New roof seal material? March 22, 2017, 07:18:46 pm What do you think of this? RVRoofingSolutions.comI'm planning to take my rig to the Mothership to have every nook and cranny sealed, but a friend referred me to these folks. He used them for his rubber roof and said he hasn't had a leak issue in 5 years. Thoughts? Opinions? I'm not trying to save money, just want the best for my LD.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #1 – March 22, 2017, 08:18:54 pm According to the testimonial page Testimonials | RV Roofing SolutionsM. Osaki of Valley Glen CA had it done to their '83 LD ten years ago.Their warranty is 10 years on a product that will "Will never mold, mildew, shrink or crack."At least they've apparently been around longer than their warranty, so that's a good sign.What say you, M. Osaki?Of course, they go on to state: "Withstands pounding rain, snow, hale, and high winds." (sic)so it's all good as long as you don't actually hail on it, instead of just saying hello in a hearty and friendly manner.Kidding aside, the testimonials seem to comment favorably on pre-application prep work, which is usually the key for this kind of overlay solution.Chip 1 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #2 – March 23, 2017, 12:33:56 pm Mimi, my RV roof experience is limited, I have only had fiberglass, HDPM (rubber membrane), and aluminum. None have leaked, but I have patched two of the three with Eternabond tape (a ridiculously simple process), when errant branches have dug into them, a problem all roof materials are susceptible to. If the LD has some holes in it, a few patches of Eternabond can solve them. As always, the seals around vents, refrigerators, etc are the weak areas that need regular attention. Mine is only 25 years old, but I see no reason to go beyond maintenance of the seals up there. I would not cover my LD roof with a membrane in any case. If there was an issue with the roof (not the seals around vents, racks, etc), that I could not easily patch, I would get the roof permanently fixed at the Mothership. I don't like covering a roof with anything that makes it impossible to see the roof itself. You are already getting it taken care of at the Mothership, so why are you looking for an additional solution? If the original roof is good, adding a layer will only impair your, or anyone's, ability to see the actual roof. As you know from your search for a used LD, a roof treated with an aftermarket "solution" screams problems, that most of us advise buyer to run away from. I would put this money onto something that solves a problem, or upgrades the rig, not something that detracts from resale value, but that's just me, YMMV 1 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #3 – March 23, 2017, 01:16:50 pm Mimi,In addition to what Paul and the others have mentioned, it is my understanding that a LD roof reseal at the factory runs around $1,700.00 That's a complete removal of all the old sealants and the complete Factory Replacement of the sealants. Good for 7-10 years. That alone will increase resale value, I would imagine. Additionally I would add that if the roof has been eternabonded or other sealants have been used, LD has to work much harder to remove the sealants. Their old material and whatever else that may have been added on top of it. The extra work is tacked onto the original cost of the factory reseal.I'm not saying Eternabond isn't the way to go (a DIY project many LD owners have performed), but if you plan on going the Mothership route anyway, why bother. Comparative pricing of some other whole roof reseals may preclude the need to give it another thought. LD prices their services pretty fairly. I wonder at this point if you have contacted LD about bringing your new arrival in for maintenance. Last time I checked in (about a year ago) they were booked pretty solid. Possibly weeks in advance. A call to them might be advisable to secure an appointment for repairs if you haven't already done so. That being said I think a heads up to them may serve you well if all you want is a quick once over by Vince.Just sayin'Kent
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #4 – March 23, 2017, 01:26:23 pm "I would not cover my LD roof with a membrane in any case. If there was an issue with the roof (not the seals around vents, racks, etc), that I could not easily patch, I would get the roof permanently fixed at the Mothership. I don't like covering a roof with anything that makes it impossible to see the roof itself."---Agreed. There is plenty of information on this board and on the LD Companion on how to use Eternabond to seal the roof seams; it's a less expensive, but efficient and lasting solution, but it requires careful and thorough surface preparation. If you're not willing or able to do this job yourself, and if you're going to the factory to have other work done anyway, the option of having them clean and seal the roof is definitely something to consider.Prioritizing repairs and upgrades within the "guts" rather than the "feathers" categories will help to ensure a more functional and longer-lasting RV and very likely make your RV experience more convenient and comfortable.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #5 – March 23, 2017, 04:16:39 pm IMO, if you are going to pay to someone reseal the roof, why not have the people who know it best do the job?While not cheap, the Mothership does good work and will spot problems that others will miss.Knowing where the problem spots are helps.Larry 3 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #6 – March 23, 2017, 04:31:06 pm Chip Chester said, "Of course, they go on to state: "Withstands pounding rain, snow, hale, and high winds." (sic)so it's all good as long as you don't actually hail on it, instead of just saying hello in a hearty and friendly manner."Indeed...once again stifling a guffaw in the library--thank goodness for the internet that precludes my Inner Grammar Stickler from searching for a Sharpie to correct their brochure--though a "hello in a hearty and friendly manner" is something we can all use more of.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #7 – March 23, 2017, 04:38:40 pm I would never put a paint on roof coating over my LD aluminum roof. The one piece aluminum roof was one of the many things that made me want a LD.But I was curious about something not mentioned yet. That is the weight of the acrylic roof. So I looked up the weight per gallon it's about 12 pounds. The product I looked at recommended one gallon for 50 sq ft. So a 23x8' roof would be around 184 sq ft. So about 3.5 gallons for a coating. Rv roofing solutions puts on 3 coats over a 3 day period. So that would be 10.5 gallons of material. So 10.5 gallons x 12 lbs = 126 lbs of extra weight you can take off your ccc. And all that extra weight is located up high where as I try to keep everything heavy down low as to not effect the center of gravity.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #8 – March 23, 2017, 07:11:53 pm Quote from: Duro - March 23, 2017, 04:38:40 pmt. That is the weight of the acrylic roof. So 10.5 gallons x 12 lbs = 126 lbs of extra weight you can take off your ccc. And all that extra weight is located up high where as I try to keep everything heavy down low as to not effect the center of gravity.Good point, no need to gain excessive weight on a reseal, especially on an E350 rig.So, they are applying a DIY rubber roof over the existing roof, instead of using a rubber membrane.One of the reason why I like LDs is the lack of a rubber roof.I doubt if a reseal at the Mothership would add much weight, since they remove most of the old sealant first.Larry
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #9 – March 23, 2017, 08:53:49 pm I saw a post on another site where someone had the rvroofingsolutions do his roof last year. They were very happy with it. But that was covering a old rubber roof. And they listed the cost of $3665 for the job. Looked like about a 35'er class A. Seems real expensive considering the price of a five gallon bucket of acrylic roof coating is pretty inexpensive.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #10 – March 24, 2017, 02:57:03 pm Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - March 23, 2017, 01:16:50 pmIn addition to what Paul and the others have mentioned, it is my understanding that a LD roof reseal at the factory runs around $1,700.00 That's a complete removal of all the old sealants and the complete Factory Replacement of the sealants. Good for 7-10 years. That alone will increase resale value, I would imagine. anyone familiar with what the factory re seal includes? do they actually pull caps and seal under, or is this just removing accessible/visible poly from the top exposed seam?
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #11 – March 24, 2017, 05:14:39 pm Quote from: mcnugget - March 24, 2017, 02:57:03 pmanyone familiar with what the factory re seal includes? do they actually pull caps and seal under, or is this just removing accessible/visible poly from the top exposed seam?The Mothership will cut way all the accessible old sealant on the roof seams and around the vents and recoat with the polyurethane du jour. The types of polyurethane LD uses have changed through the years.The do not remove end caps unless they have pulled away badly. If removed, the caps can easily be damaged and require a lot of work to remove the old double-side tape and residual adhesive. When damaged, new caps are needed, along with new paint and stripes All in all, a very expensive project.I have found that just about any loose end cap, that is isn't torn or distorted, can be reattached and sealed.LD should seal the edges of the caps, if gaps occur. It isn't a hard thing to do yourself if you have time and patience.I don't know if they reseal the edge of window frames, where they meet the siding. I suggest resealing them if the existing sealant has shrunk and sunk, producing a depression between the edge of the frame and the siding.Another possible DIY project.Larry 1 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #12 – March 25, 2017, 10:20:28 am "anyone familiar with what the factory re seal includes? do they actually pull caps and seal under, or is this just removing accessible/visible poly from the top exposed seam?"We had the LD factory reseal our roof last year. All of our caps and seals were actually in pretty good shape, likely because our LD has been stored indoors almost its entire life, but the roof sealant was thinning to the point of exposing the heads of some screws, so it was time to get this done.LD removed all of the surface roof sealant from the edge caps, all of the vent flanges, the solar panel mounts, the antennas, the "luggage rack/ladder," etc. and then resealed all of those areas with the sealant currently used on new models. In addition Vince recommended replacing the "living room" Fantastic Fan (we have one in the bath too), because its flange had developed some hairline cracks that would likely worsen with time and could become the source of leaks.LD did nothing with our end caps or windows because at this point they are in good shape. Vince said to defer any work on the end caps until it is truly needed because removing and resealing them is a one time thing not likely able to be repeated, at least the way they do it. I try to visit the factory yearly to have Vince take a look at all the seals and will proceed with maintenance when needed.IMO, the factory reseal was first rate workmanship, clean, neat and thorough. And it was done efficiently. We dropped off the LD on Monday, hopped in our toad and headed to Coronado for a bit of non-LD R&R and picked up the resealed coach on Friday. It's certainly pricey (I'd say the $1700 estimate posted elsewhere in this thread is about right) compared to Eternabond, but worth it I think if you're not interested in doing this work yourself and want to protect your investment in your LD.Vince also reported, as someone did elsewhere in this thread, that a botched Eternabond job greatly increases the work involved in a factory reseal, and thus the cost. If you're a capable and patient do-it-yourselfer committed to doing it right and in accordance with all the advice on this site, then Eternabond can no doubt be a good solution. But if not, then I think the only other acceptable solution is a factory reseal. Having just turned 70 I'm done with things like crawling around on my knees on a roof 10' in the air for a week or so.And as we see from the many posts here about potential purchasers of a used LD trying to determine whether to proceed to buy a particular coach, a coach with a proper and timely reseal on the roof will likely be easier to sell and will command a better price. I think a factory reseal will always be a better selling point than a DIY reseal unless the buyer happens to be familiar with and able to determine, say, a proper vs improper Eternabond job.Either way, though, the key point is to reseal your roof when needed. This is not something to defer.Terry2003 26.5'RBGardnerville, NV 4 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #13 – March 25, 2017, 12:34:21 pm If one is interested in doing their own "Factory job", it isn't as hard as you would believe.The key is having the right tool, in this case, a oscillating tool with a razor sharp chisel blade. Oscillating Tools - Power Multi Tools - Power Tools - The Home DepotChisel bladeBosch 2 in. High-Carbon Steel Rigid Oscillating Tool Scraper for Removing...When used correctly, it slices through old sealant like butter.Back when I did this, cleaning all the sealant off the roof took 3-4 hours.Add another 2 hours for cleaning and 2-3 for sealing.For a day or two of work, you can pocket the $1700, minus the sealant.Not a bad day's pay for you or Lazy Daze, take your pick.Larry 1 Likes
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #14 – March 25, 2017, 02:10:01 pm "If one is interested in doing their own "Factory job", it isn't as hard as you would believe.The key is having the right tool...."Larry, over the years I've followed a lot of your good advice, so thanks for all of your research over the years. I tried posting this a few months ago but don't think it got answered. At the time, you were discussing various sealnts including the Dicor self leveling product. When resealing around roof vents, stacks, etc., do you recommend removing the old yellowed sealnt or can just coat right over it? I am reluctant to cut the old stuff (which seems to be in good shape) off. And I seem to recall you mentioned years ago to not use Eternabond on those areas because it would make future repairs/replacement difficult. If just cleaning and recoating is advised, how thick do you apply it and do you go a bit over the edge of the existing sealant?And what do you recommend for those mounded up areas around the luggage rack?Thanks for any wisdom you can share.I was hoping to avoid more roof maintenance but my wife has told me there is no new LD or other RV in our future and this one has to last until Ohio takes away my driver's license! Steve K
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #15 – March 25, 2017, 03:37:41 pm As long as the old sealant is still intact, a good cleaning is all that is needed, before recoating around the vents.The old sealant can be removed, if desired, a lot of work for few benefits.Larry
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #16 – March 25, 2017, 06:13:19 pm Larry, thanks for the advice about resealing. I think you saved me a lot of work.Steve K
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #17 – March 25, 2017, 09:47:41 pm Quote from: Larry Wade - March 25, 2017, 03:37:41 pmAs long as the old sealant is still intact, a good cleaning is all that is needed, before recoating around the vents.The old sealant can be removed, if desired, a lot of work for few benefits.Larry...using Dicor self-leveling RV roof sealant?Chris
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #18 – March 26, 2017, 12:10:48 am Quote from: Chris Horst - March 25, 2017, 09:47:41 pm...using Dicor self-leveling RV roof sealant?Either self leveling or the non sag works, the self leveling looks a little better and doesn't need as much attention, when applying.Larry
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #19 – March 27, 2017, 08:49:53 pm I tried to remove some of the original sealant with an oscillating tool with a scraper blade as Larry describes above. Unfortunately, for me, it didn't come off like butter. After about half an hour working on a small section, I determined it was a job for the pros. Our coach is currently at the Mothership for a factory reseal including replacement of the vents as Terry described above. There was a three month wait to get an appointment on the schedule for this work.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #20 – March 27, 2017, 09:26:01 pm Quote from: bparsons - March 27, 2017, 08:49:53 pmUnfortunately, for me, it didn't come off like butter. After about half an hour working on a small section, I determined it was a job for the pros. We're going to add a heat gun to the process and work on 12" sections. The combination of an electric scraper (my term) and a heat gun seems to be a successful strategy for many people. So far DW & I haven't messed up too many times on some of our LD projects. But then, I spend months thinking about a one (1) hour job! And so it goes.
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #21 – March 28, 2017, 12:46:53 am I haven't had the pleasure of attacking the LD roof, but I have battled other stubborn sealants.If you've got goo sticking to the 'electric scraper' blade, try WD40 maybe, or bug & tar... May help out.Make sure you evaluate flammability of whatever you use, and make sure you can clean away any residue so it doesn't prevent replacement sealant from adhering correctly.Wonder if dry ice would make it chippable? It would be a nightmare logistically, though. Chip
Re: New roof seal material? Reply #22 – March 28, 2017, 01:24:02 pm Quote from: Bruce P. - March 27, 2017, 08:49:53 pmI tried to remove some of the original sealant with an oscillating tool with a scraper blade as Larry describes above. Unfortunately, for me, it didn't come off like butter. After about half an hour working on a small section, I determined it was a job for the pros. I used a Rockwell oscillating tool, with 2" chisel blades, sharpened to a razor edge on a disc grinder.Sonicrafter F50 Oscillating Multi-Tool - RK5141K | RockwellBosch 2 in. High-Carbon Steel Rigid Oscillating Tool Scraper for Removing...Removing old sealant is a job for a tool with a lot of power, cheaper machines may not have what it takes. I tried a Dremel machine and it lacked power and quickly got too hot to handle.Keeping the blade very shape and clean is crucial. On the roof, I carry a box with one or more extra sharpened blades, the allen wrench used for changing blades, a can of carb cleaner, a rag and a box of disposable gloves.The degree of difficulty in removing the old sealant depended on how shrunken it is. The shrinkage is caused by exposure to sun and heat, it 'boils' away. Old sealant can be very hard and will dull the blade much more quickly, requiring more frequent blade changes. Old or young, the removed sealant sticks to the blade, causing friction and reduced cutting speed. For cleaning, I used a rag and fast evaporating carb cleaner.WD-40 would probably work as a cleaner too but it leaves behind a thin layer of lubricant which contaminates the roof's surface.The object of this exercise is to provide as clean a surface as possible.Extremely hard sealant can be softened by using a heat gun to warm the surface. This can be very useful on a cold day.FYI, no known, available solvent will dissolve cured polyurethane. Solvent is only useful for cleaning the surface of old polyurethane.Larry
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