best way to temporarily roof/siding fix water leak issues

[perlgurl]

I knew there was some water damage to the roof and sidewall when I bought my RV; you could see  small amount of bowing in the roof where the ceiling seals looked like they had been leaked on, a couple of the magnets over the table to hold the cabinets didn’t seem too secure to the ceiling and there was some rust staining dripping down the walls in a  couple places on that side of the coach.   PO told me they sealed the roof after they initially found it leaking, but it looks like the job was not adequate and after quite a bit of rain (for my area) over the weekend I’m seeing those rust stanns running down the sidewalls, plus the inside siding is peeling off the wall much more so than it was and the wall was actually damp to the touch inside the siding which (most likely) means it is leaking from the roof down into the sidewalls, joy! Oh, and my roof looks terrible now too.

We are expected to have warm temps this week and next so I’m hoping it will mostly dry out before my trip and since I live in an arctic desert climate dampness is not usually a thing we have to deal with a lot except in winter when everything is closed up tight.  This is the wall next to the table which I’ve also converted to my bed so I’ll be sleeping very close to it. 


My goal is to ultimately replace the whole roof and I guess I get to do some repair to the sidewall, but I’m heading out for a week-long trip at the end of the month and I know I cannot get that done before my trip so I’m wondering what the best way to temporarily fix the issue.  I’ll tarp the RV while we park and it’s not actually leaking or dripping into the RV and worse case scenario I just staple gun the siding back to the wall and hope for the best, but I’m wondering what creative solutions you all might have to try. 

I’ve include a photo of what the roof looks like right now (it did not look this bad when I bought it!) and then a before (photo with the curtain) and after of the crack in the wall siding where the water is leaking down the sidewall.

[perlgurl]

And before someone reminds me to use the SEARCH, I found these that were similar but since I’m looking for a short-term and temporary solution they don’t quite answer my question except that the first link will be very helpful when I go to replace my roof and to tell me that automotive bondo might work as a possible short term solution:

El Ninò Got Me - Water in every opening
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,12058.0.html

How do I repair rotted walls?
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,4874.0.html

water damage - fix it or forget it?
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,12388.0.html

Water Damaged Panel Repair?
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,11834.0.html


Roof Sealing and Coating
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,8866.0.html



Flex Seal vs. ? for interior ceiling
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,11441.0.html

[M & J]

Not only does it look like you have gaps and missing pieces from your roofing material, water can also migrate in from your marker lights on the front where the lenses are missing. Those also need to be covered. Eternabond tape comes to mind as a short term fix however most say it is very tenacious and difficult to remove once applied for your long term repairs.

[Rickf1985]

It looks like eternabond was used before but the problem has moved forward of the area covered. I would say the flexseal if you are in a real hurry. Especially if you cannot see exactly where it is coming in and also those lights HAVE to be replaced or covered tightly! Look closely along that metal rial along the top edge for any gaps and seal them with flexseal or urethane caulk. If you find the leak is on the flat surface on top then you cannot beat Eternabond if you are going to replace the roof anyway then getting it off is moot. I just looked at that Flex seal post and I am talking about using it on the OUTSIDE! Inside is not going to do anything but trap water in a leaking seam.

[TerryH]

Re Rick's comments, all very good, from bottom up (easier to answer and scroll up):
ANY leak has to be dealt with from the outside. Attempting to rectify it from the inside only moves the point of obvious ingress to another. You create a 'dam' which will overflow and move downstream.
If you want a 'quick fix', Eternabond. The seal will be tenacious, which is exactly what you want. Clean the surfaces as best you can, Eternabond will do the rest. Force it onto the surfaces, if weather is against you use a heat gun or hair dryer to help.
Your roof to sidewall connection definitely looks suspect. The tape, applied with care and some heat if required should give you, at minimum, a temp repair.
Clearance lights are a very common and often overlooked problem. They face into the air flow as you drive and generally are extremely difficult to access from the interior to determine leak damage.
I have removed mine prior to waxing (thanks Joan and Zep Wet Look Floor Wax) and changed the factory seal. Haven't tried on the road yet, but heading up the West Coast of Vancouver Island soon, so will see. I've also made access to them from the inside. That would be another post - this is for temp repair.
As for Eternabond - often times you do not have to remove it. If a vent - slice the vent flange to roof joint. Remove the old vent, install the new, scuffing the old tape, and tape over. It will seal to itself, and your fingers, and your tools, and any bug that lands on it. New tape - follow the 'waterfall' method.
Again, another post.
One note: interior damage photos you posted showed wall separation very close to DC plugs. Please be careful. 120V and water are not friends.
Re fixing your interior walls - depends on the extent of damage and how far you want to go. There are repair options that are not terribly costly and won't add appreciable weight. Again, another post.
Sorry, Joyce, I do tend to lengthy posts at times.
Everything I offer is with the best intentions and based on personal experience.

[perlgurl]

Lights removed and wires covered with white duct tape. Hooray for husbands! I would have used regular silver duct tape and it would have been SO MESSY.

These photos shows how well the white duct tape covers and what is left of the lights.  I'll be ordering some, hopefully soon, if I can find them.

RV is about to go to the mechanic now, but I'm also going to investigate the Flexseal stuff I think.  My roof is a hot mess!

[perlgurl]

Oh, jeepers, I'm sorry if I confused everyone; I was working on several projects on the rv and rushed this request so it's wordly poorly. 

I do understand the the damage to the interior needs to be deal with on the roof.  Other than a tarp, I wasn't sure what to do short-term but it looks like what they used before might be similar to the flexseal (see photos of what I found in the coach) so maybe the Eternabond is the route I need to go for now since it will be at least six week before I can even thing about replacing the entire roof and likely longer.

Whew! I've got some undates to make to my project thread and my bathroom door thread now! 

[perlgurl]

I found this on youtube and this looks very helpful! Thanks for the suggestions!


Resealing my RV Roof with Eternabond Tape https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spdYGUtZVcU

[perlgurl]

"We're going to need a bigger boat."

Picked up the RV today so I could work on it this weekend and my leaking wall/roof is a much bigger issue than I thought.  It looks like the whole front quarter of the roof is ready to peel off and I see wood underneath.

I had bought this kit of Eterna Bond at the local RV place (it's all they had in the EternaBond family) and it's only 10 feet of tape. I'm going to need a lot more! It will take most of this package to seal the edge of the RV over the window where the leaking is most obvious so I need a better solution for the rest of the roof.

Any ideas for quick and dirty ways to seal this?  I've only got less than a week to do this.  I figure I can strip all the bad roofing off the front quarter but maybe a roll-on type of sealant?  The RV shop had some different types of of that in stock, but my selection up here in pretty limited and I don't even think an amazon prime rush order will get here in time to allow me to seal the whole roof.

Help! 

[perlgurl]

EnternaBond kit with 10 feet of tape.

[perlgurl]

Sad looking roof

[perlgurl]

Pretty sure this first photo is my reason for the leak inside.  Also why would these (vents) not have covers? They are both located at the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink area.

[perlgurl]

I kind of want to scrape all the ICK off the front part of the roof and then reseal it.  Suggestions for the best way to scrape it off since I'm already hitting wood are appreciated!

[perlgurl]

This seems like it might be a solution. Anyone have any experience with it?

"Rubberized Leak Stopper"
http://www.thedoityourselfworld.com/How-To-Repair-Water-Damaged-Camper-And-RV-Roof.php

[perlgurl]

I've been watching YouTube and researching sealants and think that Snow Roof Mobile Sealant might be the best short term solution, if I can find it locally: 
http://www.snowroof.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=SR106

[Rickf1985]

I really hate to do this but I know you are the type to expect the real answers to the questions. There is no quick fix sweetheart. The roof is done and there is going to be substantial damage under it to be repaired so no sense in spending a lot on patchwork. I know that is not what you want to hear but that is the cold hard facts. I would just keep a tarp with you at all times. As far as for traveling get yourself some of the thickest roof coat you can find and put it on there. The whole roof is going to have to come off anyway to be repaired. I really wish I could say "hey, no problem, just do this" but no can do on this one. N:( i??

[legomybago]

Those pipes your asking about are your plumbing vents. Here's a link to give you an idea of what you need to fix.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40033-Replace-Plumbing-Polar/dp/B000EDQQCY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466092860&sr=8-1&keywords=rv+plumbing+vent+cover

[legomybago]

I agree with Rick, poor on some thick goop, and carry a tarp with some bungee's. Make a plan in the future for digging in deep and fixing the roof right.

[perlgurl]

Well, then, both Rick and Legomybago are giving me answers I can work with! Tarp to cover it for now. Eventual full replacement.  The idea of replacing it and doing it right seems much easier than trying to mickey-mouse it together anyway


What kind of "goop" would you suggest Legomybago?  And do I need to try to scrape down anything and everything that seems loose or just make it one big ugly goop mess since it will all be replaced anyway? 

[legomybago]

I would use the Eternabond tape on the corner/edge seam, and use the remaining tape on the larger cracks. Then coat the roof with elastomeric roof coating. You can search on this site to see what the best brand is, how to apply etc....I think Home Depot or other box stores sell it by the 5 gallons.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=elastomeric+coating&qpvt=elastomeric+coating&qpvt=elastomeric+coating&qpvt=elastomeric+coating&FORM=IGRE

[beaverman]

Well, then, both Rick and Legomybago are giving me answers I can work with! Tarp to cover it for now. Eventual full replacement.  The idea of replacing it and doing it right seems much easier than trying to mickey-mouse it together anyway


What kind of "goop" would you suggest Legomybago?  And do I need to try to scrape down anything and everything that seems loose or just make it one big ugly goop mess since it will all be replaced anyway? 

Like any other sealing and painting job success is all in the prep, remove any and ALL sealant and caulking, scraping, wire wheel on a drill, whatever method gets you there, when all is removed clean with mineral spirits aka paint thinner, NOT LACQUER THINNER! when I have completed this step I go one more and clean again with denatured alcohol to make sure that the surface is super clean, then apply your coating and sealers, I've treated several trailers and MH's over the years and have had no problems after this method, hope it works for you!

[perlgurl]

I would use the Eternabond tape on the corner/edge seam, and use the remaining tape on the larger cracks.

This is exactly what I was thinking

Then coat the roof with elastomeric roof coating. You can search on this site to see what the best brand is, how to apply etc....I think Home Depot or other box stores sell it by the 5 gallons.

Sounds like I've got a couple days of DEMO/prep work ahead of me.

[Froggy1936]

 !-!Please do not forget to protect your hands Good rubber gloves And use eye protection These chemicals will cause damage !  Frank

[Rickf1985]

As far as the coating I guess it sort of boils down to what is available to you up there. I would think there are some fairly robust product for use up there considering the harsh weather up there. Just remember, you get what you pay for so if it is at the bottom of the price scale that is what you are getting in quality. Whatever you use put on many coats.

[perlgurl]

I spent three hours yesterday working on the roofing.  I removed a lot, plus I power-washed it.  The most damaged  parts were actually (whatever it was that was covering) the seams, plus the PO repairs that seemed to be some kind of spray foam. 

I looked at Lowes when I was buying other stuff to prep (including a new heavy duty 20x30 tarp) and their section of elastomeric roofing was pretty slim (one brand, two different types but one as silicone based) so I'm heading to Home Depot since their website shows they carry a bigger selection.

This is the before, plus a photo of my setup: