RV 101® / RV Education 101®

Periodic roof inspections and maintenance can extend the life to your RV roof, and the work is not difficult for RV owner’s to perform.

Today I want to discuss the correct way to apply new lap sealant on your RV roof.

To get many years of reliable service from your RV roof it’s important to properly maintain the roof. A major component of RV roof maintenance is inspecting the roof sealants periodically. If there is a way for water to penetrate the sealants it will find it.

Caution: Safety first, whenever you are working on your RV roof exercise caution. A fall can result in serious injury or death.

When you inspect the sealants on your RV roof the key is to look closely for any cracks or separation in the old sealant where water could penetrate the surface. This means getting on your hands and knees and really inspecting all of the sealants.

Prior to resealing any sealants on the roof, you need to thoroughly clean the old sealant, and the surrounding roof surface so the new sealant can adhere to the surface. I use Dicor Rubber Roof Cleaner to first clean the area, followed by some denatured alcohol on a clean cloth as a final preparation.

If the old sealant you are resealing has lifted or separated from the surface of the roof and can be removed go ahead and remove it. Otherwise it’s best to leave it alone and seal over the old sealant.

Make sure you use the correct sealant for the roof’s surface. Consult your RV owner’s manual or local RV dealer for the proper sealant. Use a standard caulking gun and run a bead of caulk over the area you are resealing. If you are sealing a crack or separation in the old sealant you don’t need to apply as much sealant as you would for a new application.

For more information about caring for your RV check out our RV Care & Preventive Maintenance Video Training