What is this sealant and how do I remove it?

[Bunkroom]

I have been working up on the roof replacing missing and damaged vents. vent. PO put a lot of some mystery substance with embedded mesh tape around everything. I am having a difficult time figuring out what this stuff is and what solvent works with it. A heat gun has worked in some places where it is thicker, but the thin stuff is hard as a rock and does not want to budge! I tried some Gel stripper that didn't seem to dissolve it at all. Any body know what this stuff is and how to remove it?

Thanks!

[TinTin]

Is that just duct tape residue, or was there another sealant beneath? You might try Goo Gone and/or WD40.

[kokopat]

First one looks like screen wire used in the waste vent covers. Mine didn't go out that far or reach the roof. second one looks like the awning disintegrated while on the trailer. The third one looks just like mine did in 2008 when I bought it. I used a plastic paint scraper on the last one. Good Luck! Pat

[Bunkroom]

It is not duct tape residue. The mesh is imbedded in a very hard sealant. Can't budge it. Where it is loose, it cracks off. Thank you for the thoughts.

[nm1oqrz]

Hi Bunkroom. Did you try heating the caulk with a hair dryer, being carefull not to get the area too hot?
Happy camping nm1oqrz

[Belegedhel]

Try soaking a rag in mineral spirits and then laying it on top of a patch of the sealant for a while. This might loosen it up enough to scrape.

[Silver Hawk]

Lacquer thinner works on lots of stuff - better than paint thinner.

[RM66caravel]

Looks a little like the reinforcement mat for fiberglass and a resin coat which if it is then plastic scraper or 2 a little foul language and time! It will come off but it will take a couple of hours and some WD-40 to loosen the bond. The PO probably got frustrated and did not know about the forums so they improvised.
Cliff

[Bunkroom]

I had the pressure washer out today trying to flush out the deposits in the water heater. I saw the ladder there next to the O'lander so I climbed up and blasted away at some of that old sealant and it came right off! Nice. It took the old butyl tape right off the back of the fridge door, too! Thanks, all.