Roof inspection & maintenance tips (metal and rubber)
Spring is the time to get out the step ladder and take a good look at the RV roof condition. The membrane on a rubber roof is made of a very tough and durable material but it is fairly thin and can be punctured by a sharp object. Yes, you can carefully walk on the surface, however first check your shoes for embedded stones and such, that could do damage to the roof covering before stomping around up there. Underlying the rubber covering is usually a 3/16th to 1/2 inch plywood or particle board sheeting that evenly supports your weight. If your roof is metal, especially if it is the seamed type, (has crosswise seams every 48" or so), then lay a plywood strip or some wide boards (lengthwise) to walk on. This way the boards span the roof rafters and distribute your weight evenly on several supports.
Closely inspect the roof coat condition on every protruding fixture, any cracks or thin spots can be touched up with the appropriate material. If the roof coat is peeling or flaking in any way, then the old coating must be removed by scraping it off. On metal roofs I use a 1" wide scraper with a firm blade, like the ones used by auto technicians for scraping off old gaskets. For rubber roofs I made a plastic scraper that won't cut the membrane. If you heat the old coating with a hot air gun, it will come off fairly easily.
For metal roofs, use the aluminum roof coat, available in gray or white, and brush it on about 1/8" thick. Stir very thoroughly and apply on a warm day for the best results. For rubber, use elastomeric roof coating that is safe for rubber roofs or the special self leveling sealant sold at RV supply stores for this purpose. Never use a petroleum based product on a rubber roof as damage to the rubber membrane will result. Also, while silicone chalking has a place in the RV, it has no place on the roof. Silicone will not stick well and may damage the rubber, and on a metal roof it will adhere to some places and not others causing pockets that will trap water.
More Spring RV Maintenance tips to follow:
Les Doll - Certified RV Technician
RVers Corner.com - A vast resource of RV Maintenance Items
RV Repair Manual.com - Articles on RV Repair
RV-Satellite-Internet.com - Share my progress as I turn my RV into a remote and self sustained "Internet Anywhere" station.
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