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2012FB · 12-22-2016, 03:22 PM

Last Christmas down in Mesa, AZ it rained steady for 3 days and we had a pretty good roof leak resulting in steady water coming out the light fixture in the hall closet ceiling. Since we keep it stored under cover I was not too worried and figured I would have it repaired along with the 21 other issues just prior to the warranty running out. So I scheduled the close out warranty service 3 months ago and dropped it off a month ago. It is finally done and the service manager calls to tell me to come pick it up but, he needs to collect payment for the roof repairs which was denied by Airstream since it is a maintenance issue and not covered by warranty. Really, 6 months old and the roof is leaking! In all honestly this was the first time the trailer had been in a good steady rain since new. Perhaps roof sealing “maintenance” should be part of the Dealer delivery procedure or better yet the factory should perform better quality control. How often does roof maintenance need to be performed? I don't like the idea of crawling up on the roof every 6 months are so, since it was only 6 months old from new when it started leaking.

rostam · 12-22-2016, 03:38 PM

I've seen the roof caulking on a few brand new Airstreams and, lets just say, there is a lot of room for improvement

I park my trailer out in the open, so I used Eternabond tape to seal all the seams on the roof. I have also used Parbond sealers to seal all the non-roof seams and the perimeter of all windows, lights, awning fixtures, etc. I have inspected the perimeter of the subfloor after torrential rain and, knock on wood, its all dry. Eternabond and Parbond seem like inexpensive solutions and it does not take a whole lot of time to apply them. Parbond sealers come in silver color and are not really noticeable. Some may not like the looks of Eternabond tape (Those can also come in silver too), but its on the roof and I really don't care. Here is a roof photo.

dznf0g · 12-22-2016, 03:58 PM

My experience is that once I, personally, resealed the roof, the new sealer lasts 5 years, stored outside in my climate. So, not every 6 months, but frequently.

Aerowood · 12-22-2016, 04:04 PM

I would call Jackson Center and pitch a major b*t*h.
I hate to saw it but there needs to be a Class Action Suit against Airstream regarding leaks.

overlander63 · 12-22-2016, 04:34 PM

The factory warranty is 2 years, not 6 months. If, in fact, the factory warranty is about to expire, then the trailer has been in service for 2 years, and the roof should have been at least inspected a year ago.

dkottum · 12-22-2016, 05:39 PM

It may be a question of the leak location, and is this something that should have been maintained during first year annual roof inspection. Nonetheless, Airstream is pretty generous with warranty work in our experience. Dealers not so much (our dealer advised 90 days on door/window adjustments, corrosion, and leaks). We had a leak a lower awning support bracket at two years and Airstream Service at Jackson Center fixed it under warranty.

We route our travels through Jackson Center about every two years and have them inspect our roof. This year they found the storage tank vent sealants cracked and resealed them, first roof maintenance on six year old Airstream.

Exterior leaks usually find their way into the plywood subfloor, and eventually cause floor rot. As part of a quarterly inspection, we probe into the perimeter of the interior subfloorfloor with an inexpensive Sonin Moisture Test Meter to look for leaks. That's how we found the awning bracket leak.

Airstream maintenance professionals we have talked to advise avoiding sealant tapes such as Eternabond. It looks terrible, will fail sooner or later, and is a nightmare to remove when it does. Use high quality sealants intended for the location.

rostam · 12-22-2016, 06:24 PM

Well, like any other choice, the use of Eternabond tape is a trade off.

I have only applied the tape to the roof, so no one can see it, and I don't care whether it looks good or bad. I don't see a reason to ever remove the tape that runs the seam on the length (or width) of the trailer. If any of the fans ever fail, then, yes, I have to remove the tape on the perimeter of a fan. There is a YouTube video on how to remove the tape. I would not characterize it as nightmare -- Its difficult to remove and thats the point. You want it to stick and keep your trailer water tight. Others have used the tape for many years and it did not fail -- They seem durable. I installed it last year and expect to replace it in 10 years. Will report back in 9 years!

I think the benefits outweigh the cost of potential floor repair. At the end of the day its a personal choice. I believe there multiple ways of doing the same thing (making the trailer water tight, etc).

mschneid · 12-22-2016, 07:13 PM

So AS needs to go to the service dept every few years? Looking at buying one soon and this has me thinking...

overlander63 · 12-22-2016, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschneid

So AS needs to go to the service dept every few years? Looking at buying one soon and this has me thinking...

Nothing is maintenance free.

mschneid · 12-22-2016, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Nothing is maintenance free.

What is the procedure for sealing the AS and how often is it needed? I'm a newbie and am a DIY guy.

dkottum · 12-22-2016, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschneid

So AS needs to go to the service dept every few years? Looking at buying one soon and this has me thinking...

Only if you take them outside and use them. And so do all the others.

If you learn what to look for you can inspect it on a regular basis and fix it yourself. I do most of that, I don't care to go onto the roof anymore for a close inspection/repair of sealants so we have that area looked at by Airstream Service along with a few other things.

Try to set your inspection intervals in relationship with your travels and use. We are in our Airstream 6-7 months a year, so some things I check frequently. It rained hard with wind yesterday so I took our the moisture meter and checked the plywood subfloor because it's a good time to do it, and it's been few months.

We also use CorrosionX and Boeshield T9 corrosion protection sprays on and under our Airstream, any bare or lightly painted metal. We spent the last seven weeks right on the coast and beach of Central California, and it's corrosive salt environment. We applied a little extra corrosion protection. Into our sixth year, we have no corrosion on or under our Airstream.

Of our rv friends, our Airstream has been much more trouble-free than the other brands. Actually, it has been trouble-free because we inspect it regularly and maintain it as needed. We also use a lightly sprung tow vehicle, a flexible w.d. hitch, and tire pressures as prescribed by weight chart rather than sidewall maximum.

It's not at all difficult to maintain your Airstream, the earlier the better. Things can and do break.

Skooter · 12-22-2016, 10:16 PM

If I understand the OP's timeline correctly, the leak could have been addressed under warranty immediately after it occurred, or the service dealer should have seen evidence of an annual roof maintenance/reseal now shortly before the unit's 2nd birthday.
Appears neither was done in this case.

2012FB · 12-22-2016, 10:58 PM

So the requirement on a new Airstream is to have the roof inspected and resealed annually including each of the first two years it is under warranty. Even on a unit that is under shelter 10 months out of the year. I need a moisture meter to constantly monitor my new Airstream for water intrusion. Perhaps I should since I have no idea how much water went other places than coming out the closet light fixture. Good grief!!

xrvr · 12-23-2016, 04:32 AM

A total exterior inspection should be done at least once a year. Some of us are more interested in appearance than maintenance. Be proactive. Don't wait for a leak to appear, try to locate the problem before it gets out of hand.

lsbrodsky · 12-23-2016, 04:51 AM

I am with the OP on this; the warranty should have covered roof leaks. There is nothing in the warranty that says roof leaks are excluded. It is already a mediocre warranty since AS does not warrant any of the equipment purchased from other suppliers.
I suppose the OP should have talked to his dealer upon discovering the leak, rather than waiting until the end of the warranty period. Yet, this is just another disappointment from Airstream and its dealers. The whole roof thing still upsets me because I was a boat owner before owning an Airstream. Sealant used on boats lasts 15 years or more and the same sealant is available to the RV industry. But AS(and others) go cheap, using sealant that does not withstand UV and motion as well as almost any marine sealant. Incredible!
I had my roof recaulked this year, 4 years old. I could not face the thought of the time on the roof to do it so I paid my dealer. They did a nice job, but I am destined to return for a recaulk every few years. Makes me nuts every time I think about it.
Larry

ericpeltier · 12-23-2016, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschneid

So AS needs to go to the service dept every few years? Looking at buying one soon and this has me thinking...

My SOB white-box trailer requires 6mo inspections, too, since it sits outside. All things leak.

BUT, I do side with the OP that Airstream should not quibble on a new unit unless there's clearly a user-created leak from a dent, scrape, Solar, etc.

Eric

Wolf Alaska · 12-23-2016, 01:16 PM

Eternabond tape is not too difficult to remove if you use an electric heat gun or hair dryer. It pulls off & leaves a sticky layer on the surface.

This is a good surface to apply the replacement Eternabond tape.

If one wants a clean dry surface & won't reapply Eternabond, .....uh, that's a subject for a different thread.

I use Ebond tape in 2" & 4" widths and find it to be effective.

Let's Roll !
Wolf

PTAHERNE · 12-23-2016, 01:31 PM

It seems the more I read on this forum The more concerned I am about buying an Airstream . I'm just hoping that all these extra service needs and requirements including in the roof inspection Are listed in the owners manual. If not then obviously a whole extra list of preventative maintenance requirements needs to be made. I have ordered a 23D serenity for the spring. Has anyone contacted Airstream direct with these issues and if so what is there response?

lsbrodsky · 12-23-2016, 03:49 PM

Ha! The only service provided by AS that get's good comments on this Forum is the service shop at JC. Everything else is just the Airstream way. No, not everything is in the manual, but everything is somewhere here.
Larry

quietguy · 12-23-2016, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTAHERNE

It seems the more I read on this forum The more concerned I am about buying an Airstream . I'm just hoping that all these extra service needs and requirements including in the roof inspection Are listed in the owners manual. If not then obviously a whole extra list of preventative maintenance requirements needs to be made. I have ordered a 23D serenity for the spring. Has anyone contacted Airstream direct with these issues and if so what is there response?

Have you ever owned a "SOB" RV?! If so, you'd know this is more "not-picking" vs a serious defect affecting Airsteams. Don't worry. Enjoy your new trailer AND maintain it. Just like many things in life, it requires maintenance, upkeep and repairs. Kind of like a marriage...