How safe is my roof (1 Viewer)

[mushy]

I really must clean the roof of moho but am concerned about if it is safe to clamber up there. Weighing in at a mere fourteen and a half stone will I do any damage.

 

[Blue Knight]

Ladder, soft brush and soap and water - that's all you need. No need to jump on the roof.

 

[Northernraider]

What van is it

It makes all the difference , I can clamber all over the roof on my Frankia. .but wouldn't risk it on my sister's autocruise as hers flexes a fair bit

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[mushy]

2002 Swift Kontiki and no smart arse comments about leaks thankyou.

 

[Silas]

I also have a kontiki albeit at 1996 model. Only bought it a couple if months ago but was assured that it was ok to go on the roof. The over cab area has a notice on it to say not to walk on that area of the roof. However, I haven't tried it yet...

 

[Richard n Ann]

Put a towel on it, then a board to spread the weight. Don't go in the middle or near the sun roofs, stick to round the edges and it will be ok

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[Nasher]

Get a (small) boy scout to clean it & give him 5p

 

[The Dotties]

Get a (small) boy scout to clean it & give him 5p

It's people like you that force inflation up!

 

[Geo]

Stay off the roof if at all possible, not for fear of you going through it, but flexing can and does break seals on seams and around roof fixtures,
It also causes sag and water pooling, not good if that happens around a seam or roof light
your particular roof is if in factory condition good for well over your weight
but if supports have suffered damp ingress and rot then who knows 8 stone may be too much
as @Blue Knight says ladder and telescoping brush is ample, safer and preferable

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[westhamman]

Bob a job, hated it, digging bloody garden for a whole bob. Of course they stopped doing it, but wouldn't be good getting van waxed for a bob.

 

[Rds559]

I asked Bailey and they told me that is ok to walk on the roof of there motorhomes.

 

[Lenny HB]

German vans with a closed cell PU foam sandwich allow 75kg on the roof. I think Swift only use polystyrene so I wouldn't want to risk it, high risk of damage.

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[Silver-Fox]

General rule of thumb, if it’s got the patterned raised pieces on it it’s ok to go in those areas.
Main part to stay of is over cab area I don’t think there’s a lot of stiffening in n this area.

 

[Northernraider]

I've just been up and done mine again on this aire as they had a ladder ....wouldnt believe how dirty it was considering I just done it a month or so ago.

It's parked right next to @BreweryDave s so can't have my roof being dirtier than his

Only took half an hour though

 

[Brakers]

I don't think I would like to walk on my Autotrail roof or as some unkind person called it Watertrail.
To say the least I'm quite well built and that is probably being economic with the truth.

It's ok some saying it is OK to walk on certain parts of the roof but it's you who must deal with the consequences if the worst happens.

I think I would air on the side of caution and as someone has already said ladder and long brush etc. I know it would be easier to do it from a stand point on the roof but I for one would not risk it even if I was your weight.
Best Wishes Tony

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[nicholsong]

Since our roof is the same double aluminium and styrofoam sandwich as the walls, none of which have any re-inforcing, so have to be structurally strong I assume the roof is too. Also N+B offered a ladder as optional extra, so implies roof is OK for standing on.

 

[mushy]

Hmmm I think I will err on the side of caution. There are two tubes that run the length of the roof I could make up a home made youngmans board and straddle the roof to get better access to the awkward to get to places. Thanks for your words of wisdom everyone you may now take the p*ss.

 

[pagey]

whats all this getting on the roof about are you not married now behind the wall waiting for the incoming

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[Hettie's Crew]

Our roof is ‘safe’ to 75kg according to the manual but I wouldn’t dream of walking on it unless I had absolutely no other option due to the possibility of flex disturbing sealant. It’s surprising what you can reach from the side to clean the roof.

 

[BreweryDave]

It’s a Swift, I wouldn’t worry about it, they’re built like tanks.

..............water tanks..........
could go for the indoor pool modification

 

[Reallyretired]

I still weigh in old fashioned pounds and Mike cleans my roof once a year without walking on it.

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[namwaldog]

I know not all of us have them, but we have used a scaffolding tower in the past. We had enough 2ft lifts to erect them either side of the MH and put a couple of large planks across without touching the roof itself.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-Scaffo...anised-Steel/261206309482?hash=item3cd11bfa6a

I hasten to add it was to facilitate a very fiddly job in the centre of the roof.

For washing the roof we use a ladder with foam insulation on the uprights and then a long handled soft brush and a hosepipe (not after 6th August Your Worship)

 

[pappajohn]

Never had a problem, or a leak, on either of our Kontiki.... And I'm 17st plus bucket of soapy water, mop, hose pipe, flask, sandwiches, chair, table, radio.
My RV fiberglass roof had a steel loop frame and I could have parties up there. .. But the Yanks know how to built em.

 

[funflair]

Bob a job, hated it, digging bloody garden for a whole bob. Of course they stopped doing it, but wouldn't be good getting van waxed for a bob.

My "Bob a Job" claim to fame is that I polished Old man Prestons boots and chopped sticks, that is Old man Dickie Preston as in Prestons of Potto you might have seen their wagons on the road, in those days they had one wagon and a Steam engine the steam traction engine hauled brick up the A19 during the fuel shortage apparently (Suez crisis I think).

My other experience was not so good, knocked on the door of the local pub which had just changed hands, "knock knock" door opens "it's cub scout Bob a Job week have you anything I can do please" I get a proper snooty "do you know who we are" reply "our Son is David Coverdale from whitesnake" well that went right over my head but I still didn't get a Job or a Bob miserable gits

Martin

EDIT and just so I can't be accused of going off topic I should add that yes I do go on our roof but if we had a Swift and I weighed 5 stone more than I do I might think twice about it actually delete the Swift bit, if I was 17 stone I would think twice even on our van.

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[Abacist]

Get a (small) boy scout to clean it & give him 5p

It's people like you that force inflation up!

What a cheapskate that's half what we used to get back in the 50/60's!

 

[DaveandJen]

B & Q sell some good high reach step ladders at good prices during their sales and together with a brush with an extending pole sold by most Caravan dealers / Amazon sorts out most of our high level cleaning duties after a few weeks away. Never would I get up onto the roof of a Motorhome constructed in recent years to clean it after seeing how many new vans are constructed.

 

[Northernraider]

B & Q sell some good high reach step ladders at good prices during their sales and together with a brush with an extending pole sold by most Caravan dealers / Amazon sorts out most of our high level cleaning duties after a few weeks away. Never would I get up onto the roof of a Motorhome constructed in recent years to clean it.

Depends entirely on the model of van
Nothing to do with the age just the difference in build techniques and materials used

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[DaveandJen]

Depends entirely on the model of van
Nothing to do with the age just the difference in build techniques and materials used

Happy to go with that, but the days of ladders fitted to the back of motor homes to access the roof seen to have disappeared nowadays.

 

[mushy]

Mine has the ladder to nowhere and its just a pain because you cannot open the rear window wide enough to get it to stay on the first click. Its on the list to be removed.

 

[Northernraider]

Willing to go with that, but the days of ladders fitted to the back of motor homes to access the roof seen to have disappeared nowadays.

I don't think they've just disappeared they've just become more if an optional extra than a standard fitment ...probably as more vans now have garages or large external lockers and double floors etc. ..and it's only really someone with canoes or windsurfing gear that uses a roofrack.



A lot of older vans that had ladders fitted still had weak roofs but many didn't.

My old n reg euramobil had roof rack and ladder access and a very sturdy roof as did my mobilvetta....but I didn't use them much.
My dad's swift kontiki had one and you could feel the roof move beneath your feet.

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