Maintaining your RV’s Roof
O'Connor RV
Hundreds of thousands of snowbirds from Canada and the northern United States make the trip south each year in their RV. The major reason for the trip is the weather and the hot sun, which feels great on the body but can definitely not be great for an RV. Make sure to protect your roof as much as possible to protect your investment and get many years of reliable service and use from your home away from home. Here are some tips on how to prolong your roof life.
Inspect your RV roof several times a year. Determine if your RV roof still has some life in it or needs to be replaced. Look for signs of wear and tear that may require a service trip. If it looks good proceed to cleaning and protecting it. There are some steps you can take to protect your RV roof from sun and water damage.
Keep it Clean: Keeping your RV roof clean will help it to last longer because dirt you see on the roof may not be just soil, but also acid from pollution that will break down the rubber on your roof and cause it to crack. Before you begin cleaning, check your manual to determine the type of roofing used and the recommended type of soap or cleaner to use. RV roofs are built with many different materials depending on the manufacturer.
When cleaning the RV roof make sure to rinse the sides of the RV, as well, to avoid soap residue and damage to the any graphics or the paint. Don’t use a cleaner that contains harsh abrasives or citric-based acids on rubber or vinyl roofs. Make sure to keep debris such as leaves and branches off of the roof to help to extend the life of the roof. Do not use a pressure washer!
Inspect roof sealants: Cleaning the roof is only the first part of maintaining it. Every time you clean the roof, make sure to check all the sealants and seams. Inspect the roof sealants thoroughly for potential leaks as water is a major enemy to your roof and the smallest opening can cause extensive damage.
Seal the clean roof surface: After the roof has been cleaned and has dried thoroughly, apply a self levelling roof sealant. Check with your RV Service Technician or RV Parts Store for the best choice of sealants. Reseal any roof seams or other openings where you suspect a leak. Many RV roof cleaning and sealing products also have added UV protection ingredients. If you keep your RV or travel trailer roof clean and sealed it will last for many years.
Keep it covered: If possible, try to keep your RV covered when it is not in use to help protect it from the elements. It’s inevitable that over time the roof will begin to show signs of wear caused by exposure. The sun makes the aging process happen quicker, so just like we wear sunscreen to avoid wrinkles, so should you apply some protection to your RV.
With routine inspection and a little hard work, you can keep the roof of your motorhome looking and working like new for many years. If you are not comfortable working on the RV roof, have your maintenance performed by an authorized RV service centre.
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