Re-seal roof every 2 years??

[ITSNO60]

I just heard someone say on another forum that they were talking with two AS owners at a campground and they told him with an AS you have to re-seal the roof every 2-3 years. What are they talking about?? Could this be rivets popping from hard towing or do you think they mean flashings? I mean, what is there to leak up there and what do you average AS owners do for roof maintenance?

[AWCHIEF]

Beats me. As far as I know mine has never been resealed. Might be something I should look into?

[DaveMc]

The sealants used at roof penetrations will break down and need to be replaced. OEM skylights, like the one on our 2005 Safari, also become brittle and cracked. I don't have it at my fingertips, but there is an awesome list of sealants on the forum that you can search for. It'll tell you what sealant goes where.

Storing inside versus out plays a big part in the sealants breaking down from UV light.

Editing to address your actual question (sorry!):

These sealants will not break down in 2-3 years. But it'd be worth taking a look every 4-5 years to see what things look like.

[mikeinca]

I haven't owned an AS long enough for this to be an issue but there is sealant between the roof structure and sides of the trailer, the roof and the endcaps, around vents, skylights, etc. My understanding is that this sealant dries out over time and needs to be redone.

[dmbecke]

[kdickinson]

the unfortunate fact is that you don't know you need to reseal a portion of the roof or over windows until one night when you are sound asleep and a storm rolls in and you get a steady drip on your head. That has literally happened to us twice in the past few years. That said - a small drip during rain is not by itself a reason to reseal the whole roof. This last time I used a little tape to test the area I thought was leaking and it did stop the leak during the rest of the stay. When I got home I sealed it permanently.

[PatLee]

I always had Airstream dealer check the roof every 2 years or so. At year 9, they told me it needed to be re-sealed because it had gotten brittle.

[cazual6]

anything and everything requires maintenance.

I would inspect every two years or every year for that matter and take appropriate actions.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by cazual6

anything and everything requires maintenance.

I would inspect every two years or every year for that matter and take appropriate actions.

I inspect ours every 4 to six weeks when I give it a bath. I was the roof thoroughly every time as well and that gives me the opportunity to inspect everything on the roof regularly.
Like everything else on the Trailer one needs to keep an eye on constantly.

[WyoRacerX]

dmbecke, could you post the link to that page please? Thx

[jonnie3]

I was recently in Jackson Center for warranty work. I had them inspect my 2015 roof and nothing was found. They recommended resealing every five years.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There are a variety of odd little things that are unique to various models. The sub-forums are a great way to dig into the things your might be susceptible to. Sun, heat, cold all contribute to seals and sealants wearing out. Some seem to be cracking the day after they are applied. The next trailer in line is fine after 5 years. The factory advice is indeed 2 years. To many people that seems excessive.

Bob

[pteck]

Great thread. This is def something to be aware of.

What sealant is recommended for the awning rail?

[SeeMore]

Besides the overlapping joints of the various panel sections, there are penetrations for air/fan and tank vents, skylights, TV/antenna mounts, marking lights, A/C mount, and awning mounts. Self leveling Dicor is used for most of these and it does breakdown over time. Storing outside year round will hasten the process.

In my experience, the first 4-5 years of new units will be fairly maintenance free except for the occasional inspection to check for cracking Dicor. Thereafter, an annual cycle will keep you moisture/leak free. An area most miss is the sealant around the window penetrations. Particularly the upper horizontal section above the windows which needs to be checked as well. Those spots are best sealed with Parbond. Do not use silicone sealants!

[pt.reyesfan]

Great thread.
thanks.
Ed

[paiceman]

New trailers are "almost" a one piece roof, but the skylights, vents etc should be checked every six months as on a horizontal surface caulking can break down and crack quickly in some climates and cases. Our 2017 Classic needed some touch up caulking after 11 months, which I did.

[DaveMc]

Hopefully this link works: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f456...ry-116214.html


here's a previous thread where user TinTin compiled everything into one place for sealants. It's a long thread, all worth reading. The final list is at post #91 if you'd like to cut straight to the chase. There's good discussion on cleaning and prepping in the posts that follow that.

Dave

Edited to insert the actual link...

[Wingeezer]

Don't think what I understand by the term "Re-seal" is needed every two years but I do agree it is good to get up there and examine everything and do what is needed to rectify any apparent break down of caulking every two years - if not every year.

[AtomicNo13]

4/6 weeks? Bath?
This is why they invented rain!
Where do you find the time for that?

[TravlinMan]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

4/6 weeks? Bath?
This is why they invented rain!
Where do you find the time for that?

Ha! This is exactly what I was thinkin.