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Care and Feeding of Your Rubber Membrane Roof

By Alan Lidstone
Editor, Florida RVer

This commentary was developed in interviews with Jerilyn Vickers, the RV roof specialist at Ed Cote's RV Storage and Repair in Sarasota, Florida, who has been helping RVers with rubber membrane roofs since their introduction in the mid-1990s. Her experience since their introduction provides these insights.

Manufacturers like the rubber membrane roof for its light weight and ease of installation on the factory floor. RVers should be aware that while this technology has a sleek look, the rubber membrane roof is more susceptible to damage from brushing overhanging tree limbs than metal or fiberglass roof materials.  

Untended roof tears or defective seals around roof openings may allow water to get to the particle board or plywood substrate and eventually to the sidewalls of the coach. Undetected leaks may result in mold, mildew and expensive repairs.

Twice-a-year preventive maintenance will help you obtain maximum service life. This service includes cleaning the roof with a mild soap and water solution and applying two coats of UV protectant, such as Protect-All, and checking the roof and seals around all roof openings for leaks or tears. Allow 24 hours between the two coats of UV protectant. The inspection lets you find and repair any damage before it causes any damage.

Stronger cleaners may be required for local spot removal of mold or mildew. These can damage the finish on the sidewalls or decals so it is important to thoroughly wet the roof and sidewall area during the spot removal and rinse the affected roof and sidewalls off immediately to prevent the cleaners from dulling your sidewall finish or decals. Jerilyn recommends a two-person team when using strong cleaners — one on the roof cleaning and the second on the ground with a hose, continually rinsing the sidewalls.

The following is recommended for RVs with a rubber membrane roof:

•Anyone cleaning or walking on a rubber membrane roof should wear soft-sole shoes with clean soles when walking on the roof to prevent tearing or damaging the membrane.
•Only use self-leveling lap sealers approved for a rubber membrane roof such as Dicor 510 LSW (check your coach documents).
•Never use Kool Seal (from Home Depot, etc.) on an RV roof (they are for standing structures only).
•Never use silicone sealant or C-10 Flow Seal on a rubber membrane roof (they may react chemically and damage the roof).

Proper preventive maintenance up front can save thousands of dollars in repairs.

Alan Lidstone is the author of the book RVs — Getting Out And Staying Out and the editor of Florida RVer, a free monthly email newsletter about RVing in Florida.

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