subject: RV Expert Bruce Bernhart on Fixing RV Roof Leaks [print this page] A main factor in preserving the life of your RV is to maintain its water tightness. Water will enter in even the very smallest openings, and the best place to start is the roof. You should check the condition of your roof seal in the Spring and in the Fall. The combination of heat and sun can eventually wear away even the toughest sealant. Closely inspect the roof sealant condition on every protruding fixture on the roof. Any cracks or thin spots can be touched up with the appropriate material. If the roof sealant is peeling or flaking in any way, then the old coating must be physically removed and replaced. Silicon caulking works best. I buy silicon caulk that comes in a large tube, and use a caulking gun.
You can also use it around vents and other leak prone areas around protruding antennas and other fixtures. A tiny leak on the roof will turn into a major problem within the structure of the RV. Often, small roof leaks go undetected until you see evidence of water inside the RV. That's because the leak often causes the water to flow down the inside of the exterior walls, so you have no way of knowing there is a leak to begin with until you suddenly see a puddle forming somewhere inside the RV. Even a small leak can become costly if you have to replace the wall, floor, or roof. Of course, take extra precautions when are you working on your RV roof and I'm told it is not a good idea to stand in one location very long, as it puts increased pressure on the spot where you are standing, so basically, just keep moving along as you apply the sealant.
Be sure to clean your roof once each season. You can buy special rubber cleaners for roofs made of rubber. For cleaning metal roofs, just use regular dish soap and a scrub brush. I put the scrub brush on the end of a long broom pole, then a remove the scrub brush from the pole and scrub by hand where the broom handle won't reach, such as under the air conditioner cover or around the solar panel, if you have one.
