Leaky roof

Stableduck · 10-12-2023, 02:04 PM

Do to health reasons our 2014 passport 195RB has been sitting for about 2 years. Last week we were able to go the gulf for a couple days. Of coarse we ran into rain. I found a leak in the roof around where the front cap attaches.
I am thinking about using tape on all the seems to reseal the roof. Is this the correct type of tape to use on the roof?
Unfortunately it’s been leaking for awhile. I found the floor in the storage compartment is peeling the fake wood but still feels solid

**chuckster57** · 10-12-2023, 02:19 PM

That will work, however. Should you need to do any repairs down the road it is nearly impossible to remove without tearing the roof membrane, and that would mean a new roof membrane.

wiredgeorge · 10-12-2023, 02:35 PM

I personally would seal with Dicor and would choose non-self leveling most likely as the stuff will run when the sun hits it. Glob it over the seam after cleaning the old sealant.

Stableduck · 10-12-2023, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

That will work, however. Should you need to do any repairs down the road it is nearly impossible to remove without tearing the roof membrane, and that would mean a new roof membrane.

Do you think I would be better off trying to chalk the seems? What other options do I have?

**sourdough** · 10-12-2023, 03:54 PM

Is it possible to post any pictures of the seam? Barring a separation of the roof from the cap thus the transition strip I would go with repairing the leaks with Dicor self leveling along the top of the transition. If you get to vertical sections non self leveling is best. Eternabond is a "permanent" solution for a temporary situation. You may in fact need to get into that strip (there are screws there that many times come loose) and after the Eternabond you either cut the tape or peel it off; either situation is pretty drastic vs scraping off some dicor and squeezing some new on.

Stableduck · 10-13-2023, 06:09 AM

Thanks for the replies! I will try to get some pictures of the seems but it will be in a day or 2. I wanted to let you guys know I appreciate your response and I’m not ghosting you after my original post.

Stableduck · 10-19-2023, 11:38 AM

I finally got up on a ladder to clean the roof to clean it so I can repair the leak. I took a couple pics as asked.
I’m going to try chalking it and see if the stops the leaks. I don’t see any obvious spots for leaks so I’ll just do all the seems.
I am mad at myself for letting this happen but I was dealing with cancer and chemo so it was not my top priority and I wasn’t able to do it if it was.
Any way here are a few pics. If you have any advice I would be glad to here it

Stangfire · 10-19-2023, 12:12 PM

The first picture looks like some areas may be questionable. I would clean those areas and relap it with self leveling lap sealer. I did all areas of my roof this summer and went through about 6 tubes if I remember right.

**sourdough** · 10-20-2023, 05:30 AM

I don't know how well you're feeling and how much work you are up to but I would scrape all of the dicor across the front cap off and reapply new liberally. It will level out but you want every crack, crevice, screw and seam covered with it. The other pics look pretty good but they're not detailed enough to see tiny pin holes or cracks etc. - and they DO happen. If you feel like it you could do the entire perimeter to be safe but remember that all of your penetrations through the roof are sealed as well and have to be checked.

Looking at the front cap it looks like there may be some places that are causing the leak although it looks pretty good overall.

**JRTJH** · 10-20-2023, 07:16 AM

Also, when you're resealing that front cap/TPO roofing joiner strip, there are two clearance lights located about 8-12 inches below that strip. Those clearance lights are NOTORIOUS for leaking, causing wet insulation behind the front cap and eventually mold and rot from the inside out.....

If you're contemplating a "100% reseal" then include those clearance lights in your resealing plan !!!!!

Stangfire · 10-20-2023, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Also, when you're resealing that front cap/TPO roofing joiner strip, there are two clearance lights located about 8-12 inches below that strip. Those clearance lights are NOTORIOUS for leaking, causing wet insulation behind the front cap and eventually mold and rot from the inside out.....

If you're contemplating a "100% reseal" then include those clearance lights in your resealing plan !!!!!

What's the best way to do the clearance lights? I missed that on mine.

**JRTJH** · 10-20-2023, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stangfire

What's the best way to do the clearance lights? I missed that on mine.

I pulled the lens cover, removed the two screws which allowed me to remove the entire light assembly, put butyl putty tape on the entire back surface, surrounding the wires coming out of the back, then clean the area well and reinstalled the light on the front cap. I know of other owners who removed the light, used a "tube type sealant" and coated the back surface and reinstalled the light, and some who just used silicone sealant to seal around the light fixture without removing it.

IMO, for what it's worth, if you've got time to fix it right the first time, I'd remove the light and do a "full sealing job" type of fix. I'm fond of butyl putty tape, others are fond of using a tube type sealant. Either choice is better than trying to "seal while the light is attached to the front cap"....

Stableduck · 10-22-2023, 05:28 PM

They say women live longer than men. I wonder why that is?🤔
We have had a serious drought here in Texas all summer. I clean the old chalking off the roof and they forecast rain all next week!
With help from the John Deere I finished chalking the roof.
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions.

**sourdough** · 10-22-2023, 05:34 PM

Congrats! Be sure and test that front cap to make sure there are no further problems after the sealant has cured/set up.

hlh1 · 10-23-2023, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stableduck

They say women live longer than men. I wonder why that is?🤔
We have had a serious drought here in Texas all summer. I clean the old chalking off the roof and they forecast rain all next week!
With help from the John Deere I finished chalking the roof.
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions.

Kinda like washing a car... It's a white man's rain dance.

Mike71954 · 10-26-2023, 09:14 AM

Hi there, I have a 2015 195RB and had the same problem with the front cap seal. I used Eternabond a couple of years ago and it seems to have solve the problem. Good Luck.

Ibdagriz · 10-26-2023, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Also, when you're resealing that front cap/TPO roofing joiner strip, there are two clearance lights located about 8-12 inches below that strip. Those clearance lights are NOTORIOUS for leaking, causing wet insulation behind the front cap and eventually mold and rot from the inside out.....

If you're contemplating a "100% reseal" then include those clearance lights in your resealing plan !!!!!

This right here is dead on as well.

Griz

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