Roof Leaks - 1969 Ambassador

[Tinkerer]

I have started having leaks in the front living area of the trailer, forward to the air conditioner. Generally in the area between the door and the picture window and as far forward as the edge of the sofa. Anyone with similar experience and suggestions of how to find and fix?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Tinkerer

I have started having leaks in the front living area of the trailer, forward to the air conditioner. Generally in the area between the door and the picture window and as far forward as the edge of the sofa. Anyone with similar experience and suggestions of how to find and fix?

Tinkerer,
Try a board search for "leaks", but a few quick places are the awning rail, plumbing vents, television attenna and of course the panel joints themselves. I would start with the easy stuff and work from there. There is a horizontal stringer that can carry the water quite a ways before the leak shows up.

Good Luck

Aaron

[Condoluminum]

There are a couple other sources, including possibly from the gasket around the base of the air conditioner, or side lights... It really helps to get up high and look, as we discovered small cracks in sealant around new Fantastic Fan vents while working on something else...

John McG

[rebel beck]

We have the same problem, one reason our a/c shroud is cracked. We also have a vent leaking. After looking on the top we also saw 31 years of sealant up there. So Tuesday we have rented scaffoling (spelling) for a week to get up there and redo. I have planned to clean off and reseal the other owners must have just added more onto the old stuff because it is a mess.



Becky

[Tinkerer]

Thanks for your suggestions. I guess it is a project to search and find out. I've been on the roof several times and not being a fly weight I have felt that I may be doing more harm than good. When you speak of scaffoling, do you put a structure on each side and bridge across with planks? It would certainly be easier to work up there with that kind of arrangement. I've not seen much caulking on top. There is very little and I was surprised and pleased that former owners may not have had the problem. If you know of a simple way to scaffold the unit, I would like to know the technique. Thanks, I appreciate the help.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Tinkerer

Thanks for your suggestions. I guess it is a project to search and find out. I've been on the roof several times and not being a fly weight I have felt that I may be doing more harm than good. When you speak of scaffoling, do you put a structure on each side and bridge across with planks? It would certainly be easier to work up there with that kind of arrangement. I've not seen much caulking on top. There is very little and I was surprised and pleased that former owners may not have had the problem. If you know of a simple way to scaffold the unit, I would like to know the technique. Thanks, I appreciate the help.

I have seen scaffold from something like two box trucks (one on each side) to rolling scaffold, to.... I weigh in the mid 180's and do get on the roof, but only when absolutly necessary. Most of the areas that leaked on mine were accessible from a ladder placed against the window drip cap. The only two things that required me on the roof were the AC and the TV antenna. Air vents are okay for the time being.


Aaron

[rebel beck]

We are going to put 2 sections each side and then run boards across. My husband got on the roof once and it sound like we were doing damage so we decided to do it this way.



Becky

[Silverflames]

If you get on the roof only step on the ribs, and never on the end caps. Same thing if you have to sit down up there.