Hoping for Help with Floor Damage
I hope this is posted in the correct forum. My 2019 Sport 22 has developed floor damage; low spots (about ¼”) in the center of the aisle (see attached sketch). I assume it’s damage from water as I had a leak from the skylight in June 2022 when travelling in a very heavy rain storm. I noticed several drops of water (no puddles, just drops) on the dinette table and floor and I could see drips at the skylight. I didn’t think much water came in at the time, but now think more water came in and got to that point of the floor. It was late fall when I noticed the floor damage.
Before our next trip, I used 3M Extreme Sealing Tape to seal all the way around the skylight, as well as the vent/installation holes. This was done around the beginning of September, and still looks very good.
I’ve looked everyplace I could relatively easily to see if I could detect moisture or evidence of a leak. I pulled the access panel below the sink cabinet, looked in the water heater/electrical access area, looked in the area below the wardrobe area where the water pump is, pulled the dinette panel (below the cushion) on the street side, and I found nothing.
I’m thinking of trying to repair this myself as I’ve had negative experiences both at my dealer and at Jackson Center. My thought would be to replace sections of plywood that are damaged. My hope is that I could remove cabinetry from the front end of the trailer to the bathroom, and roll the vinyl flooring up so it could put it back down in one piece.
Here is what I’m wondering:
1. How do I ensure I don’t have a leak someplace still?
2. Can this repair wait until the summer? We’ve got a 7-week trip planned to the Pacific Northwest leaving the 1st week of May. I know things like this shouldn’t wait, but I’m afraid that I won’t be able to get the trailer travel-ready if I start now
3. Am I missing a way to access the floor to confirm it is water damage? Maybe this is a waste of time … what else could it be?
4. Is the dinette pedestal attached with wood screws into the plywood? I’m thinking I could remove it and cut a slit in the vinyl to examine the floor. Right now, the pedestal seems very solid.
5. Does anybody know reputable service people in the New England/New York/New Jersey area that they would trust with this type of job? How much might something like this cost?
6. I installed a lift kit a few months before I noticed the floor damage. I jacked/supported on the frame, so I don’t think I messed anything up. But, does Airstream ever use shims under plywood? If so, is it possible jacking the trailer caused these to fall out?
7. Are my repair thoughts (paragraph just above the list of questions), i.e. replace sections of floor and keep the vinyl intact, reasonable?
We really like the trailer, but this has really taken the wind out of my sails; very disappointed in Airstream design and manufacturing. We love traveling in this thing, and aren’t ready to give up yet.
Thanks in advance for the help! This forum has been invaluable several times already! Mark
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