That’s why I made this video, I didn’t see anything like it when I searched for roof bubbles besides small roof bubbles and I’ve had a number of people reach out about it helping them. Let me know how it goes and good luck! ~Wilson & Kelli
Ours just did this and Forest River/Rockwood is not standing behind it as our camper is only a few years old. Our 15 year old camper that we out grew had none of these issues we have with this new one and Rockwood was suppose to one of the better ones. We are going to have to do this to ours and I am glad you did this video to help us tackle ours as well!!
I’m sorry it happened to you. Most manufacturers will not stand behind their roof warranty and the “pros” don’t always do a better job than you can. It’s a fairly easy job but takes sweat equity. ~Wilson
Thanks for the video. It is the the only one I could find that had the detail I needed. I did not use the aluminum flashing tape. I read on the can of the dicor glue it does not stick to metal. But my RV had a mesh tape with some sort of black caulking that served the purpose of the flashing. I ended up using drywall mesh over a bead of dicor non-self leveling caulk, since most of the original caulk tape came off when I pulled back the TPO membrane. Again, thanks for the video. You rock.
So glad this helped, that’s exactly why I made this one the way I did. Yes, I think most have that mesh tape and what you did sounds great. I’m glad you were able to tackle this project and hopefully save a ton of money in doing so. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment and if you haven’t yet, we’d love for you to hit that subscribe button ~Wilson & Kelli
LOVE the disclaimer!! I'm always leery of trailer tires. Wish I could just have truck tires on them instead. Sometimes moisture trapped under the membrane can cause that when the moisture gets hot enough. I have a solid aluminum roof and it's great!! I never need a Blackstone grill when the sun is out....Thanks for this. I have to redo the seam from the fiberglass front end to the aluminum roof panel and this inspires me to get off my duff and do it. Okay it also let's me know it's going to be messy and a PITA.
I thought that disclaimer was both necessary and funny at the same time. In all seriousness, roofs are delicate and I'm surprised they don't have more problems than they do. It was a pain and a little messy but with a little common sense, hard work, and some basic tools and skills we RVers can save ourselves tons of money doing these repairs ourselves. I'm sure your solid roof is better in the long run but I can't imagine how hot it can get. We appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment friend! ~Wilson & Kelli
Wow! This looks like a lot of work but def worth it to save thousands of dollars!! We know who to call if we ever have issues 😉 You did a great job!!! Turned out great!! It’s brand new again and it’s better quality then the day you bought it! 👏👏
It really is! Thanks so much and it did look new again. I think quality is hit and miss on RVs many times but it's great to learn how to do so many repairs if you need to do so. Call on us anytime friends, we will be glad to help! ~Wilson & Kelli
Thanks for watching! Quality is definitely lacking but with a little sweat equity most repairs can be done easily. The benefits of traveling have outweighed the problems RVs have.
Well I decided to take a chance and try it. I couldn't find a video like this and thought it could be helpful to anyone working on a roof. It really wasn't that bad and mostly sweat equity. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
I hope so! We couldn't find a video like this when we decided to make the repair so we just did some research used some basic skills, and tried it out. Maybe this video will help others. Thanks for your support of our channel Kone! ~Wilson & Kelli
Thanks for the video in about three weeks I am going to do the same thing to my camper except I have to replace a sheet of plywood. It looks like some work but very doable. Thanks again this has been helpful.👍
that's a lot of summer miles! Thanks for sharing, that looks like a job for sure-I'm sure it took some patience for doing and filming for everyone at the same time!
Yes it was! We had a great time with each other and made so many memories. This was a video I had to record myself because Kelli wasn't about to get on the roof, lol! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment. ~Wilson & Kelli
Thanks friends! That was a daunting task and I wasn't quite sure if I could do it but I took what I knew and added some new skills. I'm glad I took on the challenge and I hope the video helps others. ~Wilson & Kelli
Thanks so much for checking the video out. I hope it helps a lot of folks out with a common problem. We appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave a comment. ~Wilson & Kelli
This was great information. We have to do some roof maintenance this summer on our 1989 Ford fleetwood flair 26 foot motorhome. It has a rubber roof and we will be giving it a good cleaning and removing the awning and sealing it up better, so this was helpful. Thank you. (Emilie and Tito)
Glad it was helpful! Hopefully you do not have anything like this going on. It wasn't easy but I learned a ton and saved a lot of money. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
It was disappointing that it happened but I am glad I was able to repair it. I do hope the video helps folks if they have a roof repair to make. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
I have a Rockwood 2020 ultra lite 5th wheel that the front roof has pulled away from the the front shield, and has created a bubble on the roof, like what is seen here, I’ll use this video as my go to in repairing it this spring.
Awesome, I hope it helps you. I believe this is a very common issue and can be corrected with a few materials and some sweat equity. Thanks for watching and good luck and safe travels! -Wilson
So we sold the camper to some friends of ours and 4 years later it’s just as good as when I repaired it. Take your time, do it right, and it should hold up better than the factory job. Good luck!
Rather then using your hand to smooth out the flashing tape, I'd suggest a large plastic Bondo spreader... Same for re-applying the membrane on the roof. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for taking the time to video the repair. This just happened to us on the last leg of our 10 day trip. Any tips on how to remove the caulk along the seam where the top meets the front cap.
Sorry this happened to you guys but I believe it's a very common issue. I used a plastic putty knife and worked slowly on it in order not to tear the membrane. Good luck and I hope the video helps you. Thanks for watching and commenting and good luck. ~Wilson
Hey Robert! I wouldn't worry too much about small ones as long as the glue seems good on the surrounding areas. I believe it's normal to have the small ones due to imperfections in the installation process and I wouldn't do what I did unless you have a major bubble. In another video my bubble is seen while we are traveling and I had no choice but to re glue everything. Thanks so much for watching and safe travels! ~Wilson & Kelli
Wow! Great job! Thank you so much for sharing. It’s always great to see projects like this. Makes tackling your own repairs a little less scary. Videos like this make all of us better!
Thanks so much friends! Sometimes the repairs we need to make are not that complicated but they take time and can be intimidating. I was worried before I pulled the rubber membrane back but I already had my mind made up that if anything bad happened I would just replace the entire roof myself. Luckily, I didn't have to do so and was successful with the repair. Thanks for checking it out! ~Wilson & Kelli
Dicor products glue & cleaners might be ok, but dicor self leveling caulking goings on great, but over 3 years period of time it cracks due to weather & heat. Dicor recommends replacement every 3 years. I expected it to last longer. I recommend to use other brand self leveling sealant
I've done a lot of research on Sikaflex 715 roof sealant, if it would last 5 to 10 years I would be Happy! I haven't done mine yet! I'm also looking at covering the Henry 887 tropical cool to cover the whole roof for better insulation Cooling. Do you have any advise? Thank you In Florida we need uv protection.
@@bradleystock9028 I've seen the Sikaflex and I'm sure it is great stuff. It may outlast the roof membrane itself. I rolled my roof with two coats of bright white Dicor roof sealant and it made a noticeable difference in the temp inside. I believe any coating on the roof will help but If I did mine again I would try the Henry product. It makes big claims but it's also reasonably priced. I would put two-three coats on when doing it.
I try to do my TPO roof and I did not dry fit with enough overlap when I got to the end of the half I was short about 6 in and Mind u I put the glue down and I had to pull the thing back up it was like re roofing in the la Brea tar pits after it all there's bubbles that got trapped now I got to figure out how to get those out of there
We have just a small area in the membrane near the corner that moves when u touch it. Do u think we should pull the small area and seal it or something else?
How large is the spot? If it’s just a few inches I would not do anything but reseal it, unless you suspect a leak or spongy wood indicating rot and then you should pull the membrane and check it out. As long as the membrane around the area is glued down and secure I would not worry about a smaller spot. Mine bubbled and then created a 3-4 foot bubble near the center. Thanks for watching ~ Wilson
Thank you for the video, it was very helpful. I had almost the same issue with my fifth wheel a couple weeks ago during a heat wave in Oregon. The adhesive used under the rubber roof melted during the extreme temperatures and the front part of my roof inflated like a balloon all the way back to my bathroom skylight. Once I parked in a cool area the rubber roof deflated and is laying completely flat now as if nothing happened. All of the seals in that area are now stretched and have cracks in them. Do you think I can get away with only repairing the seals since the roof is laying flat? There are no wrinkles or bubbles in the roof anymore. I would like to avoid pulling back the roof if I can. Thank you again for the video and help!
Hi Casey! I am sorry this has happened to you too. The exact situation you described is what happened to us too. I tried to seal the cracks first but we travelled the next day and the bubble came back within two hours of driving. I would try to reseal and let it sit for a while and see what happens on a short trip. If the bubble reappears you'll have to pull the membrane and glue it. Good luck and let us know what you decide and what happens. Let me know if I can help with other questions too. Thanks for checking out our video and don't forget to subscribe. ~Wilson & Kelli
Well done sir! I have a quarter size hole on the slide out rubber roof. It got chewed when I put the slide out in. Can someone tell me why this happened? What would be the best way to repair it?
Thank you! I would use eternabond repair tape to seal something small such as that. Then, monitor it as you use the slide to make sure it doesn’t come off, it shouldn’t since it is so strong. You may have have a piece of debris or an acorn, or who knows what when the slide moved and that probably caused a tear. Good luck and thanks for watching! We’d love for you to hit the subscribe button if you haven’t done so yet. ~Wilson
Held up great. We recently sold the camper to friends of ours and the repair is still working better than new. Good luck if you are starting on yours. This seems to be a common issue. Thanks for watching and I hope it helps. ~Wilson
I have the same issue on mine, though not as bad, mine isn't gathered up yet, it still lays flat. It only raises about 4"-6". Question for you: do you think it would work to cut a slit in the membrane, raise up each side of the slit and spread some glue, then lay it back down, smooth it out, and put eternabond and dicor over the slit? Without taking off the drip guards and gutters.
Hey Joseph, I do believe your solution would work as long as it’s a limited spot you are repairing. My bubble was all the way across the front. I believe it’s worth a try the way you described, you could possibly use a syringe to insert the glue and make a much smaller hole in the membrane. I hope that works for your issue. Thanks for watching and good luck! ~Wilson
@@OnTheMewve thank you for the insight. I would say mine is about 3/4 the width across the front. I’d thought about multiple holes/syringe to limit the exposure..I may try that. Just a way of getting glue down and re-sealing.
Take a look at the description in video details and I have links for these products. I have the majority of the items you will need there. I hope this helps you save a lot of money and improve the lifespan of your camper. Thanks for watching! ~Wilson
Great video on repairing ‘ballooning’ Quick question about spreading the adhesive glue… would it have been possible to do one section at a time? Or was it fairly easy to slide around a bit before it truly sticks “permanently”???
Thanks! You could do a few feet and pull the membrane over it and then do the next few and that would work. I did have to reapply a second coat of glue because of the absorption of the osb wood but the glue doesn’t set too fast. I hope your project goes well and we appreciate you watching and commenting ~Wilson
any update on how the repair has held up? I have a 2020 that just started to bubble at the front end - maybe about 24 inches back - not too bad yet, think I caught it early. Contemplating doing the same. Was thinking of cutting down the middle and peeling back each "side" - to avoid taking off the side rails. BUT getting that front end cap off seems to be important. Mine is the aluminum panels... I'm in Houston - so may need to do this under storage - too hot to work outside. Concerns: seems the adhesive failure is attributed to letting it dry too much before applying the roof - so, as you point out, there's a need to get it on once applied. I also wonder if it would be good to have a metal roller to smooth out bubbles and get the roof to adhere to the underlayment/wood. ...and the general concern of getting under the roof cap, undoing any screws and what the wood might be like underneath - even if no water damage, making sure I get a good tight seal, etc.
Hey, thanks for watching the video. I would not cut the membrane if at all possible, that would lead to the possibility of more leaks. I liked the way I did my repair, removing the drip rails is not hard plus new butyl after 3 years is a good thing under those too. The inspection of the wood between the roof and the cap is always either reassuring or helps you catch water damage early. Keeping the glue surface tacky is key to a successful repair. The couple we sold the camper to are friends and they have not had any issues with the roof. As you can tell, it was hot and humid in August in SC when I did the repair and shade would have been great. Good luck and I have many of the repair items you may need in the description of the video. ~Wilson
Oh and the metal roller would be very helpful, this is what I have purchased for another repair I made on my current camper, amzn.to/3O0QMBL It would be helpful.
@OnTheMewve thanks so much. After more research, I found how to remove the cap trim and gutter trim. Not sure I want to take it off past where I'm doing the repair. The bubble just started on the last trip. I pulled over and used a strap over the top to keep it from lifting too high and spreading.
Thanks for this video. I'm having exactly the same ballooning problem with my 2010 Cougar 5th wheel. I was unclear from your video how you sealed and finished the sides, under the drip rail channel. Did you apply a strip of butyl tape along the roof edge beneath the rail?
Glad it helps Mike. I did apply butyl tape under the drip rail. I would also apply a bead of nonleveling dicor or something similar on the top of the drip rail where it meets the membrane. Hope that helps. ~Wilson
I did Leo. Everything has held up for over a year now. If you have any doubts replace the osb and put new glue over it but in my case the glue has held up fine. ~Wilson
You can use a roller like this one, amzn.to/44hXzgN I used this to roll mine as best as I could. Be careful and go slow, if you have help you should be able to remove most wrinkles, I didn’t have an extra set of hands unfortunately and had a few wrinkles but nothing to worry about. Good luck! ~Wilson
It all depends on temperature and humidity. I was doing this in August and it was tacky within 10 minutes. The hotter it is the less working time you’ll have. I did a 4-5’ section and had to apply 2 coats to make sure it wasn’t dry. Good luck! ~Wilson
Everything seems to be good at this point. I sold it recently to some friends knowing it was done right, we have upgraded to a fiver. My big recommendation is to check all that wood to make sure there is no damage and to replace any damage before sealing everything back up. Use lots of self leveling caulk to ensure all seals are waterproof. It’s not a difficult job, just a little time consuming and a lot of sweat equity, but I saved myself $1,000s by doing it on my own. Good luck and be safe on the roof! ~Wilson
I sure hope this repair worked out for you. We sure spend a lot of money just to initially buy an rv, only to end up having to deal with the industries eternal failure to build utilizing quality materials. With so many newer and better options available for roofing materials you’d think the industry would have moved on from EPDM rubber membranes by now. Sadly they haven’t and that just reflects the absolute greed of the industry to begin with. Not to mention the entire structure itself. And while there are a few manufacturers who are making better roofs, like the structural foam roofs, the vast majority are not. As someone else stated, can you imagine how much money they are milking out of us ? Every 3 years you’re buying self leveling lap sealant at the very least, some are opting to spend the 2-3k for a new EPDM roof, others are investing thousands on speacialists like rv roof install to have custom TPO roofs installed.
You are absolutely correct, they could make them better but with their rigid system of economies they will not. The repair held up nicely and a lovely family we know purchased the camper from us about two years ago. No problems for them. An RV roof, for the most part, takes much inspection and maintenance to keep it working correctly. Thanks for watching ~Wilson
Luckily there was no leak. We noticed, while filming some road footage, the membrane was blowing up like a balloon and had come unglued. I peeled it back to check for damage and to give myself a chance to reglue as much as possible in that area. ~Wilson
@OnTheMewve oh ok, i had a small soft spot in mine. Had to pull up the membrane, replace the osb board piece, and insulate below. I think someone never re sealed roof and water was coming in and punctured the roof piece. I just finished it took 3 days lol
@@rickr5223 probably so, and at least you saved yourself a ton of money and the time and hassle of taking it to someone that may not even do it properly. Appreciate you watching!
It may not be recommended but it sure worked well, not to mention the manufacturer surely didn’t use enough glue in the first place in my opinion. Thanks for watching ~Wilson
Unfortunately not. It’s unreal that the warranty doesn’t cover most things regarding the roof. It has to be defective in materials, i.e. the rubber membrane. After the year warranty is over, workmanship isn’t covered and we bought the camper used, 2 years old. It really wasn’t too difficult, just took some time and sweat equity. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Steven. Feel free to hit that subscribe button too. Thanks! -Wilson & Kelli
Dicor only has a 3 year warranty, they expect you to replace the sealant every 3rd year! Think of how many campers there are! $2000 a replacement per camper!
Awesome job! I hope something in the video helped you out. I’d let it set/dry for at least 3-5 days before moving it. Good luck and safe travels! ~Wilson
Nice job. Looks like a $2500 repair. One problem. Your shoes on the rubber membrane. All it takes is a little puncture. But your roof looks good when you started pulling it back it didn’t look like the manufacture used a cohesive or glue. Sad.
Thanks James, yes I am glad I could do the job for a few bucks and some sweat equity. I cleaned the bottom of my shoes as much as possible and did my best not to create any other issues. I was lucky the roof was in good shape although I had another leak in the rear one time and had to do some carpentry repair but unfortunately I didn't video that one. It's pretty sad at how these units are constructed as just a little more careful placement of a true adhesive would have prevented this from happening. Thanks for checking out the video and we'd love to have you as a subscriber to our small channel. Thanks ~Wilson
It was disappointing finding the leak/damage but at least we can learn to repair them ourselves and make sure it is repaired right. It was mainly sweat equity. Thanks for watching!
This Rv construction has gotten ridiculous, they use materials that are so cheap they work long enough for the warranty to expire. They don’t care about the quality because there are always a new generation of buyers coming up that are naive
Yes, it has. I think the roof warranty is one of the biggest jokes in the industry as they will not cover it, there is always an exception to the ten year rule and that really only applies on the membrane anyway. Thanks for checking out the video! Wilson
Had this exact issue coming back from our camping trip this weekend. I will be taking on this project in the next week. Thanks for making this video!
That’s why I made this video, I didn’t see anything like it when I searched for roof bubbles besides small roof bubbles and I’ve had a number of people reach out about it helping them. Let me know how it goes and good luck! ~Wilson & Kelli
Ours just did this and Forest River/Rockwood is not standing behind it as our camper is only a few years old. Our 15 year old camper that we out grew had none of these issues we have with this new one and Rockwood was suppose to one of the better ones. We are going to have to do this to ours and I am glad you did this video to help us tackle ours as well!!
I’m sorry it happened to you. Most manufacturers will not stand behind their roof warranty and the “pros” don’t always do a better job than you can. It’s a fairly easy job but takes sweat equity. ~Wilson
Thanks for the video. It is the the only one I could find that had the detail I needed. I did not use the aluminum flashing tape. I read on the can of the dicor glue it does not stick to metal. But my RV had a mesh tape with some sort of black caulking that served the purpose of the flashing. I ended up using drywall mesh over a bead of dicor non-self leveling caulk, since most of the original caulk tape came off when I pulled back the TPO membrane. Again, thanks for the video. You rock.
So glad this helped, that’s exactly why I made this one the way I did. Yes, I think most have that mesh tape and what you did sounds great. I’m glad you were able to tackle this project and hopefully save a ton of money in doing so. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment and if you haven’t yet, we’d love for you to hit that subscribe button ~Wilson & Kelli
Wow! This video is going to help a lot of people! Have a great week - Michelle & Brian
We really hope so. We couldn't find much on that topic so Wilson figured, why not make a video. Y'all have a great week too!! ~Wilson & Kelli
LOVE the disclaimer!! I'm always leery of trailer tires. Wish I could just have truck tires on them instead. Sometimes moisture trapped under the membrane can cause that when the moisture gets hot enough. I have a solid aluminum roof and it's great!! I never need a Blackstone grill when the sun is out....Thanks for this. I have to redo the seam from the fiberglass front end to the aluminum roof panel and this inspires me to get off my duff and do it. Okay it also let's me know it's going to be messy and a PITA.
I thought that disclaimer was both necessary and funny at the same time. In all seriousness, roofs are delicate and I'm surprised they don't have more problems than they do. It was a pain and a little messy but with a little common sense, hard work, and some basic tools and skills we RVers can save ourselves tons of money doing these repairs ourselves. I'm sure your solid roof is better in the long run but I can't imagine how hot it can get. We appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment friend! ~Wilson & Kelli
Wow! This looks like a lot of work but def worth it to save thousands of dollars!! We know who to call if we ever have issues 😉 You did a great job!!! Turned out great!! It’s brand new again and it’s better quality then the day you bought it! 👏👏
It really is! Thanks so much and it did look new again. I think quality is hit and miss on RVs many times but it's great to learn how to do so many repairs if you need to do so. Call on us anytime friends, we will be glad to help! ~Wilson & Kelli
Great job. Thanks for sharing. I no longer want an RV. Bubble rooves & rotted press wood are very common.
Thanks for watching! Quality is definitely lacking but with a little sweat equity most repairs can be done easily. The benefits of traveling have outweighed the problems RVs have.
It is great that you were able to do all that yourself! It saves so much money. Lynn and Danny
Yes, the money saving part is key for me and I love to learn new skills like this. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
You have more guests than to me I don't know if I would have done that before but after watching your video it seems pretty manageable
Well I decided to take a chance and try it. I couldn't find a video like this and thought it could be helpful to anyone working on a roof. It really wasn't that bad and mostly sweat equity. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
this is a very detailed video on how to fix this problem. I bet other people who have this problem will appreciate your video.
I hope so! We couldn't find a video like this when we decided to make the repair so we just did some research used some basic skills, and tried it out. Maybe this video will help others. Thanks for your support of our channel Kone! ~Wilson & Kelli
Thanks for the video in about three weeks I am going to do the same thing to my camper except I have to replace a sheet of plywood. It looks like some work but very doable. Thanks again this has been helpful.👍
that's a lot of summer miles! Thanks for sharing, that looks like a job for sure-I'm sure it took some patience for doing and filming for everyone at the same time!
Yes it was! We had a great time with each other and made so many memories. This was a video I had to record myself because Kelli wasn't about to get on the roof, lol! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment. ~Wilson & Kelli
wow that was a huge bubble... this task can definitely be daunting and intimidating.. nice job, brother... God bless! Kevin
Thanks friends! That was a daunting task and I wasn't quite sure if I could do it but I took what I knew and added some new skills. I'm glad I took on the challenge and I hope the video helps others. ~Wilson & Kelli
Excellent video! Thank you.
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment ~Wilson
Thank you plus well done on what is needed for project.
Thanks so much for checking the video out. I hope it helps a lot of folks out with a common problem. We appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave a comment. ~Wilson & Kelli
This was great information. We have to do some roof maintenance this summer on our 1989 Ford fleetwood flair 26 foot motorhome. It has a rubber roof and we will be giving it a good cleaning and removing the awning and sealing it up better, so this was helpful. Thank you. (Emilie and Tito)
Glad it was helpful! Hopefully you do not have anything like this going on. It wasn't easy but I learned a ton and saved a lot of money. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
Bummer that happened. I would think those things would last a lot longer but good to see how it’s done if it happens.
It was disappointing that it happened but I am glad I was able to repair it. I do hope the video helps folks if they have a roof repair to make. Thanks for watching friends! ~Wilson & Kelli
I have a Rockwood 2020 ultra lite 5th wheel that the front roof has pulled away from the the front shield, and has created a bubble on the roof, like what is seen here, I’ll use this video as my go to in repairing it this spring.
Awesome, I hope it helps you. I believe this is a very common issue and can be corrected with a few materials and some sweat equity. Thanks for watching and good luck and safe travels! -Wilson
How did it hold up? Thanks for making the video, it's my next project. Same scenario - coming back from our 2k trip it bubbled and started separating.
So we sold the camper to some friends of ours and 4 years later it’s just as good as when I repaired it. Take your time, do it right, and it should hold up better than the factory job. Good luck!
Rather then using your hand to smooth out the flashing tape, I'd suggest a large plastic Bondo spreader... Same for re-applying the membrane on the roof. Thanks for sharing
I'd use a old school wooden roller pen like my mom makes biscuits with on that and the membrane .
Thanks for taking the time to video the repair. This just happened to us on the last leg of our 10 day trip. Any tips on how to remove the caulk along the seam where the top meets the front cap.
Sorry this happened to you guys but I believe it's a very common issue. I used a plastic putty knife and worked slowly on it in order not to tear the membrane. Good luck and I hope the video helps you. Thanks for watching and commenting and good luck. ~Wilson
Thank you for sharing
You are welcome…thanks for checking it out and we’d love for you to hit that subscribe button if you haven’t yet. Thanks ~Wilson
Thank you
I have many small ones, I don't know what I'm gonna do about them,
Hope they don't get bigger
Hey Robert! I wouldn't worry too much about small ones as long as the glue seems good on the surrounding areas. I believe it's normal to have the small ones due to imperfections in the installation process and I wouldn't do what I did unless you have a major bubble. In another video my bubble is seen while we are traveling and I had no choice but to re glue everything. Thanks so much for watching and safe travels! ~Wilson & Kelli
@@OnTheMewve thank you for your reply, really appreciate that,
Safe travels and enjoy!
Wow! Great job! Thank you so much for sharing. It’s always great to see projects like this. Makes tackling your own repairs a little less scary. Videos like this make all of us better!
Thanks so much friends! Sometimes the repairs we need to make are not that complicated but they take time and can be intimidating. I was worried before I pulled the rubber membrane back but I already had my mind made up that if anything bad happened I would just replace the entire roof myself. Luckily, I didn't have to do so and was successful with the repair. Thanks for checking it out! ~Wilson & Kelli
Good job
Thanks! Appreciate the comment and you watching! ~Wilson
Dicor products glue & cleaners might be ok, but dicor self leveling caulking goings on great, but over 3 years period of time it cracks due to weather & heat. Dicor recommends replacement every 3 years. I expected it to last longer. I recommend to use other brand self leveling sealant
I'll have to take a look at some others. Do you have a recommended brand? Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. ~Wilson & Kelli
I've done a lot of research on Sikaflex 715 roof sealant, if it would last 5 to 10 years I would be Happy! I haven't done mine yet! I'm also looking at covering the Henry 887 tropical cool to cover the whole roof for better insulation Cooling. Do you have any advise?
Thank you
In Florida we need uv protection.
@@bradleystock9028 I've seen the Sikaflex and I'm sure it is great stuff. It may outlast the roof membrane itself. I rolled my roof with two coats of bright white Dicor roof sealant and it made a noticeable difference in the temp inside. I believe any coating on the roof will help but If I did mine again I would try the Henry product. It makes big claims but it's also reasonably priced. I would put two-three coats on when doing it.
Cheaply built campers. There should be a recall on them
I try to do my TPO roof and I did not dry fit with enough overlap when I got to the end of the half I was short about 6 in and Mind u I put the glue down and I had to pull the thing back up it was like re roofing in the la Brea tar pits after it all there's bubbles that got trapped now I got to figure out how to get those out of there
We have just a small area in the membrane near the corner that moves when u touch it. Do u think we should pull the small area and seal it or something else?
How large is the spot? If it’s just a few inches I would not do anything but reseal it, unless you suspect a leak or spongy wood indicating rot and then you should pull the membrane and check it out. As long as the membrane around the area is glued down and secure I would not worry about a smaller spot. Mine bubbled and then created a 3-4 foot bubble near the center. Thanks for watching ~ Wilson
Thank you for the video, it was very helpful. I had almost the same issue with my fifth wheel a couple weeks ago during a heat wave in Oregon. The adhesive used under the rubber roof melted during the extreme temperatures and the front part of my roof inflated like a balloon all the way back to my bathroom skylight. Once I parked in a cool area the rubber roof deflated and is laying completely flat now as if nothing happened. All of the seals in that area are now stretched and have cracks in them.
Do you think I can get away with only repairing the seals since the roof is laying flat? There are no wrinkles or bubbles in the roof anymore. I would like to avoid pulling back the roof if I can.
Thank you again for the video and help!
Hi Casey! I am sorry this has happened to you too. The exact situation you described is what happened to us too. I tried to seal the cracks first but we travelled the next day and the bubble came back within two hours of driving. I would try to reseal and let it sit for a while and see what happens on a short trip. If the bubble reappears you'll have to pull the membrane and glue it. Good luck and let us know what you decide and what happens. Let me know if I can help with other questions too. Thanks for checking out our video and don't forget to subscribe. ~Wilson & Kelli
Well done sir! I have a quarter size hole on the slide out rubber roof. It got chewed when I put the slide out in. Can someone tell me why this happened? What would be the best way to repair it?
Thank you! I would use eternabond repair tape to seal something small such as that. Then, monitor it as you use the slide to make sure it doesn’t come off, it shouldn’t since it is so strong. You may have have a piece of debris or an acorn, or who knows what when the slide moved and that probably caused a tear. Good luck and thanks for watching! We’d love for you to hit the subscribe button if you haven’t done so yet. ~Wilson
Awesome! Just what I needed to see :)
How'd the job hold up this past year?
Held up great. We recently sold the camper to friends of ours and the repair is still working better than new. Good luck if you are starting on yours. This seems to be a common issue. Thanks for watching and I hope it helps. ~Wilson
I have the same issue on mine, though not as bad, mine isn't gathered up yet, it still lays flat. It only raises about 4"-6". Question for you: do you think it would work to cut a slit in the membrane, raise up each side of the slit and spread some glue, then lay it back down, smooth it out, and put eternabond and dicor over the slit? Without taking off the drip guards and gutters.
Hey Joseph, I do believe your solution would work as long as it’s a limited spot you are repairing. My bubble was all the way across the front. I believe it’s worth a try the way you described, you could possibly use a syringe to insert the glue and make a much smaller hole in the membrane. I hope that works for your issue. Thanks for watching and good luck! ~Wilson
@@OnTheMewve thank you for the insight. I would say mine is about 3/4 the width across the front. I’d thought about multiple holes/syringe to limit the exposure..I may try that. Just a way of getting glue down and re-sealing.
Can you make a list of all the stuff you bought and used for this? I have a similar issue
Take a look at the description in video details and I have links for these products. I have the majority of the items you will need there. I hope this helps you save a lot of money and improve the lifespan of your camper. Thanks for watching! ~Wilson
Great video on repairing ‘ballooning’
Quick question about spreading the adhesive glue… would it have been possible to do one section at a time? Or was it fairly easy to slide around a bit before it truly sticks “permanently”???
Thanks! You could do a few feet and pull the membrane over it and then do the next few and that would work. I did have to reapply a second coat of glue because of the absorption of the osb wood but the glue doesn’t set too fast. I hope your project goes well and we appreciate you watching and commenting ~Wilson
Did you use like a squeegee to flatten the membrane back into place to get the wrinkles out?
Yes, I used a roller to do that. It’s hard to get all the wrinkles out but you can get most.
any update on how the repair has held up?
I have a 2020 that just started to bubble at the front end - maybe about 24 inches back - not too bad yet, think I caught it early. Contemplating doing the same. Was thinking of cutting down the middle and peeling back each "side" - to avoid taking off the side rails. BUT getting that front end cap off seems to be important. Mine is the aluminum panels...
I'm in Houston - so may need to do this under storage - too hot to work outside.
Concerns: seems the adhesive failure is attributed to letting it dry too much before applying the roof - so, as you point out, there's a need to get it on once applied. I also wonder if it would be good to have a metal roller to smooth out bubbles and get the roof to adhere to the underlayment/wood.
...and the general concern of getting under the roof cap, undoing any screws and what the wood might be like underneath - even if no water damage, making sure I get a good tight seal, etc.
just saw update in your reply to another - seems repair held up and you sold the camper. Thanks for the video...
Hey, thanks for watching the video. I would not cut the membrane if at all possible, that would lead to the possibility of more leaks. I liked the way I did my repair, removing the drip rails is not hard plus new butyl after 3 years is a good thing under those too. The inspection of the wood between the roof and the cap is always either reassuring or helps you catch water damage early. Keeping the glue surface tacky is key to a successful repair. The couple we sold the camper to are friends and they have not had any issues with the roof. As you can tell, it was hot and humid in August in SC when I did the repair and shade would have been great. Good luck and I have many of the repair items you may need in the description of the video. ~Wilson
Oh and the metal roller would be very helpful, this is what I have purchased for another repair I made on my current camper, amzn.to/3O0QMBL It would be helpful.
@OnTheMewve thanks so much. After more research, I found how to remove the cap trim and gutter trim. Not sure I want to take it off past where I'm doing the repair. The bubble just started on the last trip. I pulled over and used a strap over the top to keep it from lifting too high and spreading.
Thanks for this video. I'm having exactly the same ballooning problem with my 2010 Cougar 5th wheel. I was unclear from your video how you sealed and finished the sides, under the drip rail channel. Did you apply a strip of butyl tape along the roof edge beneath the rail?
Glad it helps Mike. I did apply butyl tape under the drip rail. I would also apply a bead of nonleveling dicor or something similar on the top of the drip rail where it meets the membrane. Hope that helps. ~Wilson
What I have been wondering: did you put the new adhesive on over the old/ previous adhesive? If so has it held up? Thanks for responding.
I did Leo. Everything has held up for over a year now. If you have any doubts replace the osb and put new glue over it but in my case the glue has held up fine. ~Wilson
How di you smooth it all out as it looked like there was some bubbles after glueing
You can use a roller like this one, amzn.to/44hXzgN I used this to roll mine as best as I could. Be careful and go slow, if you have help you should be able to remove most wrinkles, I didn’t have an extra set of hands unfortunately and had a few wrinkles but nothing to worry about. Good luck! ~Wilson
How long before the glue dried and was set. Thanks in advance.
It all depends on temperature and humidity. I was doing this in August and it was tacky within 10 minutes. The hotter it is the less working time you’ll have. I did a 4-5’ section and had to apply 2 coats to make sure it wasn’t dry. Good luck! ~Wilson
I'll be doing this on my travel trailer this weekend. How's yours holding up? Anything you'd do different?
Everything seems to be good at this point. I sold it recently to some friends knowing it was done right, we have upgraded to a fiver. My big recommendation is to check all that wood to make sure there is no damage and to replace any damage before sealing everything back up. Use lots of self leveling caulk to ensure all seals are waterproof. It’s not a difficult job, just a little time consuming and a lot of sweat equity, but I saved myself $1,000s by doing it on my own. Good luck and be safe on the roof! ~Wilson
@@OnTheMewve 500 miles on my repair. All seems well at this point.
@@Jake-st5mm So glad! Thanks for letting me know. I believe that repair will hold up better than the factory job! ~Wilson
@@Jake-st5mm So glad! Thanks for letting me know. I believe that repair will hold up better than the factory job! ~Wilson
Did the membrane tear where it was screwed down?
Fortunately there was no tear, it just stretched when it came unglued.
I sure hope this repair worked out for you. We sure spend a lot of money just to initially buy an rv, only to end up having to deal with the industries eternal failure to build utilizing quality materials.
With so many newer and better options available for roofing materials you’d think the industry would have moved on from EPDM rubber membranes by now. Sadly they haven’t and that just reflects the absolute greed of the industry to begin with. Not to mention the entire structure itself. And while there are a few manufacturers who are making better roofs, like the structural foam roofs, the vast majority are not. As someone else stated, can you imagine how much money they are milking out of us ? Every 3 years you’re buying self leveling lap sealant at the very least, some are opting to spend the 2-3k for a new EPDM roof, others are investing thousands on speacialists like rv roof install to have custom TPO roofs installed.
You are absolutely correct, they could make them better but with their rigid system of economies they will not. The repair held up nicely and a lovely family we know purchased the camper from us about two years ago. No problems for them. An RV roof, for the most part, takes much inspection and maintenance to keep it working correctly. Thanks for watching ~Wilson
Why was this pulled off? U had water coming in?
Luckily there was no leak. We noticed, while filming some road footage, the membrane was blowing up like a balloon and had come unglued. I peeled it back to check for damage and to give myself a chance to reglue as much as possible in that area. ~Wilson
@OnTheMewve oh ok, i had a small soft spot in mine. Had to pull up the membrane, replace the osb board piece, and insulate below. I think someone never re sealed roof and water was coming in and punctured the roof piece. I just finished it took 3 days lol
@@rickr5223 probably so, and at least you saved yourself a ton of money and the time and hassle of taking it to someone that may not even do it properly. Appreciate you watching!
How much self-leveling sealant did you end up using? I ordered a 4 pack but wondering if that’s going to cut it.
I ended up using about 6 on the front but ordered more to seal over the other caulk while I was on the roof. Good luck! ~Wilson
I thought Dicor glue wouldn't work on plywood that had already been coated with glue..
It may not be recommended but it sure worked well, not to mention the manufacturer surely didn’t use enough glue in the first place in my opinion. Thanks for watching ~Wilson
Wouldn't this be something that should have been covered under the manufacture (defect) or roof warantee?
Unfortunately not. It’s unreal that the warranty doesn’t cover most things regarding the roof. It has to be defective in materials, i.e. the rubber membrane. After the year warranty is over, workmanship isn’t covered and we bought the camper used, 2 years old. It really wasn’t too difficult, just took some time and sweat equity. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Steven. Feel free to hit that subscribe button too. Thanks! -Wilson & Kelli
Dicor only has a 3 year warranty, they expect you to replace the sealant every 3rd year! Think of how many campers there are! $2000 a replacement per camper!
What kind of clear caulk did you use?
It was a clear UV resistant silicone from Lowe’s
@@OnTheMewve I'm half way done, just got the glue put down and the membrane smoothed out.
@@OnTheMewve took me approximately 6 hours by myself. Fingers crossed.
Awesome job! I hope something in the video helped you out. I’d let it set/dry for at least 3-5 days before moving it. Good luck and safe travels! ~Wilson
@@OnTheMewve without the video, I would have never been able to do it. Your video literally saved me a couple grand.
my whole roof is bubbling is the problem
I hate to hear that. In that case, I’d replace the entire membrane so you can inspect everything. Good luck and thanks for watching ~Wilson
Never mind your camper roof… your grass is beautiful. Just pisses me right off.
Well, thanks, I love keeping the yard looking good and love my Bermuda grass! Have a good day and thanks for stopping by ~Wilson
Nice job. Looks like a $2500 repair. One problem. Your shoes on the rubber membrane. All it takes is a little puncture. But your roof looks good when you started pulling it back it didn’t look like the manufacture used a cohesive or glue. Sad.
Thanks James, yes I am glad I could do the job for a few bucks and some sweat equity. I cleaned the bottom of my shoes as much as possible and did my best not to create any other issues. I was lucky the roof was in good shape although I had another leak in the rear one time and had to do some carpentry repair but unfortunately I didn't video that one. It's pretty sad at how these units are constructed as just a little more careful placement of a true adhesive would have prevented this from happening. Thanks for checking out the video and we'd love to have you as a subscriber to our small channel. Thanks ~Wilson
less talking and show the fix
Appreciate your comment!
Too painful to watch
It was disappointing finding the leak/damage but at least we can learn to repair them ourselves and make sure it is repaired right. It was mainly sweat equity. Thanks for watching!
This Rv construction has gotten ridiculous, they use materials that are so cheap they work long enough for the warranty to expire. They don’t care about the quality because there are always a new generation of buyers coming up that are naive
Yes, it has. I think the roof warranty is one of the biggest jokes in the industry as they will not cover it, there is always an exception to the ten year rule and that really only applies on the membrane anyway. Thanks for checking out the video! Wilson