Roof Caulking - you folks do this?

[MartyG]

Today (Oct 14), I happened to be on the ladder cleaning the Coleman CTS14FD made by Dutchmen that we bought just last December. I got up there because my wife saw some mildew around the roof vent. That was easy enough to wipe off with a bleach solution. While up there, I saw several (yes - water could get in there-big) cracks in the caulking around the sewer vents, the skylight, and the TV antenna mount. So, easy enough, I applied a little more caulk on top of what they put.
So what say you all? Do you get up there once a year? Do you prefer silicone or regular caulk? Anything I should watch out for?

[Infinityrver]

Spring & Fall. Years ago I had a roof leak on SOB that I had. The manufacturer informed me that, 'you need to get up on your roof every six months and caulk any cracking areas of the caulking'.
Also, it's a good idea to get up there and look for a punchers in the roof. And repair accordingly.
If anything.......peace of mind.

[wahoonc]

At least once a year...

My Coleman is parked right next to my back porch and I can see the top, so it gets a once over every time I walk out the door. Parking it under a shelter will help prolong the life of the sealants too.

It is a Dicor roof (I believe the membrane is actually made by Carlisle Syntec) so I would use the sealants they recommend. I would steer away from silicone on the roof. IMHO it doesn't work well for those applications. There is a another type of sealant that works much better and is a urethane base. Have to go find the tube, but it was suggested to me by a Master RVIA tech that has been in business for himself for the past 15 years and has a helluva good reputation.

Aaron

[arlan in arizona]

This is the product you want to use. Amazon.com: 2 Pack Dicor Self-leveling Lap Sealant: Automotive It is available at every RV Shop and a lot of hardware stores for a much better price than amazon. It is best to remove the old cracking Dicor as opposed to just going over the top of it. It drys surface hard but remains soft enough on the contact point to be removed without damaging your roof. For large or problem areas us this stuff. Amazon.com: EternaBond RSW-4-50 White Roof Seal: Automotive It is amazing. I stopped leaks I had in my camper roof that went on for years with this. Finding the leak is the hard part.

[Chalkie]

Originally Posted by arlan in arizona

This is the product you want to use. Amazon.com: 2 Pack Dicor Self-leveling Lap Sealant: Automotive It is available at every RV Shop and a lot of hardware stores for a much better price than amazon. It is best to remove the old cracking Dicor as opposed to just going over the top of it. It drys surface hard but remains soft enough on the contact point to be removed without damaging your roof. For large or problem areas us this stuff. Amazon.com: EternaBond RSW-4-50 White Roof Seal: Automotive It is amazing. I stopped leaks I had in my camper roof that went on for years with this. Finding the leak is the hard part.

I don't have any Dicor (yet) but I have used the EternaBond. It is absolutely the stickiest stuff I think I have ever dealt with. The key to using it is to have the surface clean (dirt/oil/silicone free) as you can. Once there, it is THERE. Great care has to used in placing it.

I have seen a couple of places on the roof where seams are showing some cracking so I need to get up there with the Dicor before winter sets in.

[Wanderer]

I took a sealant workshop after we bought our RV. Dicor is the ONLY product to use on the membrane roofs. Silicone should never be used on an RV- ever. Apparently it does not create a waterproof seal to any surface.
This explains why I could never get my roof on our old camper to stop leaking.
Bleach is also not advised on the roof as is any citrus-based cleaners.

[Infinityrver]

Originally Posted by Infinityrver

Spring & Fall. Years ago I had a roof leak on SOB that I had. The manufacturer informed me that, 'you need to get up on your roof every six months and caulk any cracking areas of the caulking'.
Also, it's a good idea to get up there and look for a punchers in the roof. And repair accordingly.
If anything.......peace of mind.

My mistake in wording. The "caulking" I spoke of is a self leveling lap sealant in a caulking tube. I apply it with a caulking gun. It is a Dicor product number 501LSW.