Leaky Roof

D

Dotplus6

Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Posts
251
Likes collected
224
Location
N. Ireland
Funster No
56,522
MH
Swift Royale 540 (1995)
Exp
4 yrs in total but not consecutively. Just bought the 3rd.
Hi! Has anyone used a company called 'Alltimes Coatings?' We have bought our 3rd MH - a Swift Royale, 23yo, 56,000 miles with complimentary leaking roof . Googled & came across this company which recommends a substance to coat the roof to stop leaks. We have no idea where the leak is . Thanks in advance! Dot
 
Thanks. I'm not sure where to start - I thought it might be simpler to just coat the whole roof since it's old.
 
Always better to find and repair the leak rather than cover it up.
Really need proper investigation as if it has been leaking some time there will probably be rotten timbers in the roof.
 
Can you see where the leak is coming through? Is it near a skylight or around the edges? There are vertical joins along the coving where the roof meets the sides, these can dry and lift and expose the roof timber.
I doubt if it is the roof itself, it is a one piece aluminium sheet with no joins. It will only leak where there is damage. Sometimes the aluminium can corrode and leave small pinholes, I would check all over if you can to identify the leak before trying to fix it.
They are not prone to leaks, we just sold our 21 year old Royale 610. There were no leaks.

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if i were you, i would first remove and reseal the skylights, then renew the sealant on all the joints. if its still leaking then, tanking paint will seal pin hole corroded aluminium
 
Thanks guys - I guess I'm going to have to not be lazy & look for the leak!

My husband just noticed the water dripping down behind him one very wet morning. I asked him there now if he knew exactly where the leak was & he said he hadn't looked!! It had been in an accident about 6 years ago when the guy we bought it off, bought it so perhaps it's where the damage was originally. He has some sort of tape the whole way along the edges which has lifted up. I'll strip it & have a good look. Will let you know if we manage to locate it & fix it.

Allan - Do you know where to buy spare parts? I managed to break the 2 arms on the back window today - hubby had left the window wide open & I walked past & slammed it closed, not thinking that they were screwed open. And the plastic bit that goes over where you plug the electric into is broken in half.

Thanks!!

Dot
 
Thanks, TheBig1 - I'll try to do all this - hopefully I wont fall through the roof :-)
 
Today we started stripping back the panelling - underneath was as black as can be & the ply / timber just crumbled. It's worse than we thought but had to be completely stripped anyway so immaterial I suppose. I've put 2 of our joiners on it for 1 week - they both were unsure if it was wise touching it but I have total faith in their ability to sort it out & the alternative was to take it to the scrap yard.
IMG_5344.JPG
 
I can’t see your photos, but my eldest daughter bought a 29 year old MH last year, had leaks from roof.

They fitted all new skylights thinking it would be the seal round them, in doing that with sky lights removed they had pointed out to them pin prick holes all over the roof ?

I helped them apply a coat of roof sealing paint, not pretty battleship grey with what looks fibre glass strands in it

Did that 3 months ago, not leaked since, cost less than £50 for the paint , did it ourselves with big paint brushes ?

There is usually a solution to most issues

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Allanm said:
Can you see where the leak is coming through? Is it near a skylight or around the edges? There are vertical joins along the coving where the roof meets the sides, these can dry and lift and expose the roof timber.
I doubt if it is the roof itself, it is a one piece aluminium sheet with no joins. It will only leak where there is damage. Sometimes the aluminium can corrode and leave small pinholes, I would check all over if you can to identify the leak before trying to fix it.
They are not prone to leaks, we just sold our 21 year old Royale 610. There were no leaks.
Click to expand...
We discovered this when we stripped it back today - on the outside it had been covered up with sticky tape & painted ?
 

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OK now I can see the photos they also exposed similar issues but not as bad

Your biggest problem is still sealing the roof or your new work will be a waste of time and effort ?
 
DavidG58 said:
I can’t see your photos, but my eldest daughter bought a 29 year old MH last year, had leaks from roof.

They fitted all new skylights thinking it would be the seal round them, in doing that with sky lights removed they had pointed out to them pin prick holes all over the roof ?

I helped them apply a coat of roof sealing paint, not pretty battleship grey with what looks fibre glass strands in it

Did that 3 months ago, not leaked since, cost less than £50 for the paint , did it ourselves with big paint brushes ?

There is usually a solution to most issues
Click to expand...


yes but looking at the photos it will cost a lot more than £50 to sort that van David.
 
Dotplus6 said:
We discovered this when we stripped it back today - on the outside it had been covered up with sticky tape & painted ?
Click to expand...

I can’t make out where on the MH that is, but are you sure it is in the right place to cause the roof to leak?
 
DavidG58 said:
OK now I can see the photos they also exposed similar issues but not as bad

Your biggest problem is still sealing the roof or your new work will be a waste of time and effort ?
Click to expand...
Because the weather was fabulous today they decided to strip it all out & then fix the leaks - both at the hole & the edges - hopefully they will do that tomorrow & then I'll distinfect the whole of the inside metal work before they start the insulation. We'll also give it a good hosing to make sure the leaks are fixed. Thankfully in the Industrial Estate where we are, there is a guy who makes trailers (articulated type) and he says he'll help in any way he can - he's getting us the aluminium to mend the hole with adhesive that won't move.
 
DavidG58 said:
I can’t make out where on the MH that is, but are you sure it is in the right place to cause the roof to leak?
Click to expand...
? It is right in the middle of the roof just below where the cab part slopes back. How it happened is beyond me - it's covered in tape & painted.
 
Dotplus6 said:
? It is right in the middle of the roof just below where the cab part slopes back. How it happened is beyond me - it's covered in tape & painted.
Click to expand...
But, it's not the only place where water is getting in - the indicator at the front of the cab was leaking into the bed part above the driver & the edges had sticky tape on top of them. We'll seal every joint there is!!
 
Thanks. I'm planning on pianting the whole of the outside with Farrow & Ball Exterior Eggshell once I get the decals off - nothing to lose - it's old & can only help it's appearance. I'll maybe undercoat the roof with a rubberised paint first once the guys are finished. Will post more photos later on in the week...

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That looks like a big job , I hope the wooden timbers aren’t completely rotten , but it sounds like you have a good team.
The owner must have known how bad it was surely .

Good luck and I hope you get her up and running and have many trips away in her.
 
Dotplus6 said:
Allan - Do you know where to buy spare parts? I managed to break the 2 arms on the back window today - hubby had left the window wide open & I walked past & slammed it closed, not thinking that they were screwed open. And the plastic bit that goes over where you plug the electric into is broken in half.

Thanks!!

Dot
Click to expand...

I replaced a couple of window arms and a few plastic bits on the Seitz blinds. I used Leisureshopdirect. They have a good selection of spares.

Search results for Window stays

Search results for Window stays
www.leisureshopdirect.com www.leisureshopdirect.com

Allan
 
Thanks - though ATM those parts are now a minor issue - I think I posted that before I realised about the damp ?
 
Anthea M said:
That looks like a big job , I hope the wooden timbers aren’t completely rotten , but it sounds like you have a good team.
The owner must have known how bad it was surely .

Good luck and I hope you get her up and running and have many trips away in her.
Click to expand...
It certainly is - & bigger each day that passes. I'm having a hard job keeping them motivated today. Have been helping them strip the polystyrene which is glued to the sides off. And they've damaged it on the outside - it is full of pock marks where they've been heavy handed & they decided that I should just abandon ship as no one could drive around in it like that. Not to be deterred I've borrowed a rubber mallet & after lunch am going to get one of the other guys to put a block of wood in the inside while I hammer the marks on the outside. If that fails I'll be putting flowery stickers all over the outside to detract from the mess. Needless to say they don't share my vision. I'm thinking about the days at the beach & Brit Stops book that I've just purchased. If we get if fixed I imagine I'll have to hold on to it for life. I'll share what it cost us to fix 'if' we get to that stage!
 
PS - all the timbers are completely rotten - there's really not a lot of structure to them - It really is a strip & start from scratch project!

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i am concerned by what you have posted that the vehicle is no longer structurally sound. a strong gust of wind and it could collapse let alone driving over a pothole. would be worth more as parts
 
i am concerned by what you have posted that the vehicle is no longer structurally sound. a strong gust of wind and it could collapse let alone driving over a pothole. would be worth more as parts
 
I really love these sort of threads , someone who isn't afraid of having a go, there are a few on here who have done the same thing and don't think any of them failed.
 
The damage done by plying off the insulation.
 
TheBig1 said:
i am concerned by what you have posted that the vehicle is no longer structurally sound. a strong gust of wind and it could collapse let alone driving over a pothole. would be worth more as parts
Click to expand...
Hi - it is safe in our yard - we have no intention of driving it until it is all put in order. I have no desire to be held accountable for anyone's death, including my own ?. You're quite right. A gust of wind could blow it to pieces. It's still held together but we will be moving it under cover shortly. And when we do put it together we will be making sure it's more structurally sound than before. Though to be honest - there's not a lot to any of them!!!

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