Where are the most common areas for Roof Leaks?

[rothway]

I am stripping the clear coat tomorrow and intend on recaulding the roof and window seals. I have been getting water leaks in the ceiling along the seam and not sure where it is coming from ==== where are the most common areas to seal and should I even worry about the seams on the roof?

[Tom Nugler]

I'd say I've had more leaks through the plumbing stack vents than anywhere else. Reports seem to indicate that roof air vents and crank up antennas come in second.
When you look for small gaps between the panels and segments also check for loose rivets along the seams as well.
Lots of threads on sealers and techniques here. Search those out and you'll be dry for a good while.

Tom

[cwf]

DO NOT USE silicone caulk! The solvent and other chemicals eat aluminum.

Use SikaFlex on large gaps and Capt. Tolleys Creeping Crack Cure on seams.

[J. Morgan]

My trailer had silicone calking slathered all over it when I got it. It hadn't Caused any obvious damage,,, but it was ugly and it was a PITA to get off.

I despise silicone calking, in my eye it is just evil.

[Belegedhel]

The most common places to find floor rot in 70's trailers is along the back, the front curve, around the door, and behind the refrigerator. The rear end rots because the bumper trunk design funnels water right into the end grain of the plywood subfloor. The front is likely rotten because of leaking windows, and very notably, leaks at the TV antenna base. Behind the fridge could be leaking because of water splashing up through the vent in the floor, or coming down through the chimney. Most doors don't seal well, and thus you get water in around the door.

The Plumbing vent stacks have a piece of rubber in them that is supposed to seal around the pipe. These last a few years and get hard and cracked and allow leaks in that area. If you haven't replaced all your door, window and vent seals, then start there. And yes, every seam and every rivet could be a source of leaks as well.

good luck!

[wolf146]

I had some service taken care of at the Airstream facility in Ohio and they found some "weeping rivets" ( as they called them) on the roof . After a heavy rain the carpet by the door was always moist, that moisture worked its way down from the "weeping rivets".. They just caulked them. I am now caulking most of the ones on the roof to eliminate a potential problem. wolf146

[Tom Nugler]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

My trailer had silicone calking slathered all over it when I got it. It hadn't Caused any obvious damage,,,

This is the best example I've found of the effect corrosive silicone had on my trailer. Didn't see it until the window was out and the area cleaned up.

Tom

[reinergirl]

Whoa! That's impressive damage!

I've removed all of the silicone on my trailer, I have some areas with minor etching that will never polish out but nothing like that!

[J. Morgan]

Wow, that is brutal.

I got way lucky.

[airdreamers]

Don't know why a seam should leak, guess what, leak. I would have thought that the original overlapping and caulking as the Airstream was being constructed should have been as designed not leak! I had a leak in the front and rear center of my AS. Caulked over the seams with Sikaflex, cured it. Awful stuff to work with and now a bead of caulk where it should be a clean overlapping as per design. What is the answer? Originally, more overlapping or more caulk?

[Belegedhel]

Problem is during construction, no sealant is placed in the seam. They gooped the inside of some of them, but not all.


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