I'm having my coach washed and they are telling us that the vents on the roof need caulked and that it seems to appear that they have never been caulked.
1.) Is it possible that these have never been caulked and/or do Foretravels need them to be caulked.
Need answers ASAP please...they are preparing to work on it.
Lots of posts on different products for caulking around the vents etc. I use Dicor.
While it IS likely that 20+ year old caulking could stand to be redone, if you have experienced no leaks, it is not an emergency situation.
Caulking from the factory was very well done-- mostly UNDER roof attachments, so not as visible as slapping caulk on top of things.
Lots of choices for sealant. I like 3M 4000 UV, tough but removable, sets up quickly somit doesnkt attract dirt. It seems to stay cleaner looking over time as well.
Amazon.com: 3M 06580 Marine Adhesive/Sealant Fast Cure 4000 UV, White / 1/10... (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XBDJWC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)
On our coach, Foretravel primarily used butyl tape to seal the roof penetrations. For instance, when I replaced the refrigerator roof vent, there was no sign of leaks and there was no caulking to clean up, just squeezed out butyl tape around the perimeter. When reinstalling the fridge vent, MaxVent fan, and new plumbing vents I followed suite. The downside, if it is one, is that the butyl tape will keep squeezing out and look untidy. However, a plastic scraper can clean it up pretty easily. Sometime later, it will reappear... eventually all that wants to come out will come out. Of course, there are places like the end cap trim that need caulking. I am putting in the new clearance lights with only the butyl tape for sealing. The advantage of this technique is that they can be easily replaced with no caulking to remove. Just my two cents.
Don
Brett has put it in a nice way. Slapping caulk on top of things leads to cracking, leads to more caulk, more cracking. The cracks allow water to seep under and then you have to caulk in a larger area to make sure it won't leak. Terrible to remove is an understatement. I like Don's method.
Pierce
Do you have a leak NOW?
With in reason, I subscribe to the
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" theory
Rick, do you have vent covers or just the vent with raisable lid? If you have vent covers they are usually not caulked.
Chris
Well I just had them caulk everything. We had torrential rain here in Northeast Ohio with no leaks. But they recommend it so I had them do it.
I'm going to pick it up today.
I will go up and inspect it.
Thanks for the input.
I've seen quite a few Foretravel roofs and never came across one without proper caulking.
jor
+1 for butly tape for sealing with some clear sealant over the screws and edges. I used
Geocel 28100V Pro Flex Crystal Clear RV Flexible Sealant - 10 oz. Available on Amazon.
Guess the op doesn't need any now but like Bob says, Geocel is some "space age" stuff.
I once had a water leak dripping from the map light above the driver's seat. FT pressurized the interior and sprayed a soap solution around all the roof penetrations until they found a split in some caulking half way down the coach from the leak.