SouthEast Pop Up Campers - roof leak around vent
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dswi

sc
6 Posts
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Posted - 06/28/2010 :  3:07:35 PM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I just acquired a 1995 Rockwood PU with some "minor repairs" needed....
The roof is one of them.
Has anybody had any experience with this??
It is leaky around the vent in the top (no roof A/C).
I can tell where the wood...or whatever is rotted a little (maybe more than a little).

I was thinking of popping it up and pulling down the wood from the inside.
You can tell that the rood sagged a little around the middle (vent).
What is the supporting structure of the roof?
what type of material is between the ... I am assuming that it has some sort of metal or aluminum for weight "ribs" or something like that.
One or even a couple of them might be broken/cracked...

Any input?

If I remove the material of the roof from the inside with the PU up will the roof "cave in" on me?? and will I be making a VERY FRANTIC cell phone call to someone..."I am stuck in the camper and can't get out!"

Any input would be appreciated.

Also, If I do remove the roof to do this repair...how much does it weigh...and how many people should I invite over to the house?

Right now I have more questions than answers....

thanx for the help

Darrin

YellowXterra

TN
1034 Posts
Status: online
Posted - 06/28/2010 :  4:35:05 PM  Show Profile  Visit YellowXterra's Homepage  Send YellowXterra an ICQ Message  Click to see YellowXterra's MSN Messenger address Send YellowXterra a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Goodluck I hate water damage from a roof leak. Keep us informed on your repair incase someone else has to do this.
YellowXterra
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poppedwayout

Georgia
235 Posts
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Posted - 06/28/2010 :  4:38:43 PM  Show Profile Send poppedwayout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If you call peco campers and ask for their service department someone there might give you some direction. (404) 377-8000
Bret & Sandy
Rusty the Yorkawahwah
99 F-250sd Diesel
06 Fleetwood Williamsburg
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kasten32303

Georgia & Florida
2828 Posts
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Posted - 06/29/2010 :  06:47:40 AM  Show Profile Send kasten32303 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Darrin, I've messed with camper reconstruction before and it can be tough. How much sagging are you talking about & is it localized or wide-spread thruout the roof? Can you see stained surfaces? Leaks will stain the heck out of the thin white material they use on the inside of roofs.

I looked online at a '98 model Rockwood PU and it's AC unit is centered in the roof. That is where the vent would be if the AC unit wasn't there. Is your vent centered in the roof or is it off to one side?

The pix of the '98 model show what appears to be an aluminum skinned roof. If yours is similar, it can be disassembled. If it's only some structural repair needed, you shouldn't have to remove the entire roof. Those roofs are HEAVY. It would take at least 5 really good friends to help you remove it. Putting it BACK would be harder... at least gravity is helping you take it down.

The pix of the '98 model show the four roof supports at the outer edges of the structure near the corners. Is yours similar?
Dave

'55 me
'59 wife
'89 daughter (off at college)
'99 Chevy Silverado 2500
2004 Sunline Solaris 2499
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dswi

sc
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Posted - 06/29/2010 :  11:50:06 AM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I talked with a couple of service departments and they were of the same opinion...to fix it in place.
Said, "just leave the foam where it is, let it dry out, and replace the inside panneling (or whatever it is) with luan available from Lowes or Home Depot.
It is just sagging a couple of inches.
I am thinking that structurally, I will bend some 1/2" emt to the right angles and "shore it up" with a couple of "ribs".
GENTLY trim out the foam for the EMT to fit in to. and go back with the luan (or however you spell it).
I only will have to do the back 1/2 (from the vent back) and some of that actually won't need to be done.
I just want to make sure the job is done right to prevent future damage.
Then I will seal the outside and the roof vent with some sort of something...Any ideas.
Is there anything that I can paint the whole top of the PUP with the will be waterproof?? Some kind of ruberized paint or epoxy or something?
All of the outer skin seems to be in good shape.
Dealership just said to make sure to remove old caulk on the outside and apply new.
Let me know if there are any other ideas.
Thanx for the help.
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kasten32303

Georgia & Florida
2828 Posts
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Posted - 06/29/2010 :  12:45:14 PM  Show Profile Send kasten32303 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If the material which defines the vent is wood and it's damaged, you will want to replace it. ANY wood that's water damaged should be replaced to avoid future problems with mold. Mold is not something you'd want to expose you & your family to.

When I did something like this, I used PT wood and cut it down to the correct dimensions to rebuild the damaged portions of framing.

Whatever structural elements the manufacturer used to build the roof should be enough to keep things straight, wood or aluminum. The only reason to reinforce the structure would be if you plan to ADD more weight to the roof... like an AC unit.

I am thinking that your roof is "skinned" in aluminum panels. The seam where each panel joins to it's neighbor should be caulked with something that would work on a house roof, exposed to the elements.

I am not certain I'd want to coat the entire roof with something to seal it. Elastomeric coatings like you'd need to use add some weight to the roof and it's something you'd have to re-do periodically. Recaulking every seam up there should work. DICOR makes a lap sealant I use to seal the vents on my roof, but my roof is a rubber roof. You'd need to check with an RV shop to determine the correct caulking to use.

Just an FYI, I checked and recaulked my PU's roof every year. I only had 4 big seams and the AC unit to seal, so it wasn't bad.
Dave

'55 me
'59 wife
'89 daughter (off at college)
'99 Chevy Silverado 2500
2004 Sunline Solaris 2499
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dswi

sc
6 Posts
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Posted - 06/29/2010 :  7:00:11 PM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Got started on the removal of the roof...or 2/3's of it tonight...This is gonna sound like a lot of work!!
Found the following:
2 broken wooden (about 2x2) cross joists, one in front of the vent and one behind...
Each of them had a corresponding flat metal piece that was rusted on one end each and broken as well.

The vent is plastic, by the way.

I am thinking of going back with square aluminum tubing (is this a good idea or a bad one?)

I looked at some paneling at Lowes and it seems to be light...and it seems that it will work...any input?

Probably just gonna paint the inside after the paneling in over the back 2/3's of the inside of the roof (that way it will match (I have some left over ceiling paint from one of my house projects anyway.

I will take some pictures and post them soon.

Thanks for all of the help.
Edited by - dswi on 06/29/2010 7:01:21 PM
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kasten32303

Georgia & Florida
2828 Posts
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Posted - 06/29/2010 :  8:45:35 PM  Show Profile Send kasten32303 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
... 2 broken wooden (about 2x2) cross joists, one in front of the vent and one behind... Each of them had a corresponding flat metal piece that was rusted on one end each and broken as well.
Well, there's your reason for the sagging around the roof vent. I suspect the metal was angle braces, used to connect & reinforce the cross joist's connection to the side walls of the roof structure.

If you can find similarly sized aluminum tubing, that should work.
They darn sure wouldn't rot.
Is there a curve in these wooden cross joists? If so, you're gonna have to put a curve in that tubing...

I believe that the thin panels on the ceiling are luan, coated with some acrylic or plastic stuff... similar to bathroom surrounds. I suspect you could just use a quality 1/8-inch luan panel, primed all around and painted with an oil-based gloss finish to seal it good.
Dave

'55 me
'59 wife
'89 daughter (off at college)
'99 Chevy Silverado 2500
2004 Sunline Solaris 2499
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dswi

sc
6 Posts
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Posted - 06/30/2010 :  03:41:34 AM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
[/quote]I suspect the metal was angle braces, used to connect & reinforce the cross joist's connection to the side walls of the roof structure. [/quote]
The metal went all of the way across from side to side.
[/quote]
Is there a curve in these wooden cross joists? If so, you're gonna
[/quote]
I don't think there was a curve in them...but couldn't really tell since the cross joists came out in about 1,537,695 splinters!

Thanks for all of the help
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YellowXterra

TN
1034 Posts
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Posted - 06/30/2010 :  05:48:37 AM  Show Profile  Visit YellowXterra's Homepage  Send YellowXterra an ICQ Message  Click to see YellowXterra's MSN Messenger address Send YellowXterra a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thats a lot of splinters LOL
YellowXterra
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dswi

sc
6 Posts
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Posted - 07/06/2010 :  05:25:21 AM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Removed all wood that was damaged this weekend...What a job!
I will probably put the "ribs" in place tonight. I am looking for the steel flat bar to re-inforce the 2 ribs.

I was thinking of going over the whole top with some stuff called Kool Seal. Anybody ever used it??

I also plan to remove all of the old caulk and re apply new caulk.

Any comments and/or suggestions?
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kasten32303

Georgia & Florida
2828 Posts
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Posted - 07/06/2010 :  06:59:19 AM  Show Profile Send kasten32303 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I used Kool Seal many years ago on the flat roof of a mobile home belonging to a friend of mine. We had repaired many parts of this old single wide and we put a thick coat of Kool Seal on the roof to seal up all the seams where plywood had been replaced.

Messy job... hot, too... but when we finished, that roof didn't leak.

If you want to put Kool Seal on the roof of your popup, be sure to use the right product. For an aluminum roof, you should buy the Blue Lable #20-496 High Performance Aluminum Roof Coating. Don't use the elastomeric version... it's made for rubber roofs and other such materials, not aluminum.
Dave

'55 me
'59 wife
'89 daughter (off at college)
'99 Chevy Silverado 2500
2004 Sunline Solaris 2499
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dswi

sc
6 Posts
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Posted - 07/21/2010 :  04:18:04 AM  Show Profile Send dswi a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Replaced several whole and several pieces of side 2x2's in preperation for putting the 2 ribs in. I have 1" flat metal (some stainless and some carbon steel)
Also, took out the vent...

Does anyone know anything good (easy) to take off the sealing stuff that PO used? It seems like plumbers putty or something of that consistency.

Will take pictures soon.
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