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Old 08-29-2014, 10:19 AM   #1
2 Rivet Member
 
1972 31' Sovereign
Lake Elsinore , California
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 72
Roof sealer removal and fins ?

The roof of our Sovereign has this gray hard sealer on a lot of the roof like around the A/C unit and added super cool vents. The sealer looks like something used on mobile homes.

It seems a bit gritty, it is silver or grayish in color and very stiff, even hard. It is not as hard as concrete per say, but much harder and stiff than Vulcum or Henry's tar based sealer. It does appear to be tar based, but closer to an asphalt.

What do you folks think about a little heat to soften it, I have a commercial grade heat gun and a mild propane torch { I know aluminum is finicky with a torch, I would be very careful}???

Second, Along the side of the A/C it looks as though someone has added the fins. They are aluminum angle screwed down to the roof parallel to the ac unit running front to back. They stick up about 3-4" off the roof. I am guessing for water condensation or something.

Are these needed? Are they standard on AS when they have A/C?

Just curious if I should remove them...kinda ugly and do not seem necessary to me.

Thanks
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Old 08-29-2014, 10:42 AM   #2
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1981 31' Excella II
New Market , Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
It is probably cool seal or something similar. I don't know what the fins are for. I would have to see a photo to even speculate. I would try paint remover on the stuff. It would be hard to put enough heat onto it without messing something up underneath. There are sealants and wires and other things that don't need to get real hot. Also it take a lot of heat to heat aluminum since it is so conductive.

Perry
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Old 08-31-2014, 10:22 AM   #3
2 Rivet Member
 
1972 31' Sovereign
Lake Elsinore , California
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 72
So after some considerable time cleaning the roof and removing 43 years of gunk and attempts at sealing a terrible system I figured out that the fins were used to mount some sort of long gone A/C cover, or different roof air unit. There was a mark around the roof much larger than the standard Coleman unit on it currently. The fins were a mounting point for the huge cover the other roof system had on it...possibly a swamp cooler or heating system???

Anyway, what a MESS of hard as a rock crusty sealer in some places, gooey paste sealers, gobs of silicone, and masses of some sort of hard silver mastic...all with lots of water trapped under it because none of it worked...what a mess!!!

All removed now and wire wheeled clean, just need to rivet up the screw holes and make sure it is all sealed and then coat it with a white reflective paint. Progress...slow but sure. This rig has been like a tango...2 steps forward, one step back...cha cha cha.
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Old 08-31-2014, 02:10 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
1981 31' Excella II
New Market , Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
You had an old Armstrong AC unit and it was riveted to the roof I believe.

Perry
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