Sealing the roof

[chrismoore701]

I just bought a 2010 297bhs. Do I need to seal the roof on a routine bases? Or just keep an eye on? Talking about caulking the joints and vent etc?

Chris

[norty1]

What type of roof material is it?

[chrismoore701]

I don't know.

[norty1]

It is likely what is called a Rubber Roof. Real name is EPDM. You can get volumes of info on the net on care of a EPDM rubber roof.
I would scrub it gently with soapy water and a cleanser like AJAX or similar product. Then inspect the whole roof, and all seams and openings for cracks or tears You may want to get a tube of Dicor self leveling sealant to cover any suspicious places. Any tears can be patched with Eternabond tape. Both are available at RV stores. Do not use household caulk.

Once or twice a year this should be repeated.

[chrismoore701]

I assume it is safe to walk on

[norty1]

I would not assume that. If it has a OE ladder it likely is but it is new enough that you should be able to get that from Jayco with the vin#.
The Jayco web site has a Archive section with fp's and specs on older products.

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

I assume it is safe to walk on

One of the big selling points of Jayco (at least the newer ones) is that Magnum Roof System. If you have that, you are going to have one of the better built roofs on a trailer you can get. My current RV has a flat roof with just 2x2's. I wouldn't feel safe walking on mine, but I sit on it and scoot across to do maintenance. That spreads the weight out better and I am less likely to fall off that way!

I would guess you have the EPDM roof and you are probably supposed to check the caulk every 3 months. My Nash owners manual says to remove caulk if it is loose (able to be removed by hand, no tools) and to reapply caulk to any areas that need it.

You are out of your 2 year warranty window, I might suggest you invest in a roll of Eternabond tape and tape your seams. The caulk is the weakpoint in your roofing system. Eternabond tape will probably last longer than your RV if you prep and install it right. Once the tape is installed, no more scraping old caulk and applying new caulk.

[Camping Couple]

Originally Posted by spoon059

One of the big selling points of Jayco (at least the newer ones) is that Magnum Roof System. If you have that, you are going to have one of the better built roofs on a trailer you can get. My current RV has a flat roof with just 2x2's. I wouldn't feel safe walking on mine, but I sit on it and scoot across to do maintenance. That spreads the weight out better and I am less likely to fall off that way!

I would guess you have the EPDM roof and you are probably supposed to check the caulk every 3 months. My Nash owners manual says to remove caulk if it is loose (able to be removed by hand, no tools) and to reapply caulk to any areas that need it.

You are out of your 2 year warranty window, I might suggest you invest in a roll of Eternabond tape and tape your seams. The caulk is the weakpoint in your roofing system. Eternabond tape will probably last longer than your RV if you prep and install it right. Once the tape is installed, no more scraping old caulk and applying new caulk.

X2. There is also a thread here that someone applied eternabond to all their seams and edges with good pictures too. I just installed a new bath vent fan and used Eternabond. It is worth it!