TPO Roof Question

[dwdlt]

I have a 2016 Laredo 314re that I keep stored in a pole barn when not in use. I pulled it out of the barn to get ready for a weekend outing, and I noticed some sealant that appeared to be loose on right front corner.

So, I went on top and inspected roof. I found that the sealant was loose and peeling back on all four corners, but solid and good to go around all of the vents.

Also, I did notice that the TPO seems to be not entirely secure throughout the roof. At the corners, there are areas that you can touch and definitely feel that it is not sticking to the plywood underneath.

With that said, I have just finished resealing the front and back of the roof with self leveling sealant. I did the roof cleaning, primer, and all that jazz first.

My question is, are these loose spots here and there normal for a TPO roof, or do I need to be concerned?

[Lee]

Hum.... Since no one else has chimed in..... To answer your question... Yes... I would be concerned but only to the point of monitoring the areas you are concerned about on a regular basis. If the issue progresses to the point of separation then I would affect repairs.

Lee

[JRTJH]

I think what you're asking is whether the TPO membrane "should be" glued to the roof structure in all places? Short answer, Yes it should....

Longer answer, It's probably not, and depending on where and how large the "not adhered" places are, it may or may not be a problem. The TPO membrane is not extremely pliable and won't bend around a "square cut OSB sheet corner"... So, there's going to be some "loose areas of TPO" at the edges where the TPO curls over to mate with the side. Also, when the TPO membrane was initially applied, the roof was painted with adhesive, the TPO was pulled over the roof (from a large roll) and then rollers were used to make better contact with the roof surface. Typically there are several places where there is an air bubble under the TPO. The adhesive won't make contact with the TPO in those areas, so as the adhesive cures, there will be small "bubbles" under the TPO. This is a common occurrence and most trailers have one or two small areas that aren't completely adhered to the OSB under the TPO. The problem is "HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH" ???? That's a question that the dealership and Keystone need to resolve. Since your trailer is no longer in warranty, it's up to you whether to spend the money to have it inspected and pay to have it repaired if it's determined that there are "too many areas"... My opinion, for what it's worth, is that since it's been OK for 4 years, I'd just keep an eye on it and have someone observe the trailer from a second vehicle while towing at highway speeds. If there is billowing or lifting of the membrane, I'd address the problem and repair the roof. If there's no billowing, then I'd just keep sealing the surface as required and keep it clean.

As for the "12 year roof warranty"... That applies ONLY to the TPO membrane, not the installation, not the adhesive, not the sealing, not the structures on the roof. And, to make that warranty even more "marginalized" it is a pro-rated warranty. The reimbursement to an owner is for "TPO membrane cost only" (no labor, no adhesive, no removal cost will be paid) and is 100% for 2 years, 80% the 3rd year and Year 4 - 60%; Year 5 - 50%; Year 6 - 40%; Year 7 - 30%; Year 8 - 20%; Year 9 -10%; Year 10 - 5% Year 11 - 3%; Year 12-1%.

As you can see, in year 4, your reimbursement would be 60% of the cost of the TPO membrane, which for your 36' trailer would be 60% of the wholesale price of the TPO membrane or around $150. The retail price of the membrane is around $10 a foot or around $360. The adhesive/sealant kit runs another $410 and is not a warranty item.

So, if there's nothing leaking and nothing physically wrong (damaged) with your TPO membrane, I'd just inspect it regularly and keep it sealed properly.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I think what you're asking is whether the TPO membrane "should be" glued to the roof structure in all places? Short answer, Yes it should....

Longer answer, It's probably not, and depending on where and how large the "not adhered" places are, it may or may not be a problem. The TPO membrane is not extremely pliable and won't bend around a "square cut OSB sheet corner"... So, there's going to be some "loose areas of TPO" at the edges where the TPO curls over to mate with the side. Also, when the TPO membrane was initially applied, the roof was painted with adhesive, the TPO was pulled over the roof (from a large roll) and then rollers were used to make better contact with the roof surface. Typically there are several places where there is an air bubble under the TPO. The adhesive won't make contact with the TPO in those areas, so as the adhesive cures, there will be small "bubbles" under the TPO. This is a common occurrence and most trailers have one or two small areas that aren't completely adhered to the OSB under the TPO. The problem is "HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH" ???? That's a question that the dealership and Keystone need to resolve. Since your trailer is no longer in warranty, it's up to you whether to spend the money to have it inspected and pay to have it repaired if it's determined that there are "too many areas"... My opinion, for what it's worth, is that since it's been OK for 4 years, I'd just keep an eye on it and have someone observe the trailer from a second vehicle while towing at highway speeds. If there is billowing or lifting of the membrane, I'd address the problem and repair the roof. If there's no billowing, then I'd just keep sealing the surface as required and keep it clean.

As for the "12 year roof warranty"... That applies ONLY to the TPO membrane, not the installation, not the adhesive, not the sealing, not the structures on the roof. And, to make that warranty even more "marginalized" it is a pro-rated warranty. The reimbursement to an owner is for "TPO membrane cost only" (no labor, no adhesive, no removal cost will be paid) and is 100% for 2 years, 80% the 3rd year and Year 4 - 60%; Year 5 - 50%; Year 6 - 40%; Year 7 - 30%; Year 8 - 20%; Year 9 -10%; Year 10 - 5% Year 11 - 3%; Year 12-1%.

As you can see, in year 4, your reimbursement would be 60% of the cost of the TPO membrane, which for your 36' trailer would be 60% of the wholesale price of the TPO membrane or around $150. The retail price of the membrane is around $10 a foot or around $360. The adhesive/sealant kit runs another $410 and is not a warranty item.

So, if there's nothing leaking and nothing physically wrong (damaged) with your TPO membrane, I'd just inspect it regularly and keep it sealed properly.

Thanks for the detailed info. I stopped by dealership and spoke to them about my concerns, and the tech told me he did not think it was a big issue and to just monitor.

I have been on the road and seen RV's with the wind getting under the rubber membrane. It certainly does not look good at all!

Right now, there is literally just 3 spots that seem to not adhered. They are all on the corners, and at this point, not very big. I just finished my annual cleaning, resealing, and UV protectant routine.

What I did do was to cover these three areas with non sag sealant. not sure if that was right thing to do, now that I think about, but it is done.

Based on the dollars amounts you listed, when it's time, I'll probably tackle the replacement myself! I'm a glutton for punishment like that...

Thanks Again.

Dale

[dwdlt]

Thanks for your response. Much appreciated. Areas of concerns are at the corners of the trailed (rounded edges) and only about 3 spots. Spoke to dealership today, and they did not feel it warranted anything more that monitoring