As an RV owner, it is very important to keep up with the maintenance of your RV roof. It’s not surprising that many times RVers fail to care properly for RV roofs, because they are not easily accessible and visible. However, if you want to extend your RV life and maintain its health – you cannot neglect it.
Top Causes of RV Roof Damage
- Weather is one of the largest factors that affect the condition of your RV roof. An RV roof receives the most weather exposure compared with other RV parts.
- Constant sun exposure will eventually deteriorate RV roof seals and other roof components.
- Wind and rain can cause structural damage.
- Road movement and vibration is another factor that can affect your RV roof, especially after long trips, causing small tears and cracks.
Regular Inspections & Proper Maintenance Prevent RV Roof Damage
The key to your RV roof’s integrity is to maintain it by inspecting, cleaning, and sealing. These three (3) easy steps will prevent issues like water leaks, air leaks, and other damage. When a leak has been found, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. This will prevent further damage and a costly RV repair, like a total roof RV replacement. Any RVer that has dealt with water damage, understands the nightmare it can become. Water damage creates issues like mold, mildew, and dry rot. Your RV is your home, you definitely do not want any of this inside of it. Neglected roof damage will not only cause these issues, but it will slowly destroy your RV.
Inspecting Your RV Roof
The first and most important step in maintaining your RV is doing regular roof inspections. We recommend doing at least an annual roof inspection and maintenance. Please make sure you are very careful if you are going to do the inspection yourself. When you are up there, you will want to look out for holes, tears, and cracks. If you do see any damage, you will want to take care of it as soon as possible.
Key Things To Watch Out For When Inspecting Your RV Roof
- Always look around the RV roof vents, RV roof air conditioners, roof racks, and other roof appliances.
- Pay attention to the roof sealant – you will most likely find cracks and tears around these areas.
- Make sure to cover those areas with a protective type RV roof coating to prevent additional damage. This will also provide additional protection until you are able to schedule an appointment with an RV Service Center.
Cleaning Your RV Roof
The cleaning of your RV roof is also recommended to be a few times a year. There are many great cleaners in the market, make sure you choose the correct one for your type of roof. You will want to avoid any cleaners with harsh abrasives or petroleum solvents. The perfect time to re-check the sealants around roof openings and roof components is when you are cleaning your motorhome’s roof.
Sealing Your RV Roof
Now that you have inspected and cleaned, you will want to make sure your RV roof is properly sealed. Sealing your roof will ensure your entire camper is protected. When water leaks into a camper’s roof for a period of time, it is almost impossible to reverse the effects of the damage on the roof structure and the rest of the RV. The water can cause the plywood to dry rot on the roof, walls, and floor. This can all be prevented with a good RV roof sealant.
What Is An RV Roof Sealant?
A roof sealant is a protective coating designed to seal cracks, tears, and other imperfections around your roof to keep it leak-free. RV roof sealants keep your motorhome’s roof solid, tight and insulated. You will want to carefully look around the RV roof vents, roof air conditioners, wiring, and appliances. Sealants around those areas tend to dry out and split because of the heat and everyday road vibrations. When the sealants are worn out, you will have to apply a fresh layer of RV roof sealant.
There are many different types of RV roof sealants and coating options for a variety of applications. They all offer different features and you will want to choose the RV sealant and coating for your specific needs. Some of the features that you want to look for though are UV resistance and tear resistance. The sun causes a lot of damage by drying, cracking and discoloring the roof. This will be especially useful for your travels to Florida! The UV resistant sealant will help a lot in premature deterioration due to the sun’s radiation. It will maintain it in good shape, while helping cool the interior of the RV. Then, on the road movement can cause cracks and tears. But luckily many RV roof sealants are resistant to vibrations and tearing.
We hope that this information helps you understand the importance of maintaining your RV roof. Its always best to review your roof manufacturer manual to follow the recommended steps for proper inspecting, cleaning and sealing. Following these maintenance techniques will help you prevent major RV damage, save thousands of dollars in repair and keep your motorhome in optimal health. If you need help with any of these RV roof preventative and repair work, our RV mechanics will be happy to help.
Happy Trails!