Black stripes on roof at every cross member..... and tear at air conditioner

sptddog · 10-12-2014, 01:49 PM

So crawled on roof today.... hadn't been up there in a few weeks. Noticed striped type black marks at every cross member the whole length of roof. Don't remember them last time, though it was just washed. Is this normal? Never saw my old outback roof look like that. No other campers parked near me had it either. Thoughts?

Also noticed a small tear shaped exactly like the metal edge of the air conditioner. Of course I have nothing to fix it with me. Seems like a metal piece under the rubber tore it?

Festus2 · 10-12-2014, 02:25 PM

If you have any Dicor self-leveling sealant with you or some other sealant that doesn't contain silicone or petroleum distillates, use that as a temporary fix for the small tear. Afterwards, apply a patch of Eternabond tape along with some Dicor self-leveling sealant.
Beforehand, make sure you clean it thoroughly to ensure proper adhesion.

The black marks could be mold but mold usually appears as a black or dark gray "blotchy" spot. The cross member sections are most likely the high points on the roof and could be more prone to accumulation of dirt, dust, and mold.

Does the rubber membrane appear "normal" along each of the cross members? Nothing poking through along these edges ---- screw heads for example?

sptddog · 10-12-2014, 03:35 PM

I found I had dicor so I put that on.

Nothing unusual on the roof. Just the black marks. Could be mold, but it's only over the cross members. Is it normal for the roof to.mold?

Festus2 · 10-12-2014, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sptddog

Is it normal for the roof to.mold?

To some extent, it depends upon where you live. Here on the west coast of BC where the climate is "damp" for lengthy periods, mold on roofs is not uncommon. I've had mold on our RV roof - unsightly, not easy to get rid of, but harmless.

sptddog · 10-12-2014, 06:37 PM

Thanks. I'll maybe try to get a picture of it tomorrow morning when I go back up to check out the dicor and make sure it sealed etc.

I'm hoping it is just dirt accumulation. I certainly have paranoia with the roof leaking lol.

I also noticed tonight that my piece of wood over the island where the pendant lights is hanging is warped and two screws are completely stripped - there is about a 1/2 inch gap. Might just take that one to the dealer, I'm too afraid to deal with longer screws and wider screws - paranoid I'd either hit wires or something in the roof to cause an issue. Cross my fingers that stuff like that would be fixed under my extended warranty (but won't hold my breath!).

2014Fuzion300 · 10-14-2014, 06:03 AM

I have the same black stripes on the roof. I just noticed this past weekend...

sptddog · 10-18-2014, 10:07 AM

That makes me feel better lol. I'm going to try to wash it and see if they come off - if not, I'll ask at the dealer when I take it in a few weeks.

ncgrl1 · 10-18-2014, 04:24 PM

I have the exact same thing going on my roof. 2014 Cougar 26SAB. I first scrubbed it with the Dawn & Borax as recommended on here...No luck! I then mixed it with twice the Dawn, and twice the Borax...Still no luck! I hate the way it looks, but like someone said, I don't think it will hurt anything. Good luck...

Festus2 · 10-18-2014, 04:30 PM

If it is mold it is very difficult to remove entirely. I've pretty much given up trying to remove it all and instead try to "keep it in check". Like you, I've tried a variety of removers and cleaners and; in spite of all the cleaning and soft scrubbing, the spots are still there. Any research that I have done on mold and rubber roofs says the same thing: "unsightly and annoying but essentially harmless".

Canam · 11-04-2014, 10:30 AM

I just went through a major roof repair this past summer on my Fuzion TH. I had a tear in the rubber roof around the front A/C unit which I thought was a manufacturing fault when they placed the A/C unit in the roof. After seeing another TH pass me on the highway I clued on to another possibility. The front 1/4 of his entire roof was balooned up to create a bubble on his roof about 2 feet high. I wondered if this was happening to me so I placed a camera on the roof and went for a ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAmoXaU1Xrc

You can see the roof bubble push the Rubber up onto anything that is in the way, (A/C unit, antenna, Skylights, etc). I then thought I was getting air in under the roof, so when I took the video I taped every light, seam, joint, etc, that I thought might let air in. What I found out was that the glue used to hold the superflex rubber roof was not strong enough to hold the material to the roof substructure. The air traveling over the front section of the RV creates a vacuum and actually sucks the roof upwards (see Bernoulli's theory). The Glue used at manufacturing wasn't strong enough to adhere the rubber roof to the osb roof substructure.
This is probably what caused the tear in your roof around the A/C unit.

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You can see the tear through the patch I had in place. The white on the A/C cover is the roofing material rubbed against it.

sptddog · 11-06-2014, 03:39 PM

Canam, I saw your posts about the roof and yes, I suspect that is exactly what is happening. It's the only way that the tear can look EXACTLY like the metal piece on the air conditioner. I'm not sure why the glue is failing, but I'm pretty certain it is. It goes the 23rd to the dealer to get looked at. Unfortunately I'm on travel for work and I can't get it there before that. I've dicor'ed the tear for now so it's protected. My 2013 is out of warranty, so I'm wondering what and whether my extended warranty will cover a solid repair or roof replacement. Its clearly a defect, so I think the warranty should cover. They can't site a lack of annual or biannual maintenance because I had it pressure tested and the roof seams checked and caulked in May and that is documented to the tune of a bazillion dollars at the dealer. They had touched up a various spots that the prior owner had scraped tree branches and around marker lights etc. We'll see what happens!

sptddog · 12-05-2014, 05:01 AM

Well, update...dealer recommends replacing about half the roof (cost....), so they will replace everything from the front piece to a bit behind the air conditioner. They will put a seam molding (same metal that connects the roof edge to the wall edges) with butyl tape and then caulk it. All to the tune of 3700 dollars. Not an awful price, but seems high - most of it is labor of course. I think the parts are only a couple of hundred bucks. They won't do the whole roof as it would be almost 10 grand. I worry though that the glue on the rear half will do the same thing at some point and then I pay 4 grand again.

Keystone said they should submit an authorization and if 'the dealer can prove that it was a manufacturers defect', Keystone will cover it. Of course, my dealer doesn't seem to be fighting much, just simply submitting the authorization. That annoys me a bit, because a two year old camper should clearly not have roof material lifting. Even if one were to cite age of the glue and natural deterioration, the camper is only 2 years old, so that can't be it.

We're also going to call our regular insurance and see what they say - I read a few spots where the insurance would cover manufacturers defects like this under comprehensive. Honestly I'd have been better off to have ripped the roof with a tree than this crap. At that point, insurance would have covered it without a doubt. Grrrrrrr.

Going to stop by the dealer today and see if I can get them to argue with Keystone more, but I won't hold my breath. On the plus, dealer says he has done this repair about 10-12 times and there have been no issues after with the roof of the seam across the roof. I assume it will be an issue at trade in time, but I'm crossing my fingers that we keep it long enough that we don't care. I have it pressure tested every spring for leaks, and I caulk regularly, so I can at least show that the roof didn't leak after the repair. Another grrrrrr.

EricLynnAllison · 12-05-2014, 05:48 AM

How do you pressure test a roof?

sptddog · 12-05-2014, 06:03 AM

From what I understand, when they do the seal/leak test by pressurizing the inside of the trailer, this will also show roof/seam leaks as well?

2014Fuzion300 · 12-05-2014, 05:24 PM

I don't think it is going to be an issue at trade in time, must of the time they don't even look at the camper. They just offer you the NADA value ....
Bouncey!!!

One Happy Camper · 01-02-2015, 11:40 AM

I don't have a 5th wheel, but if it makes you feel any better, I've seen the same dark lines following the frame members on the sides of Class A's and other rigs. I have no idea why, but I don't think it's mold at all.

NotyetMHCowner · 01-02-2015, 01:12 PM

Does anyone use a mixture of bleach to clean their RV's? I haven't, but a friend of mine accidently had some over spray get on his camper when he was bleaching the vinyl siding. He noticed white spots all over the roof and realized what it was. He cleaned it with bleach ever since, just like the house. Just mix about half and half of quality bleach and water, spray it on, let it sit for several minutes (up to about 20), then spray it off. He says it is super easy and cleans like new.

I just wonder about the bleach slowly deteriorating seams or something on the camper?

2014Fuzion300 · 01-02-2015, 08:32 PM

I heard the bleach and the roof membrane are not a good combination but I never heard the reasons why....

socalhd · 01-04-2015, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sptddog

Well, update...dealer recommends replacing about half the roof (cost....), so they will replace everything from the front piece to a bit behind the air conditioner. They will put a seam molding (same metal that connects the roof edge to the wall edges) with butyl tape and then caulk it. All to the tune of 3700 dollars. Not an awful price, but seems high - most of it is labor of course. I think the parts are only a couple of hundred bucks. They won't do the whole roof as it would be almost 10 grand. I worry though that the glue on the rear half will do the same thing at some point and then I pay 4 grand again.

Keystone said they should submit an authorization and if 'the dealer can prove that it was a manufacturers defect', Keystone will cover it. Of course, my dealer doesn't seem to be fighting much, just simply submitting the authorization. That annoys me a bit, because a two year old camper should clearly not have roof material lifting. Even if one were to cite age of the glue and natural deterioration, the camper is only 2 years old, so that can't be it.

We're also going to call our regular insurance and see what they say - I read a few spots where the insurance would cover manufacturers defects like this under comprehensive. Honestly I'd have been better off to have ripped the roof with a tree than this crap. At that point, insurance would have covered it without a doubt. Grrrrrrr.

Going to stop by the dealer today and see if I can get them to argue with Keystone more, but I won't hold my breath. On the plus, dealer says he has done this repair about 10-12 times and there have been no issues after with the roof of the seam across the roof. I assume it will be an issue at trade in time, but I'm crossing my fingers that we keep it long enough that we don't care. I have it pressure tested every spring for leaks, and I caulk regularly, so I can at least show that the roof didn't leak after the repair. Another grrrrrr.

Enlighten me. These units have a 12 year Warranty on the Roofs. How is it they are not standing behind that?

Festus2 · 01-04-2015, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalhd

Enlighten me. These units have a 12 year Warranty on the Roofs. How is it they are not standing behind that?

Like any warranty, there are as many if not more exclusions than inclusions. Dicor's 12 year warranty, according to their website, does not apply if:
1) the roof was improperly installed
2) materials were used that are not compatible with the EPDM rubber (petroleum distillates, for example)
3) any alterations or the addition of accessories have been carried out
4) there was structural failure - such as separation.
5) the improper use of sealants, adhesives and flashings

Dicor is not responsible for the cleanliness and discoloration of the roof

The warranty does cover against "any premature deterioration to the point of failure because of weathering if properly maintained".

It is important that you work with the dealer who will assess any issues you have with the roof and will make a recommendation to the manufacturer (Keystone) and/or Dicor for any warranty claims you might have.

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