Introduction:
The #1 cause of death for many campers way too young is water leaks. Water leaks cause the wooden structures to rot over time, mold issues, and more. Maintaining the seals all over the camper is one of the most important tasks which needs to be done on a regular basis. Many people regularly check the roof but the sides also include penetrates and seams that need regular maintenance.
Damage from Poor Seal Maintenance:
Damage from water can lead to $1,000s in repairs to completely totaling a camper. Below I will slow you some of the damage the side walls can get from leaks.
Delamination of Fiberglass
Fiberglass delamination is when the fiberglass skin separates from its backing which is normally luan plywood in campers. This is mainly caused by water leaks that destroy the glue bond between the two. It is not only ugly, but the wood will start to rot many times causing structural weakness.
Exterior Framing Damage
Water leaks can cause extensive damage to the wooden framing inside the exterior walls. Normally the damage remains hidden till it is extensive. Weakened wall structure can cause high risks while towing due to the stresses of flexing and bumping down the road could end in wall failure.
Interior Damage
The water leak will also damage the interior including walls, flooring, cabinets, and more. This can be very time consuming and costly to repair. Also the threats of mold can bring health concerns of continued use if not repaired.
Regular Inspections:
Just like the roof, you should inspect all your seams on the sides of the camper at a minimum of yearly. I will usually do mine in the Spring as part of the Spring Cleaning Process (Check out our post on it). This is my main re-sealing time. Then I will check over it before winterization in case I need to touch up any chalking before putting my 5th wheel away for the winter.
During inspections, you should go over all trim including all edges, slides, and etc. You should also check pentrates such as antennas, doors, access panels, and etc. Finally you should check all the many lights such as marker lights, tail lights, and outdoor lights.
Quick Inspection Tips for Reference
- Best time for yearly inspection is during a good Spring washing. You can note any damaged chalking.
- Note any chalking that is highly damaged as it may better to remove for fresh bead than touching up over existing.
- Check ALL Trim
- Check all Doors such as cargo, hot water heater, fridge, and etc.
- Check all other penetrates such as antennas, vents, awning attachments, and etc.
- Check all lights such as markers, tail lights, and etc.
- While inspecting, I use painters tape to mark places for re-sealing.
Re-Sealing Process
Materials:
- Chalk Gun
- Painter Tape
- Non-Sag Chalking
- DO NOT USE SILICONE! I REPEAT DO NOT USE IT!
- I use Pro Flex (clear) which from my understanding they use at the factory.
- Other: OSI QUAD
- Water bowl with slightly soapy water
- Towels.
Pro Flex RV Sealant (Clear) on Amazon
Process:
Now that you have everything collected. Prepare and work on one side or area of your camper at a time. Below I will go over the general process for a nice clean job. It takes a little practice if you have not chalked before. I suggest to just go slow as its easy to create a sticky mess. Repeat below process doing ONE AREA or SIDE at a time!
- If you need to remove any highly damaged existing sealant in the area do that direct.
- CLEAN by wiping down everything you are planning on sealing over.
- For areas you are planning on applying a lot like a new bead of chalk, I suggest using the painters tape to take it off. This will give you clean professional looking lines.
- Slowly apply chalk in your intended areas in a steady bead.
- Once the bead of calk is laid, wet your finger or small rag with the soapy water. Just needs to be damp NOT SOAKING WET.
- Lightly smooth over the calk re-wetting as needed.
- Inspect your work to make sure it has made a good seal.
- Remove painters tape if you used it immediately. You do not want it stuck down by overlapping dry chalk.
- Once done with your selection go back to the top of the steps and repeat till whole camper is completed.
In Conclusion:
Many people forget about sealing the roofs, but even MORE forget about the sides walls. It can be time consuming, but water damage can destroy a camper. Fixing water damage will be way more time consuming and costly than just doing the regular maintenance. At first it will go slow, but once you have some experience. It becomes extremely easy task to complete regularly!