Rubber Roof on Travel Trailers

[Matt42]

Do you have a "rubber" roof on your travel trailer? Actually, the rubber is a white EPDM membrane.



If you have one, how well has it held up?



The rubber roof on my 1996 Play-Mor is turning out to be a disappointment here in very sunny Arizona. It's flaking apart like snow, and I've had to patch it where it's bent over at the edges. The dealer tells me (now) that I needed to wash it off every six months with mild detergent. That's no picnic, as I have to get onto the roof to do that, and the underlayment feels like cheap wall paneling. The remainder of the trailer is pretty good.



Any suggestions, ideas, or comments?

 

[Shooter]

The manufacturer of my *rubber* roof says to only use 303 protectant ( uv and ozone ) and wash when dirty or sapy with mild soap & water and reapply 303.

I use 303 on the entire trailer exterior: fiberglass, roof, awning, plastics, tires and windows twice a year. Dirt, bugs and sap do not stick and rinse off with water.



Sorry that your roof is toast, my 5er came with instructions from all component mfg's ( roof, fiberglass, awning, axles, etc )and a free 1/2pint of 303 from roof mfg. I still have better than 1/2 gallon left from the gallon I purchased 2 1/2 years ago at CW. A little goes a long way. Exterior still looks like new even with the New Mexico sun trying its best to destroy every thing under the sun.



good luck

 

[Matt42]

What is 303 protectant? Maybe I can use it to save what I have left. Thanks.

 

[Matt42]

Did a Google search and found it. Looks interesting.

 

[Whitmore]

Matt, check your paperwork, my roof is gaurenteed for 10 years! You may get lucky and get it replaced by the factory... ... ... ..... Kevin

 

[BV]

Rubber Roof

There is some really good information on what you can and can not use to clean your roof on the Dicor site



My Dicor roof has a 10 year warranty but you must wash it 4 times a year which I do.



They now show their roofing has a 12 year warranty - 5 year replacement and 7 prorated.

 

[lizzyhermit]

yo Matt, I'm just down the road near metro center and have a Nomad with the rubber roof. Mine does flake a little but I wash it with mild detergent at least twice a year and it's holding up real well.



My paperwork also indicates a 10 year warranty.

 

[gsmith1]

rubber roof

I too live in AZ and have the rubber roof, which is now about 4 years old. I treated it every 6 mos. with a washing and 303. It still started turning white and flaking. I went to Camping World and bought a base coat for RV roofs and then topped it with the white coating for RV rubber roofs. Not hard to do and am hoping it will give more life to my roof. Long term effects remain to be seen. But this would be an option to constantly patching it.

 

[DRR-24V]

Whitmore !!

Good Luck on roof warrantee work if it is a Forest River Product. I had a 10 yr warrantee and after 1 year had a problem. Forest Forest River's Warrantee is a JOKE ! They balked at doing anything, and the roof people were Belly-Up.

 

[Matt42]

Thanks. The Dicor site looked really interesting.

 

[dresslered]

I'll have to jump on the bandwagon and give a vote for the 303 as well. I buy it in the 1/2-gallon size for just under $60. 00. However, I always keep a reflective tarp over the roof as well to reduce heat and further reduce the exposure to the UV's. Aside from a few stains from camping, my roof still looks brand new.

 

[Matt42]

Felton!

I haven't been in Felton in 30 years. I assume that it is still there after the 1982 rains. I never viewed bright sun as a Felton hazard, more like banana slugs and pine needles. But my memory isn't reliable.

 

[dresslered]

I'd say you get one for three!



We get lots of sun, although quit a bit of rain in the winters (80+ inches);

We don't have pine trees (they're redwoods);

But, we do have the banana slugs.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Rubber roof

Big rip off the aluminum snap crackle pop lets you know it's still there and needs little care easy to patch and when it rains you are first to know it . Lets you know when it changes hot to cold cold to hot . The rubber roof people have some buck passing on the warranty laminate is covered on some for 10 years and bubbles not covered ,some say liner is warranted and not the rubber materal most is dubble speak . Best to look on the top and if possible get a snap crackle pop, top LOL Ron in LOUISVILLE KY:-{} Oo.

 

[TowPro]

The slidein I just bought (1990) has a rubber roof, I was supprised how well it looks. I went up there last weekend and it cleaned up real nice. This weekend I cansled my trip as I want to install my new holddowns, so now that I got more time I will get up there and do the rest of the maintaince. (re seal it)

 

[dresslered]

I'm going to stick with the rubber roof, Ron.

Though the aluminum has some advantages, the so-called “rubber roof”, which is actually a Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), is actually becoming more and more common than the aluminum roof. It has several distinct advantages:



1) better noise reduction (as you pointed out);

2) low maintenance;

3) ease of installation and repair;

4) clean appearance (no streaking as with aging aluminum roofs);

5) better interior cooling;

6) but, most importantly, it can be installed as a single piece (as one huge membrane) over the entire roof which further reduces the possibility of leaks.



Aluminum sheets are usually made of a specific size that won’t cover the entire roof. Unless your camper is very small, you now have to maintain a water-tight seal between these sheets as well. Also, aluminum expands at a much greater rate (thus the snap crackle pop) than the plastic used in the skylights, vents, etc. , so these now become a great potential for leaks as well.



Quick calculation for aluminum:

If your camper is 20ft in length and can experience a 100-degree delta (0 degrees to 100 degrees is not unrealistic), the 20ft length of aluminum can expand/contract almost 0. 0472 feet (. 566 inches). This is more movement than I care to have on my roof.



Maybe this is why you will find a “rubber roof” on a $150k diesel pusher.

 

[Steve M]

Anyone had to replace one? What's the cost for a new rubber roof? They don't look too good after about six years.

 

[GSchlegel]

"Quick calculation for aluminum:

If your camper is 20ft in length and can experience a 100-degree delta (0 degrees to 100 degrees is not unrealistic), the 20ft length of aluminum can expand/contract almost 0. 5 feet (5. 66 inches). This is more movement than I care to have on my roof. "



Doesn't make sense to me - sorry, but my old Luscumbe 8D never increased in length or wing span by 6" in the summer vs. winter. The fatigue problems caused by dissimilar metals would have destroyed that and all planes in a very short time. Maybe a decimal point is off?



What am I missing?



Gene

 

[dresslered]

Thank you GSchlegel for correcting my mistake and I changed my results--hopefully I've still made my point. I was off by a factor of 10 in my linear coefficient of thermal expansion (my memory isn't as good as it use to be). Your plane will still fly.

 

[The Sequel]

So far so good on my Layton after 2 years in the AZ sun. I have to admit that I got on the roof for the first time about 3 months ago and washed it then with the same thing I used to wash the rest (generic carwash liquid soap) and brushed it good. Still looked good with no flaking. I'll have to keep a closer eye on it.