what to use to seal a camper roof
As RVers, we're all aware of the threats to the RV roof that can result in water leaking into various crevices of the rig, farther threatening its construction and integrity, while potentially introducing (potentially dangerous) mold into the RV environs. While nosotros've used a few different products over the years to keep the roof of our 2005 Newmar Mountain Aire well sealed, nosotros've heard about, but never used, Flex Seal for our RV roof.
There are a number of reasons for this, and in today's post, we're going to share them with you in hopes of bringing a bit of awareness to what this product may exist good for – and what it isn't skillful for, including your RV'due south roof.
- i) What Is Flex Seal?
- ii) Is Flex Seal the All-time Production to Use on an RV Roof?
- 3) 5 Reasons Non to Use Flex Seal on an RV Roof
- three.one) Flex Seal is Not UV Stabilized
- 3.2) It's Made from Silicone
- 3.three) The Flexibility and Expansion/Contraction Characteristics Don't Friction match That of an RV Roof
- 3.four) The Movement of an RV Challenges the Belongings Power of Flex Seal
- iii.v) At that place are Improve Products on the Market for Your RV'due south Roof
- 4) What Products Are Superior to Flex Seal for Utilize On an RV Roof?
- 4.1) Dicor Cocky-Leveling Lap Sealant
- four.ii) EternaBond Tape
- four.3) ProFlex
- 4.iv) Surebond SB-140
- 5) Have Some RVers Experienced Failures Using Flex Seal On an RV Roof?
- six) When Would Information technology Exist Appropriate to Employ Flex Seal On An RV Roof?
What Is Flex Seal?
Flex Seal is a production that's described by its manufacturer as a "liquid rubber sealant coating", but in fact, Flex Seal is a name that represents a family of products including a paste, a caulk, a spray, a glue, and a tape.
These are deemed every bit amazingly adhesive and waterproof. Flex Seal is really a silicone-based family unit of products.
Is Flex Seal the Best Production to Use on an RV Roof?
While it may exist used in many applications, and some RVers have used the products with success, most RV technicians volition tell you vehemently never to use Flex Seal on your RV for a number of reasons… and we hold.
In our opinion, Flex Seal is NOT the best production to employ on an RV roof, and we're here to tell you why we feel this way.
v Reasons Non to Apply Flex Seal on an RV Roof
There are a multifariousness of products on the market place for use on an RV roof. These products are intended to effectively seal areas of your rig's roof to foreclose leaks that can eventually seriously affect the structural integrity of your RV. So, products like these are no pocket-size consideration.
When it comes to preventing leaks, you want the best product for the job. And generally speaking, your RV'due south manufacturer has some opinions and recommendations nearly this very important maintenance matter as well.
Here are several reasons why the RVgeeks and many (if non most) RV techs and RV manufacturers are unlikely to recommend Flex Seal every bit a offset-pick option for RV roof maintenance and repair.
Flex Seal is Not UV Stabilized
Flex Seal is not UV-stabilized, which means that its protection is highly unlikely to last in the harshly sunny environments that virtually RVs experience.
UV protection is a very important part of any production used to seal any function of your RV's roof. Without UV protection, the product will dry out out and scissure, and the protection you recall you've established will be gone, leaving your rig susceptible to leaks that you may not even exist enlightened of until meaning harm has occurred.
At that place are hundreds of complaints online about Flex Seal cracking and failing, and its lack of reliable UV stabilization is likely partly to arraign.
Recall that RV manufacturers are well aware of the importance of UV protection and are unlikely to recommend the apply of any product that doesn't offer it, especially for an RV roof.
It'southward Fabricated from Silicone
The members of the Flex Seal family of products are silicone-based. Silicone is not what you want to use on your RV's roof because information technology leaves a remainder that NOTHING else can stick to (including more silicone!), which bodes very poorly for any future repairs.
The Flexibility and Expansion/Wrinkle Characteristics Don't Match That of an RV Roof
Your RV's roof is a complex surroundings. The flexibility and/or expansion and contraction characteristics of Flex Seal products may not match those of the other materials on your RV's roof, making these products more prone to nifty and separating, leaving your rig vulnerable to its greatest threat – leaks.
At that place are very good reasons why RV manufacturers use the products that they practise. They're matched equally closely every bit possible to the other products they've used, ensuring the longest life and most durable protection.
The Movement of an RV Challenges the Holding Ability of Flex Seal
An RV is a tough environment. Not only is the roof constantly subjected to UV rays and other threats, but the constant movement of a dwelling house-on-wheels poses special challenges to products used to seal all areas of an RV.
Is the holding power of silicone-based Flex Seal upwardly to those challenges? We wouldn't risk finding out the answer to that question the hard style.
At that place are Better Products on the Market for Your RV's Roof
Perchance the clearest reason we come across not to use Flex Seal on your RV is the fact that there are plenty of improve, more advisable, tried-and-true products on the market to entrust with the critical responsibleness of protecting your RV.
These products are regularly recommended by RV manufacturers and RV technicians alike, and have been proven to effectively protect RVs over many miles and decades. (Our 2005 Newmar is living proof!)
What Products Are Superior to Flex Seal for Utilize On an RV Roof?
The following products are superior to Flex Seal for apply on an RV roof. These products are well proven to offering the protection an RV requires, and are recommended by professionals and consumers (RVers!) based on long-term feel.
Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant
Mode back in 2012 we published a mail service and a YouTube video almost preventing roof leaks with proper Dicor maintenance. Ten years later on (most 20 since we've been using the production), this arrangement has never failed united states – and we've put some serious miles, and constant full-time apply, on and our.
Yous may likewise have seen us using Dicor on DIY tasks like our solar upgrade and our plumbing vent upgrade. You do NOT desire your roof leaking, and tiny leaks from improperly sealed roof penetrations can be insidious and subversive. Using the proper product is admittedly crucial in our book.
Dicor is REGULARLY recommended by RV manufacturers and technicians, and this is with good reason. Actually, with many good reasons.
Dicor effectively seals everything from roof vent fans, to vent pipes, to screw heads, to the edges of your RV roof. It's a lap sealant that was adult with the particular challenges of RVs in heed, and is compatible with EPDM and TPO roofs. Moreover, Dicor firmly and reliably adheres to fiberglass, metallic, vinyl, aluminum, and a host of other surfaces not associated with RVs.
Stick with what works. You won't desire to encounter the consequences that can befall you otherwise.
Note that this Dicor product is a cocky-leveling lap sealant advisable for HORIZONTAL (flat) applications.
Dicor 501LSW-1 Epdm Self-Leveling Lap Sealant-10.iii Oz. Tube, White, ten.3 Fluid_Ounces (Packaging May Vary)
- Creates a secure, secondary seal along the roof's edges, air vents, vent pipes and screw heads
- Adheres firmly to aluminum, mortar, woods, vinyl, galvanized metal, fiberglass and physical
If you need to use Dicor in a spot that ISN'T flat/horizontal, they offering a non-leveling version that is thicker and won't run:
EternaBond Tape
You may have seen our post asking the question "Is EternaBond Tape Really Eternal?" EternaBond tape is made from synthetic polymers with a built-in primer and it'south not only supremely sticky but it's UV resistant equally well.
The bail created between your RV's roof and EternaBond record is a lasting bond that can just be interrupted with tremendous, purposeful endeavor. What you lot seal with EternaBond tape will remain sealed.
EternaBond tape has a specialized, UV-stable backing which, in combination with its layer of advanced MicroSealant, provides a waterproof, air-tight protection that is said to exist flexible to -70 degrees Fahrenheit (-57°C).
Due to the extraordinary durability of EternaBond record, in one case practical it doesn't crave regular maintenance.
This is a product that should be in everyone's emergency kit onboard the RV.
Sale
EternaBond RoofSeal White 4" x50' MicroSealant UV Stable Roof Seam Repair Tape | 35 mil Total Thickness | EB-RW040-50R - One-Step Durable, Waterproof and Closed Repair
- MULTI-Employ: Perferct for use on metal buildings, trailer/RV roofs and sides, bleed pans, drain pipes, boats, canoes. bonds to a broad range of surfaces...
- NO Boosted SEALING REQUIRED: Aluminum backing, combined with a layer of advanced MicroSealant, creates a waterproof, moisture, and air tight...
ProFlex
If you happened to grab our post and video on how to supersede an RV window, then you saw us using this product.
ProFlex is the sealant that Newmar, the manufacturer of our Course A RV, uses around the tops of all of the windows of the RVs they manufacture. They do this because it offers a reliable watertight seal, and that's what all RVers desire – reliable protection from potential insidious, tiny leaks that can ultimately cause mold and very serious damage to the structural integrity of the walls of an RV.
Since ProFlex isn't silicone-based, it won't leave behind a silicone residue. That means future seals/repairs will be certain to stick in place.
Newmar's long-standing reputation for absolute peak quality is enough for us. We'll continue to go with their recommendation, which hasn't failed us in our 17 years of ownership of this 2005 Newmar Mountain Aire.
If you intend to use ProFlex to seal your RV windows, be sure to sentinel the important tip at the terminate of our window replacement video.
Surebond SB-140
And finally, if you're resealing or replacing a skylight, Surebond SB-140 is the recommended product to use. Other sealants may react with, and damage, the plastics used to make skylights, meaning yous'll just take to replace your skylight again a lot sooner than you should have to (merely be sure to bank check with the manufacturer of your replacement skylight and use the sealant they recommend).
Surebond SB-140 is made of butyl rubber and is rated to 200°F. The roof of an RV gets HOT (and especially the darker parts like a smoked plastic skylight), and exposure to the elements aren't just a possibility – they're guaranteed. Never hazard using annihilation but the best and almost highly recommended sealants on your roof.
Believe us when nosotros tell you, you don't want to gamble a skylight leak. They can be hard to identify, and they can cause a lot of damage before you even know in that location'southward a problem. Risking your RV to underrated or questionable sealant products is never a proficient thought.
Pro tip: If you practice supplant your skylight, we recommend having two tubes of Surebond on hand for this job. One tube just barely did the job for united states of america, and we've heard from others that they couldn't complete the job with a single tube.
For footstep-by-step instructions on skylight replacement, encounter our post and accompanying video hither.
Have Some RVers Experienced Failures Using Flex Seal On an RV Roof?
Oh, yep. At that place are many complaints nearly the failure of Flex Seal online. With due respect to Flex Seal, there are also people who swear by the Flex Seal family unit of products or some member thereof. We just happen to believe in going with the RV manufacturer's recommendations and not risking leaks – ever.
With that said, we offer these few online complaints from people who used Flex Seal on the RVs, in an effort to give you lot an idea of what to wait for in terms of potential issues:
"I have used FlexSeal and it worked okay but only for a short while. Maybe it is amend when used in a dwelling house. In an RV that is moving and shaking, FlexSeal volition not stay attached to the repaired surface and will detach after a few drives. At to the lowest degree that was my experience."
"I accept used it. The product doesn't hold up well to UV rays, and starts to peel later on a while. The commercials are overblown. Once you put that crap on, it would be difficult to get rid of it. If it is a leak on a roof, get eternabond tape and dicor caulking. It'southward the proper production to employ. It could save you thousands."
There are numerous other comments online from experienced users of Flex Seal on an RV. Nosotros'll permit you search those out for yourself. Nosotros're non trying to disparage the products hither, after all. We're simply pointing out that RVs may not be the best application for them.
When Would It Exist Appropriate to Use Flex Seal On An RV Roof?
We recommend using Flex Seal on an RV roof only in an emergency – if you lot don't accept the appropriate products on hand and Flex Seal is what you take for your time-sensitive repair.
We choose to proceed Dicor and EternaBond on manus, but if Flex Seal is your choice, then nosotros certainly wish you the best with it. We don't feel it's the all-time production for an RV roof.
But remember – RVs are twisting and turning and bouncing and vibrating all the time. If you have an issue in your static home, y'all may have success with any 1 of the Flex Seal products. But for your home-on-wheels, nosotros believe there are amend choices.
Geek Out With Us Every Week
Join our newsletter to acquire about all things RV-related. Every week we offer free tips, tricks, product reviews, and more to our online customs of RVers. So, whether this is your first time on the road or you're a seasoned good, we'd dear for you lot to geek out with united states!
Source: https://www.thervgeeks.com/flex-seal-for-rv-roof/
0 Response to "what to use to seal a camper roof"
Post a Comment