to check the initial bond and it stuck very well. Thank you Eternabond, good stuff! I don't even have stuff like this and I'm in the adhesive business.

Here is what the rest of the roof looks like prior to re-coating it.









I will be pressure washing to remove the coating that the previous owner applied in colder temps on an uncleaned roof. I'll do a followup of the rest of the roof if you all want to see how it turns out. I hope to have it finished before the Indy 500 so I can sit under the awning and drink beer and watch the race while smoking some pork.


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## ctfortner

Great stuff Hoosier. Good pics and info there, should definitely help some folks out along the way. The enternabond seals and lays very nice doesnt it?


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## jeffmue

I belong to a site called MyRVParks.com and a member is having some problems in which your post would really be helpful. I reposted your post there with "all credit" to you of course.


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## ctfortner

That's great, especially if you added a link back to this topic, this way they are able to see all the information from others and maybe will share their info with us as well as they do the same thing.


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## jeffmue

ctfortner said:


> That's great, especially if you added a link back to this topic, this way they are able to see all the information from others and maybe will share their info with us as well as they do the same thing.


Great idea! Most expensive failure to date - RV Forums - myRVparks.com


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## ctfortner

LOL, I actually meant a link from the site you posted it on, back to this topic, so they could see all of the info shared here and maybe add in here what they do to fix theirs.


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## jeffmue

I posted this post link on their site and vica versa.


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## davidsppixx

*Eternabod for repair*

I used the eternabond to repair a sun damaged part on a slideout awning more than a year ago. I scrubbed the area clean before application and dried it. After one year the edges were already peeling up. I pulled it off easily suggesting that it wasn't stuck very well. It was in direct sun in Denver for a year, but that wasn't a very good patch.
For your rubber roof, I would use the Dicor patch kit that Camping world sells. Dicor is the manufacturer of the rubber roofs, so they should know how to do it. I just added a patch to an area on my roof that was ripped by branches. If it fails I will tell you, but the kit came with flowing caulk to seal the edges, I think that will be much more solid.
David
PS I did not mean a thumbs up for Eternabond. But for Dicor


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## jeffmue

Please let me know how that goes David! I'm over in Parker and although my tops solid, I know I'll have to do it sooner or later.


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## Jaywl

*Siding Repair Houston*

I have just recently replaced my siding, however, I did do it myself. Now I think I have installed it incorrectly.

So now I really need some help for my siding repair. Could you give me some advice or recommend someone please?

I did saw this video and I admit it was useful. However, I really cannot afford to make another mistake so I really like to get more details on this before deciding what to do.

Thanks for the help in advance! =)


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## russpmc

Hello. I am new to the forum and am current rehabbing a 16' 1972 Jayco for a hunting/fishing trailer for my kids & I. It has had extensive leaking on both front and rear roof corners down. I have removed most of the damaged paneling but am now ready to replace the studs (1x2's). But I will need to remove the fifty pounds (approximately) of silicone caulking on the outside. Is there _anything _that removes it from the aluminum siding? Any suggestions would be appreciated! 
Russ 
PS: any suggestions to make the unit more usable for hunting/fishing are welcome also.


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## turf&snow98

I just wanted to share this: I read this post a couple months ago so I bought a roll of eternabond from grainger, it worked great on most spots but the thaw out from this winter some of the eternabond came off, it just wont stick in some spots for some reason. I did some more reasearch and found this black jack 99 neoprene epdm roof cement, avail at lowes, I did go around the eternabond with lap sealant but that wasn't strong enough to hold it. I put some of this black jack stuff down its much stronger and works great in conjunction with the eternabond if you have some real hard to stick spots, I just sealed the eternabond down with it, it comes in a 10oz caulk tube, its a mess, like black tar but I am very happy with the results.


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## happiestcamper

I'm sure that works great, but now parts of your roof are black. When I used etrnabond, I put rubber roof sealer over the top of it - and it lasted until I sold the camper (4-5 years).
You could still get some rubber roof sealer and paint it over your black stuff and have a double seal, that looks white. A black roof in a harsh winter might not be a bad idea, but I would hate to have a black roof in the summer.


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## turf&snow98

I wouldn't go over the entire roof with this stuff, the AC would never keep up in the summer. I took a quick pic, this was my experiment spot, so its sloppy, Im going to go over ALL the eternabond edges before the spring is here and i'll do it a little nicer, Im really quite happy with this stuff.
x


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## Kimber

I joined here just after reading the opening post. Good read. I might also add you may want to add a dehumidifier inside the unit to help remove any dampness. 

Right now I'm waiting for our 5th wheel to get fixed from a leaky roof and have the dehumidifier in there untill the roof is sealed.

Then on to the short. Uggh Camping is great and great for making family memories but its no fun when something goes wrong with the unit


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## docgoc

We bought an RV last fall, used, but didn't cover it over the winter. We had terrible leaks. So much so that my husband total gutted the rear (bedroom) of the rv. We now see LOTS of pin holes, and a couple of larger holes (1/4"?). Husband wants to remove that area of the metal and replace it. 

Would this tape/rubber roof sealer be enough to repair this? Or, is replacement the way to go, and then seal that?

There was another leak up front, but he didn't remove that ceiling. I'm not sure, but I think that was leaking where the seam is, but the tape would probably be fine there.


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## CO feline

I contacted Eternabond about using the product on my 2000 Coleman Santa Fe pop-up with an ABS room and they responded saying not recommended for this application. We have the cracks everyone has experienced on this type of roof. Want to stop the leaks before they happen.

We are considering using an elastomeric marine sealant by Sudbury or 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant Fast Cure 4000 UV. We live in Colorado. Any experience with these products?


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## Yushokuma

*Yushokuma*



happiestcamper said:


> If nothing else, everybody should cover their camper. Think about it - if there is a leak, and you keep it covered when not in use, it will probably not be exposed about 90% of the time.
> 
> If you know there is a leak, fix it.


Great idea, better safe than sorry. And water inside your RV is a sorry situation. Thanks.


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## Yushokuma

*Thank you so much, I am new here & just started to renovate a 1977 NuWa trailer...rained last night...nasty leak at TV antenna opening. Will try your idea..loved the video*!


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## CO feline

Many of the solutions posted in this thread are not recommended by the manufacturers of those products or look terrible aesthetically. After doing a tremendous amount of research and contacting manufacturers directly about their products, all shown in this thread and more, we found a viable solution. My husband and I spent a half-day applying *3M Marine Adhesive Sealant Fast Cure 4000 UV *to the numerous cracks on the top of our *2000 Coleman Santa Fe Pop-up (ABS roof)*. It looks fantastic! Is holding up very well. It was also reasonably easy to apply. 

1. Clean the cracks with denatured alcohol
2. Use a very fine sandpaper and very lightly brush the surface of the cracks. The sandpaper removes the small amount of dirt that may have accumulated at the surface of the crack and leaves a little ABS residue in the crack. This helps to hide the fact that the crack was ever there. 
3. Use a small drill bit and make a small hole at the ends of each crack. This stops the progression of the crack once sealed. 
4. Apply a small amount of the *3M Marine Adhesive Sealant Fast Cure 4000 UV *with the thin tip along the length of the crack. Wearing a thin glove, smooth and fan out the edges with your finger to leave a smooth surface. This sealant comes in black and white. We used white and although it is not an exact match, you can't tell from more than 3 feet away from the surface. 

We have been exploring options for about 1 1/2 years. We were quoted anywhere from $900 to put on a coating that was too heavy for the unit to support, to over $1,500 to replace the top. About a year ago, we tried the *Eternabond* tape on one spot and were very disappointed; it held up but looks terrible aesthetically. Maybe others don't care about aesthetics. We did not want a band aid look. 

We are extremely pleased with the results. Especially after thinking we would eventually have to haul it to a landfill if we could not repair the roof. We are now looking forward to many years of camping pleasure. I hope you find this information helpful to you as well. 

FYI: Although I have my own company (16 years) that does product marketing and research, I am not associated with any of the companies I researched for this application.


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## Yushokuma

Thank you so much for sharing your research. The prep work especially. I had a window film business in Texas for many years and prep work made all the difference in film to glass installation.
Now need help advice on how to remove old tv antenna...that is where leak is and I want antenna gone so I can plug hole and seal. My son and I worked on it and are stuck at getting it all the way off. Thanks again. Where should I post such a problem?


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## crawford

It's called liquid rubber roof it goes on very thick turn to white rubber it's the cat's behind looks like I put on a new roof says it can last 10 years.:10220:


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## maryt

If nu way is made by Hitchhiker? probably has wood frame. Notorious for leaks especially around the corners.


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## crawford

Yes the tape well if surface is not chalkee, if the rubber comes off so will the tape well mine did I scrubbed off everything which was about everything hardly any rubber left in fabric then I coated with liquid rubber first coat sank in to fiber the second coat looks like a new roof was put on . :thumbup1::10001::bang:


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## Yushokuma

Yes, this old Nu-Wa has wood framing and since I posted last we had a blowing rain storm. Several leaks, now. Lotsa work and much repair needed. The roof is aluminum w/heavy caulking and looks like white coating over a clear rubbery coat. Mucho scraping to do!


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## maryt

I have 2 Holiday Ramblers. They made all their frames with a 4 sided tubed aluminum frame welded! not 3 sided channel riveted. Not saying Holidays don't have the occasional problem but leaks are usually due to not maintaining the roof after the first 10 years. And that is mostly just painting on a rubber coating every 5 years over seams and around antenna etc. HOWEVER I think Navistar just bought them out. Sometimes big corps just buy the name and ride it into the ground like Coachmen. Not saying they will just saying.


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## campNbug

I see Walmart has eternabond tape 3"X24' $10 online. {Problem}I have a leak on the roof of my trailer and it sounds like in the same area. I went to our local Walmart store today and they do not carry it so I will buy it online. Anyway with the onset of cold weather is it wise to cover the camper roof with a tarp and still use the camper during the winter?


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## Jeep89Amanda

Hello All, I recently bought my 96 travel trailer. It is my home and I love it. But with all the rain lately the roof is leaking inside and my walls are becoming damaged. I have a tarp up outside while I do some researching but I'm not sure how to tell if it's rubber or metal roof. Any tips/ advice would be appreciated. I'm new at this and trying my hardest to learn fast and do it right......thank you


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## Jennifer Morgon

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Butyl Liquid Rubber - EPDM Coatings


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## [email protected]

*Roof Leaks Repair*

Trailer must be inspected for leaks before starting the journey and if you get any leak then EPDM Coatings is your companion.


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## sophiajamesmic

I really appreciate your effort for creating such a informative thread regarding RV Roof leaks problems.Thanks


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## RVCamper

Thank you for the story and step by step solution. Looking to replace our 20 year old rubber roof here pretty soon. 

In the mean time we have been using some Roof Repair tape that we got at Camping World that is helping patch up any problems we've been running into.


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## RVCamper

This is a great thread! Planning on doing this in the next few weeks because our roof needs it. 

*Anyone know of a good DIY video to show how to reseal a roof? *


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## Boyce Kennedy

I have pilgrim fifth wheel. Two summer ago, I replaced all of my bathroom vents, fan vents and cleaned and removed old sealant and re-applied new Dicor self leveling sealant around all. I then applied cleaned cleaned all the seams on top of the camper and applied 4" etera-bond tape on all of the seams, caps on the roof. Next I applied a coating of Eteran coat silicone sealant on the entire roof. I was very pleased with the outcome. My problem now is I have several placed on the edge of the camper that look like the roofing was pulled up down to the wood. Example: about a 3-4" section at the edge of the camper roof pulled back and torn to a point down to the wood? After speaking with some of my fellow campers (there have been BUZZARDS observed on our campers in the past few months. I have it covered now with a tarp until I can get to it, but there was water in the camper. What can I do to prevent the mildew or mold that may have leaked into the wall? Help??


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## RVRoofSealant

Identifying roof leaks can be difficult for an untrained eye and is one the last things you need. Sometimes a used RV can be a great buy at an affordable price. On the other hand, a used RV could be a disaster if you don’t know what to look for. Check the RV for water damage as it can be quite common on used RVs. Always ask the owner for maintenance records. Be sure to check all the seams and sealants for leaks. Never purchase an RV without a test drive or a grace period.


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## crawford

The biggest mistake I ever made was buying a RV with a rubber roof I now have a triple slide 34 foot Georgetown V10 Ford. Roof is all fiberglass no leaks solid roof .


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## RVRoofSealant

*Repairing the Rubber Roof on your RV*

When repairing the Rubber Roof on your RV don’t go for easy fix solutions like using tapes or ordinary coatings. A good RV roof coating can be applied to prevent damaged areas from leaking, and to protect against further damage until you can have the roof professionally assessed. Having a coating like RV Roof Magic will ensure you do not have to worry about leaking, or damage from UV rays. It is a nice solution all around.


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## Gary Roe

I used Dicor 501LSW-1 Epdm Self-Leveling Lap Sealant. This is great if you're not good at caulking or have shakey hands. As long as you bridge across both gaps, the sealant will level itself and gives a very professional look.It works great, easy to use and levelled off very nicely. Installed a new vent cap on the top of my trailer and couldn't have been simpler.


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## Mark William

Well i am appreciate your work knowledge as well as your work experience and happy to see that you are sharing this knowledge with us. I hope that your knowledge will help us.
Thanks for this knowledge.


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## cyrus799

I'd also suggest Dicor self-leveling lap sealant. The ability of this Dicor Sealant to adhere to all types of roofing surfaces is a plus. I tested it on my RV's EPDM roof, and it clings to the surface easily.


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## [email protected]

For the quick and handy leakage solutions, I will suggest you to use “Butyl Rubber Liquid”. It is a DIY sealant that does not need any primer or thinner. Just clean the surface and apply the rubber liquid formula directly on the leakage. It will permanently block the leakage in just 2-3 hours. But being on a safer side do consult a professional roofer for inspection.


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## emmaquinn

We recently had a new house built. The roof has been on for about 1 year. When I was cleaning the gutters I noticed the shingles on the gable end had lifted and there was exposed OSB sheathing. I contacted the builder and they had the roofing company that installed it come out and they used some kind of tar caulk to hold them down. It took 15 minutes. To me, it looks like the sheathing is possibly warped. roofing service area Alexandria, VA I know little about roofing and was hoping to get some opinions.. The builder says that the repair was to industry standards but I question that. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## travis.farmer

emmaquinn said:


> We recently had a new house built. The roof has been on for about 1 year. When I was cleaning the gutters I noticed the shingles on the gable end had lifted and there was exposed OSB sheathing. I contacted the builder and they had the roofing company that installed it come out and they used some kind of tar caulk to hold them down. It took the 15 minutes. To me it looks like the sheathing is possibly warped. I know little about roofing and was hoping to get some opinions.. The builder says that the repair was to industry standards but I question that. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


I happen to be a carpenter, so i will chime in with what i know, from my area.
being in Maine, USA, my building codes may be different.
first thing i would note, the ONLY OSB like product i would use on a roof is Advantec, or similar. it has water-proof glue, making it more water-resistant. standard OSB should never be used on a roof as the glue is not a good grade.

having that in mind, gable ends are susceptible to wind-shear. i use double nailing on windy gables, and sometimes i caulk the edges down for added protection. this is not code, but preference.

was there ANY water barrier between the shingles and OSB? tar paper will work, but i like a product called RoofTopGuard, Home - RoofTopGuard and have used it for a while now.

if you are concerned about the repairs, i would source out a good builder for a second opinion, keeping in mind that a scam builder will automatically say the roof needs replacement, with little investigation. personally, i would be leary of somebody that only works to industry standards, and does not adapt and go above and beyond when the situation requires it. perhaps a local code-enforcement officer could help, if you think it is needed.

I hope this is of some help. 

~Travis


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