Leaks

[Motor31]

Just a note to let you know what we have found as a new development.

We have had a chronic leak in the rear facing window of the dining room slide. Whenever water runs down the window it enters the rig under the window frame and trickles down the wall soaking the carpet and floor of the slide. The repair from the service center in Elkhart didn't hold and the leak came back on the first heavy rainfall on that side of the trailer. I am not sure the leak is around the window frame. I'm beginning to suspect it's leaking through the frame itself into the trailer instead of out the weep holes to the outside.

On Sunday night the sky opened up in Central Texas near San Antonio. We found a leak in the overhead fantanstic fan vent over the bed. I spottted it before it soaked the bed fortunately. Monday I went up and looked at the vent. I found that there was a shortage of caulk around the vent base. I am rather surprisd it stayed as dry as it did since the "bead" of caulk didn't even overlap the edge of the fan base. The caulk was just applied in a small bead up against the plastic edge. There were several cracks in the caulk and one was leaking into the roof onto the bed. I removed the old caulk and applied a new bead using an RV sealant I got from the tech when the first caulk problems were noted on delivery.

I'd recommend going up on the roof and looking at the caulk beads around the fans, skylight and other protruding items going through or into the roof membrane. The cracks are easy to spot and will allow water inside if not sealed.

[kmosher6]

I had the same leak but on nthe other side of the unit on the outside wall next to the couch right under the window. It soaked the carpet but it didn't show on the wall. I discovered a leak around the gutter extention. After removing the caulking and applying new caulking the leak has stopped.

[hitchup]

We've had leaks in the both automatic vents, too. Took a couple of tries to fix those. David added vent covers & no leaks since. Then we've had minor leaks on the rear corners as well. It's only at the carpet edges. Removing the couch allowed me to check easier & get dried out quickly.

It's difficult to find entry & exit points. He also thinks it was near the gutter system. He had recaulked around exterior of windows & at banding. Last weekend he found another loose band screw & replaced a couple. But there's still quite a gap just under the gutter.

It has been pretty dry here, so after he caulks we can't recheck for awhile. Waiting for some rain tomorrow so he can see if it's taken care of.

[RustyJC]

On our previous 5th wheel we had a leak in a large Hehr window installed on the rear wall of the 5th wheel. This leak turned out to be between the rubber seal and the glass itself, so don't overlook that as a possibility.

Rusty

[Motor31]

Update.

After an inch to 2 inches of rain yesterday it looks like I may have fixed the roof leak defintely. The window tentatively.

The roof was simple, remove the old caulk with a putty knife, insure there is clean surface and reapply a heavy bead of the proper caulk.

The window. I recaulked it as there were some small cracks in the caulk on the edges of the frame. I don't think it was leaking there as it wouldn't leak unless the water was streaming down the glass on the outer edge / side of the window. I pulled up the wide gasket on the lower window where it met the part of the window that actually opens (sliding upwards). There was a buch of dirt and debris in that area that looked like it was there since manufacture of the rig. (wood and gel coat chips) I cleaned up the gasketing strip and the area it seated into then put it in place making sure it seated fully on the bottom and lower sides. I also made sure the weep holes were unobstructed. So far no more leak.

The leak at the window was water streaming down the wall coming from under the wood trim of the window frame. I couldn't see any water in the top side of the lower window track or even the frame. It seemed the water was traveling under the metal window frame to the inside then down the wall. Since it traveled under the frame it was impossible to tell where it came in. Frustrating.

[rverdlm]

Mike, I had a simular leak on the bedroom slide. I thought it was the window and I re-caulked it. It sill leaked at the next heavy rain. I went up on the top of the slide and re-caulked every seam and recaulked at the bottom of the slide where the trim strip is. It has not leaked since. Water leaks are tough because they are not usually coming from where they seem. Just a thought.

[Motor31]

I had a similar thought and went up to look at the roof seam. It seems to be intact. The one thing that confirmed it was the window was it pwould only l;eak when water streamed down the glass to the outside of the center of the window glass. It's dificult to express verbally but the water had to stream onto the glass on the right side as you face the window from the outside. Then I'd see small trickles of water on the inside of the slideout wall running the entire width of the window.

[rverdlm]

Good luck, Mike. Water leaks are a bi#%h. I've a friend who has been chasing a leak in his Travel Supreme for 5 years and he is finally just trading it. My advice is to just keep caulking things until it quits. Then you'll know.

[jack_diane_freedom]

Just for prevention purposes I take our 05 36 TK3 to the dealer once per year to have the roof completely inspected and recaulked where necessary. This stuff does not last forever and you must stay on top of it.

Jack