Sometimes I think my Airstream is playing tricks on us! Leaking issue . . .

[J5MM]

We have a 2006 25' FB Safari and she was neglected for about 4 years, just sitting in the hot sun in LA with no maintenance whatsoever. So it was no surprise when she started leaking (the leak was in the hinge of the "glass rock guard" in the center of our pano windows in the rear -- one of the screws wriggled out and there was a huge hole left in its space -- all the other screws were loose too - anyways...).

So I sealed it up quick and fast with some kitchen silicone (I know -- it's bad stuff but I had to do something until my Vulcum Airstream approved sealant came along).

That fixed the leak for a few months and now, every now and then the bugger will start leaking again but sporadically! Sometimes it will and sometimes it won't during our Seattle downpours. I don't get it.

Do you think the angle of the Airstream and the way it is parked could cause it to leak more or less?

Once the weather clears up I plan on sealing up wit Vulcum but geez -- it is so weird!

[moosetags]

I have found that the direction that the rain is coming can have an affect. Therefore, I would assume that the direction in which the Airstream is parked could cause certain leaks to be a little worse or a little better.

Brian

[Splitrock]

Some leaks I repaired on my trailer last summer were time sensitive, and by function, metered. That is, the longer the time period of the rain, the more water entered. How hard it rained had no measurable effect. That was true with all metered leaks. A metered leak will only let so much water in no matter how hard it rains. My trailer had several metered leaks . . . a seam lap leak, a loose rivet at the awning channel, and of course the missing rivets (I found 5).

The largest designed metered leak is the step release slot. That's unrepairable by me and I mitigated that design feature by installing screened drain holes under the belly pan. But . . hey, it looks good sitting in the driveway!

[J5MM]

I am beginning to suspect that my leak is most definitely a metered leak. Thank you Splitrock for explaining that. It seems to me that we can have a downpour out of the blue and no leak -- but then we will have very long (days) periods of rain and the leak will appear. I never thought of a leak any other way than just a Leak but metered definitely sounds like our situation. Perhaps with that and the angle at which our Airstream is parked causes more or less water to enter. I thought I was beginning to go insane there.

These boards are so wonderful and such a wealth of information! Thank you

[Andrew Selking]

Originally Posted by J5MM

I am beginning to suspect that my leak is most definitely a metered leak. Thank you Splitrock for explaining that. It seems to me that we can have a downpour out of the blue and no leak -- but then we will have very long (days) periods of rain and the leak will appear. I never thought of a leak any other way than just a Leak but metered definitely sounds like our situation. Perhaps with that and the angle at which our Airstream is parked causes more or less water to enter. I thought I was beginning to go insane there.

These boards are so wonderful and such a wealth of information! Thank you

I had the same type of leak . It took a long time to find it. Only leaked when we had a slow rain. It end up being the caulk above one of my windows. It looked good but leaked. Dug out caulk and replaced it and no more leaks.