Tear in the roof...

SuiteWheels · 09-15-2007, 11:23 AM

well we made it home and as d/h was backing into our site at KOA....hit a branch that stuck out on a tree and it torn about 4 inch hole in the door side of the roof. We are soooooooooo sick......so question.... has anyone had to patch their roof and what did you use? Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Gillesm · 09-15-2007, 02:56 PM

Try Eternabond tape from camping world it looks like it would do it for you.

morscuba · 09-15-2007, 04:31 PM

Sorry about the tear, I know ya gotta be sick over it. I helped a neighbor with his tear (it was a lot bigger than 4"). He bought a liquid rubber and the eternabond from an RV supply place in North Carolina I applied both. Liquid rubber over the actual tear, the eternabond over that and another coat of the liquid rubber. It may have been overkill but it worked great and no leaks. GOOD LUCK

Motor31 · 09-16-2007, 09:36 AM

On an old trailer I used a lap sealer caulk style repair to glue the tear back down on the roof structure. I then used the same material to make a bead over the tear itself and finished by covering with a roof sealant material. I have forgotten the name of it now but is was sold in the RV supply store at a dealership and was designed to seal the roof to include small tears.

Whatever you use make sure it is compatible with the roof material on your rig, EPDM I believe. If the tear runs over the side of the roof and or is perpendicular to the wind when traveling make sure the front will be well sealed from wind pressure peeling. Good luck on the repair.

SuiteWheels · 09-16-2007, 12:42 PM

Thanks for the advice folks.....I was wrong...it was nearly 10 inch tear starting with about l/2 travelling up to about 3 inches in width! Hubby is going to try the Liquid Rubber and Eternabond tape....but today just going to sit back and watch the Nascar race.....and try and fix it tomorrow.

retiredchuck · 09-20-2007, 12:14 AM

suiteswheel.I also got snag by a tree branch while backing into a site,I have a perforated tear about 2 ft on the drop side of the roof above the gutter on the bedroom side.I have called kent at doubletree and he never return my calls.I can use eternabound,but I am also looking for the same material to repaire it with.I read somewhere that you can reaire it useing the same material with a hot air gun,but you have to know what you are doing.SO if you have better luck getting hold of doubletree please post it.

Barnes8084 · 09-20-2007, 09:19 AM

Similar happen to me as well… Backed into low-hanging tree limb…. However my ‘accident’ tore roof membrane and creased top above bathroom location - about 10 inches. Took straight to dealer in Hamilton Ohio which had to replace complete roof @ insurance cost of about $6K. Made me sick too.

SuiteWheels · 09-20-2007, 09:29 PM

Barnes, when you say "it torn the roof membrane" are you referring to the rubber cover or metal underneath?

Chuck, d/h got ahold of Kent and he agreed that Dicor from Camping World is compatible to cover the roof and filling it with a patching cement called KooL Seal. Will do this project this week-end and let you know how it goes.....I'm just hoping we don't have to have a complete roof
job as you did. Did that cause your insurance rate to go up?

retiredchuck · 09-20-2007, 10:16 PM

suiteswheel, I have yet to do any work on my roof,dicor would be ok but being that my tear is on the downward side of the roof and you can see it a mile away.I was looking for a more cosmetic repair,I have my suites in a indoor close garage, so I dont have to worry about leaks for now.I would thank you very much if you let me known how your repair comes out, how happy you are with it.I will keep on researching and I will let you know of any better repairs. Thank you and good luck.

sigo'suite · 09-21-2007, 07:47 AM

Chuck, check your pm's.

sigo'suite · 09-21-2007, 07:50 AM

Yep, for those of us who use the "Back" button frequently while surfing, that gremlin sure is an aggravating obstacle.

Barnes8084 · 09-21-2007, 12:27 PM

Suite Wheels - Both - it tore rubber roof covering and creased metal/aluminum underneath to point I had small puncture wound. Ugly

SuiteWheels · 09-22-2007, 12:23 PM

Sorry Chuck, got your name mixed up with Barnes on the insurance question....but have a feeling someone already pointed it out to you!

Anyway, question: You said you wanted a more costmetic look...well our tear is also on the downside of the roof......this is what Kent said woud be good (not sure if I trust his opinion now) ....do you think the Eternabond tape would look more costmetic then the Dicor? Why will the Dircor not look good? These are questions from folks who have never had to use any of these products so don't really know what we are getting into. I hate from d/h to put something on that will look "patched up"!!

We had rain all night but looks like it might clear up so d/h is going to use the Kool Seal to fill in the tear. Will wait for your opinion before we go further.
Guess we were a little luckier then you as there is no puncture in the metal.

ebrowne826 · 09-22-2007, 03:04 PM

Tore my roof with a tree limb. It was about a 6 inch tear and
it bent the metal flang under the rubber. The ins. paid to
replace the entire roof. It cost around $7000 to replace it.
My GMAC insurance then raised my rate $200 every 6 months.
It showed up as a moving accident when I went to another ins.
company for an extimate. I was told it would stay on my record
for 3 years in Texas. Some states have a longer time period.
Looking back, it would have been cheeper to just patch the tear
and not report it.

bstark · 09-22-2007, 10:39 PM

Ya gotta love those Shylocks that write the fine print in insurance policy's don't ya?

They are just never gonna be on the losing end.

retiredchuck · 09-23-2007, 01:05 PM

suiteswheel,I guess that no matter which one we use it will look patch-uped.I have talked to alot of dealers and all have told me that I am the first one with a torn TPO roof and they never heard of the patch of the same material useing a hot airgun to weld it over the tear.This one sounds to me like the best one, but finding someone that knows how to do it is a another matter.so the dicor and the eternabound will work to prevent leaks but I think it will look patch-uped.This Monday I am going to call ALFA which is the company that makes our roof and try to get a solution from them. I will post it when I get their advice.

retiredchuck · 09-25-2007, 09:52 PM

Well,I got ahold of Alpha system INC. they make the tpo roof on the suites.They do have a patchkit of the same material.You have to use a hot air gun.They sent me the repair procedures,I do not know how to post it.I belive that this would be less noticable. They also said that to look it over and if I cant do it they will give the addresses of the service centers. It would be expensive at the service center.I will have to think on it.What worries me is that you have to heat the area that is to be repair,applieing enough heat so that the patch bonds to it without burning membrane on roof.What do you think suiteswheel??

SuiteWheels · 09-27-2007, 04:52 PM

Chuck....well we have it patched. David put the Kool Seal cement in as the filler....felt it did such a good job he then took back the other product he was going to use to cover and picked up the eternabond at Camping World. He put three coats on....he thinks it looks good but because it is whiter, you can see the difference. We are hoping with time it was turn a little as to match the roof color.....now, we are lucky as to the area this happened....when our door slide is out, no one can see this unless your standing on the roof looking down. LOL

I haven't seen it yet as the slide is out....we are pulling up stakes here and hitting the road for two weeks going to NV, UT, & AZ....so I'll give my opinion when he puts the slide in Sat. morning.
Anyway when we are parked....you can't see it and this sure beats turning it over to the insurance or using a hot glue that hubby was against even trying!

Good Luck on whichever way you decide to go.