Washing the Roof?

[gypsmjim]

Doesn't sound like fun....LOL.

Our old trailer is a '64 with a metal roof. I painted the seams every few years and kept the flashing around the roof vent and chimney well maintained with roofing cement and even after 50 years she has never had a single leak. Still in use by the kids.

Our new 2015 Jayco with the rubber roof is now winterized and covered with a foot of snow. The driveway is plowed over at the road, so It'll be awhile till we can get access again. So for the time being I'm reading up on PMs so she'll hopefully give us a long service life.

Our campsite is 400' up a stone driveway on the side of a mountain. We have 50 acres, a pond, rifle range, etc., but NO utilities. We drive to the closest town to pick up groceries and supplies, and bring a few 5 gal water jugs back and forth for dishwashing and the shower.

I have read about the need to wash the roof. I have no problem getting up there to do it, and can use any type of cleaner necessary, but short of climbing the ladder and pouring a gallon bucket of water on the roof I have no way to wash it. The trailer is up on blocks and is there for the duration, so driving it to a car wash is not an option.

So, the roundabout way of asking......what are the ramifications of not washing the roof? How much will it shorten the life of the roof? Tree sap is not a problem, just normal airborne contamination, and even that is minimal since we truly are in the boondocks!

[SouthCo]

Good question and i'm curious to see what the answer is as well.

[MrScary]

Not sure about long-term effect...but a dirty roof is where the black streaks start to form!

[clubhouse]

If there is a pond, what about setting up a pump and a hose a couple times a year and just wash the roof. It doesn't need to be potable water used to wash/rinse the roof.

As for what will happen if you don't, I don't know I have always washed the roof a few times a year.

[Imnaha.Mansion]

I'm curious about others opinion.
The way I see it the cleaning is required prior to applying a UV inhibitor protectant.
Which is required for a long roof life.

[Adk Camper]

The Pro's should chime in soon so be patent.

[Clayton4971]

Not sure what the effect is by not cleaning the roof. I personally don't like the black streaks that come down the side of the roof when it's dirty. If you don't park under trees especially oak it helps. I live down on a lake and can't get the rid down to the house . I picked up a 55gal blue plastic barrel that I put a 12volt pump on in the back of the truck and can do the roof and sides with two fills.

[SouthCo]

Originally Posted by Imnaha.Mansion

I'm curious about others opinion.
The way I see it the cleaning is required prior to applying a UV inhibitor protectant.
Which is required for a long roof life.

I may be wrong and will have to look again, but I thought my material said not to apply any inhibitors. Again I may be mistaken...

[3'senough]

I think the basis for cleaning the roof is get us up there and inspect seams. A clean roof does shed water better with less pooling, all be it shallow. Dirt does build up and lead to pooling around seams, but that is argueable from both sides.

My suggestion would be a rain bucket(s). Put a few 5 gallon pails under your rain spouts and use that or just before it's due to rain get up there and agitate the real dirty areas. The pond/lake source is also a great idea.

Your roof will increase in mold like growth from dust and dew that eventually turns it black or gray. How that effects the material is one for the manufacturers to answer.

Again I think it is more for the owners to get up there and find issues as they develop since dirt can cover up cracks in sealants. Yes is greatly reduces black streaks which is my primary reason for getting up there.

[Adk Camper]

Originally Posted by 3'senough

I think the basis for cleaning the roof is get us up there and inspect seams. A clean roof does shed water better with less pooling, all be it shallow. Dirt does build up and lead to pooling around seams, but that is argueable from both sides.

My suggestion would be a rain bucket(s). Put a few 5 gallon pails under your rain spouts and use that or just before it's due to rain get up there and agitate the real dirty areas. The pond/lake source is also a great idea.

Your roof will increase in mold like growth from dust and dew that eventually turns it black or gray. How that effects the material is one for the manufacturers to answer.

Again I think it is more for the owners to get up there and find issues as they develop since dirt can cover up cracks in sealants. Yes is greatly reduces black streaks which is my primary reason for getting up there.

X2, Well stated.

[Seann45]

First off you can get a 45 gallon bladder from places like Camping World to carry water up to your RV from town. Then use an RV water pump to transfer it to your RV holding tank. That same pump can then be used with a garden hose to wash off the roof.

[Jagiven]

I cannot tell you the pros and cons of washing the roof or not. I do know that the roofing membrane is extremely thin. My goal of washing is to ensure all the caulk is in good condition. I have been thinking about applying eternabond tape at all the seams so I do not have to worry about it ever again.

I wash mine with a carwash brush and Dawn blue dish soap, it works really well. I am surprised how black my roof is every time I wash it.

I like the idea of using the water from the pond. Pump it or carry 5 gallon buckets to a 55 gallon drum, let it sit over night to settle out any debris and then use the water to clean the trailer or other items.

If you get a fair amount of rain you might be able to use your TT’s rain gutters to fill a 55 gallon drum.

[Grumpy]

The manufacturer (DICOR) recommends Spic & Span and a stiff brush (not harsh) they also say no protectorants or inhibitors are needed.

[Camper_bob]

IIRC, according to my roof (Alpha) documentation, the material has a UV inhibitor embedded in the material, so treatment for UV protection is not recommended.

[gypsmjim]

Thanks for all the ideas so far.

One of the Utube videos I came across had a detailed procedure on cleaning. At the end they recommended using Aerospace 303 protectant.

The Dicor literature DOES recommend using their own protector after cleaning. Its a spray-on bottle and they say does not contain silicone, etc. Its for UV protection. That seems smart to me, whether you use a Dicor product or 303.

My pond is too far away to make carrying water practical. Why not just do a small area at a time with a bucket and brush and the wipe off with a rag? Grandpa used to wash his car that way without rinsing because we had a well and couldn't afford to waste water. If you are going to apply 303 afterwards anyway, seems like all that rinsing is overkill. Now, if a new rubber coating is to be applied., then I can see why thorough cleaning is necessary to promote adhesion.

Anyone here that's real lazy and hasn't cleaned the rubber roof in 20 years.....LOL.....and what are the results...

[fmichaels]

I wash the roof mostly to determine if there are any new holes or potential damage over the winter. I can also check all the seals. I agree it's not something to look forward to.

[spoon059]

The black streaks is actually the natural process of chalking off the rubber. Clean or not, you will get black streaks. As far as I know, there is no regular maintenance other than checking the seams. You can clean it 4 times per year to check the caulk or simply install Eternabond tape as soon as you get the camper.


I bought my camper for fun, not additional maintenance. I applied Eternabond to my seams. My roof is 16 years old, I never washed it. We bought it used from my wife's uncle. He owned it for about 8 years... he never washed the roof either. All those sprays and products are completely unnecessary and not recommended by Dicor. They are simply products meant to remove money from your wallet.

By seams I mean where the roof meets the front and rear end caps and the side wall.

[gypsmjim]

I don't see any seams on my roof. The rubber roof is one piece. The only holes are at the vents and antenna. They all seem to be well coated with a self-leveling compound.

The Jayco owner's manual is very clear about maintenance. All it says is to check the caulk around the vents and seal if necessary.

[rvroofer]

Yes, clean your roof to see what your seams look like, the cause of all rv roof leaksI use a cleaner/de-greaser, just a little water in a bucket to rinse off your rag.

[wwsmith111]

The black streaks come down no matter what even on brand new perfectly clean trailers. Most of it is from the black sealant/caulk.