Water soaked beds NOT caused by condensation

[HarryO]

Howdy folks,

Our 2018 X17Z is a Hybrid with beds on both ends that hinge outward. Accidentally tearing the vinyl covering that covers the plywood underneath of the bed that faces the towing vehicle, revealed that it is water soaked all along the hinge and about 2 feet wide. I checked the other bed that we NEVER sleep on, and it has a similar challenge, although not as badly soaked. Not a condensation challenge.

Can / should I attempt a self help by pulling off all vinyl coverings to dry out, or is this a systemic challenge of seal leaking while driving that hopefully will be covered under existing warranty, or...?

Thanks for your insights in advance,

HarryO

[Millertyme76]

I use to have a 2016 X17Z. I had a very similar problem. Mine was caused by a slight crack in the caulking outside in the bottom corner of the bunk. Two trim pieces meet there and the caulking cracked allowing water to be wicked into the door. I noticed this when I first opened the camper up after sitting for the winter. The front bunk was worse, I believe because the water had a nice pitch to run down. Any rain, snow, or morning dew found its way in slowly.

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by Millertyme76

I use to have a 2016 X17Z. Two trim pieces meet there and the caulking cracked allowing water to be wicked into the door. I noticed this when I first opened the camper up after sitting for the winter. The front bunk was worse, I believe because the water had a nice pitch to run down. Any rain, snow, or morning dew found its way in slowly.

X2, that’s a good place to start along with the rubber gasket that surrounds the door. Mines 11 years old and ( does not) have that problem but I do cover it when not in use. Where I live (Bellingham, Wa.) you can expect rain a good part of the year.

[DocBrown]

That spot on the corners is most likely the issue. I have a slight wood damage inside the bed wal, and a small area of delamination due to water getting in that corner. I sealed it and it's fine now. Water will get in every little crack it can find.

[HarryO]

Thank you all for your timely responses. Will have Camping World assess IOT figure out which of these two risks are causing this challenge, then we'll work with Extended Warranty Co and hope that labor is covered. If, by remote chance, I opt to replace the wood myself, is this a daunting task?

[Jagiven]

Welcome Aboard!

Can you post a couple of images?

As for addressing/fixing it yourself, that really is a question only you can answer. What is your confidence level in your skills?? Drying it out should be easy. If the seal is bad, or something else, only you know your skills.

If the mattress is wet, I would pull the mattress. Place it in a sunny dry spot for as long as physically possible as it can hold water internally for a long time.

Key is to dry the wood. Moisture can cause mold, rot, and delamination of the outer fiberglass layer. Do you store your HTT at home? Can you open up and leave it open? If so, keep it open as much as possible with the windows open and let it dry out. This can take a while (days, weeks, or more ), pending how soaked the wood is. I would also have a decent fan blowing across the deck to help speed up the process. If it is at home but you cannot leave it open, pull the fabric back, and aim a good size fan at the deck. Have the bathroom vent open so the moisture can escape.

I would also purchase a moisture meter for wood, so you know when the deck is dry.

As for water getting in. For me, it has always been due to a piece of the fabric skirting being caught in the door seal when we close up the HTT. I try to be very careful when we close up. Even recently I must of had just a tiny bit of skirting caught in the door seal. Drove to camp in a downpour. Got to camp and found water in the front corner. When I setup at camp, I make sure the skirt is folded over nicely at the hinge, so any rain water cannot get to the hinge. Lastly, I would also check your gasket to ensure it is not damaged.

Good luck.

Edit; I doubt your roof is the issue, but have you been checking your roof caulking every 6 months? Also make sure to check all your other caulking. At about 3 years of age, I started finding lots of caulk starting to fail (this to is normal).

[penguin149]

I think I have a similar issue. Front bed of my X17C paneling had water damage about a foot from the bottom up on the curb side, about halfway across the width. The tent ends were not wet, no other water intrusion anywhere. The latch was completely sealed so water had to be getting inside of the bunk end around the seams where the fiberglass meets the trim. I cut the rotted wood out and replaced it along with the foam. Caulked around the seams. Waiting to see if my 'fix corrected the problem. There's a Facebook group, Jayco RV Owners where a guy did a very nice write-up of how he fixed his, it includes photos.

[HarryO]

Exceptionally helpful - much thanks to you all for the time spent providing a solid understanding not only of how it likely occurred, but how to fix. A review of our extended warranty plan made it pretty clear that any likely cause / affect scenario would not be covered by them, so blasting it with a construction floor fan is best COA. Followed by some anti-mold treatment (Kilz) and vinyl recovering, and it should be G-T-G. Tarp covering while in open-sky storage, checking for roof leaks now, and diligence in folding it all up pre-travel is also well received.

HarryO