[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by Eastham

Picked up new cougar 2016. in May 2017 about how long would you expect the caulking to last on roof before a crack shows up .Dealer inspected roof today has a 6 in crack in caulking not covered under warranty just curious is this roof caulking that fragile you have to stay on top of it every few months?Thanks for you input.

There are too many variables to accurately predict roof caulk life expectancy. The manufacturer will tell you that under ideal conditions, the caulk should last x years, but none of us use our rigs under ideal conditions.

I would point out that a large crack in the self-leveling crack in a relatively short time frame might indicate an underlying problem. The stuff remains pretty flexible after it dries so an early crack might suggest some abnormal flexing or movement underneath. Those of us who are familiar with this stuff and rubber roofs in general would not hesitate to strip off the caulk and see what's what underneath. It might just be an inadequate application of the stuff.

To directly answer your question, I don't think the caulk is generally that fragile. But I do think it is one item that needs regular monitoring by the owner. Mine gets inspected in the fall as part of winterizing, and again in the spring. If we get a good thaw during the winter and the snow is completely melted off the roof, I will usually take a peek then, too.

FWIW, dealers could earn some major brownie points with new owners by taking the time to explain all this during the PDI and give them a tube of caulk. But as we repeatedly see here in the forum, the quality of PDI's is almost always suspect.