window sealing help July 19, 2019, 10:57:49 pm Hi all,I'm absolutely sure this is a loaded question and I'm setting myself up for being made fun of...but...My front bunk window is leaking from the window. Is there any reason I can't clean it, seal it with Sikaflex and then replace the gasket and seal that? My friend says Sikaflex because I'll never have to do it again. The RV place I went to said not because you have to reseal every 3 years. Why would I re-seal every 3 years if I can just Sikaflex it and move on with my life?I went to the RV place and they told me the gasket on the outside is just to make it look pretty, that it has no use. I find this....odd. Does anyone have some input on that as well? Thanks!
Re: window sealing help Reply #1 – July 20, 2019, 12:03:51 am QuoteI'm absolutely sure this is a loaded question and I'm setting myself up for being made fun of...but... The only stupid question is the one not asked. I have no experience to answer your question, but is certainly a valid one. From my experience here, people laugh with, not at, you. Did you get the taps in your first post fixed?joel
Re: window sealing help Reply #2 – July 20, 2019, 02:21:54 am The gaskets are Not just to look nice. They both hold the window in place and keep water out - they need to not be shrunken or cracked to do this. They should still be flexible to the touch and fit snugly.We have an 89 TK and I have taken some of the windows apart (still working on replacing gaskets and sealing window frames). The window is two pieces laminated together so it looks like one thick window. There is a gap between the glass and the window frame. Inside gasket and outside gasket. I am guessing your windows are similar.Where is your window leaking?-- Water can come in where the window frame meets the RV exterior wall - if that is not sealed well. -- water can come in between the glass and the window frame.I don't know what you are seeing but water can also come in from the seams or any hole that goes through the ceiling or wall and water can travel a ways before it comes into the interior of the RV.JaneSent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Re: window sealing help Reply #3 – July 20, 2019, 12:59:20 pm Thanks guys.But can I use sikaflex? I believe the window is leaking where the seal meets the window. I did the water test this morning and its dry inside. I am parking it and leaving for a year next week and this is really freaking me out.Any suggestions welcome.And, yep - had to replace the whole faucet!A 1 Likes
Re: window sealing help Reply #4 – July 20, 2019, 01:55:08 pm Quote from: missali - July 20, 2019, 12:59:20 pmBut can I use sikaflex? I would think any good sealant would work fine for sealing windows. You might also consider Lexel. I used it on my last RV for sealing joints, etc. with good results:Lexel® by Sashco
Re: window sealing help Reply #5 – July 20, 2019, 05:21:16 pm I don't know much but I do know that Sikaflex is some messy stuff to work with. I've used on roof flashing and the like. I'm sure if Larry was around he would recommend one of the 3M products. The gasket tore on our old camper and I had a glass shop cut the gasket and re-calk with some sort of black polyurethane, it held for the 20 years we owned the coach.Jon
Re: window sealing help Reply #6 – July 20, 2019, 06:19:50 pm I don’t know Sikaflex and I could not find enough information on it’s ingredient to compare it to other caulks.Caulks only last so longthen start failing and have to be redone.Prep work is critical to make sure that the caulk/sealant makes a good seal - in this case sticks well to the glass, the gasket, and potentially the window frame and that all gaps are filled. You can read past posts where water got under the sealant because it didn’t adhere well the roof material. You also want to continue to seal this area and it is easier to be able to clean the area well and add more material rather than remove all the old caulk/sealant including residue left behind in order to put on new caulk/sealant. My basic rule of thumb having done tons of sticks and bricks construction work ‘is to make sure you are not not making future work harder to do.If you ever need to replace the window glass (it gets cracked/broken then using something difficult to remove makes taking out that glass much more difficult.That said there are folks that don”t care and will use an adhesive that cant be removed or that choose to replace that front cab windshield by sealing it up with solid non glass materials.Normally I would say call a good material supply company and ask them but auto windows are typically replaced not sealed. I do not recommend talking to HomeDepot or Lowes for something like this - too important to get it right and it is hard to get someone knowledgeable there.You could talk to the Sikaflex manufacturing company to ask about prep work, if it will adhere to your materials well, and how often it needs to be replaced and what that process entails - take off all the old stuff or just prep and put more on top.My big concern would be what if the leak was coming in from a different spot then you think. If I was leaving for an extended time I would want to do a backup covering of that entire area of the LD.You could also do your leak test using a thermal gun/device to see where the water is coming in. You can search the forum for a post by Andy Baird who did that to find and fix a leak in his cab over area.You can also search for window leaks to see what others have used for their repairs. Jane
Re: window sealing help Reply #7 – July 21, 2019, 12:13:55 am Sikaflex is not a sealant, it's a company that produce professional grade sealants and adhesives, they sell many types of product. Without knowing the type of Sikaflex, we have no idea how to judge if it is the proper product to use.3M produces a line of marine sealants that I have used for almost four decades, preferring the 3M 5200 Fast Cure for RV work. It will work as well as any Sikaflex product.Larry 1 Likes
Re: window sealing help Reply #8 – July 30, 2019, 01:30:41 pm It's your coach do it. but like mentioned it can leak between the frame and the siding, under the screw covering, between the window and sill. Mine had leaked and my dad spent too much wasted money. Had the whole window redone had to replace the whole bunk mattress and cover etc. Now that I have it it still leaked and also leaking in the side windows too . It only takes one screw hole to cause numerous leaks. Mine was around the satellite antenna. Water travels
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