TPO Roofs

[tnrv_er]

Got a quick question which I believe I already know the answer to but some of you have more experience with TPO roofs because you have them on your camper.

Went to look at the Grand Design 2150 yesterday. After looking it over I climbed the ladder on the back of the trailer to get a look at the roof. There were several areas where the roof material wasn't pull tight, like sagging.

Now IMO there shouldn't be any sagging. It should be as tight as a drum, am I correct.

[Bumpyroad]

rbpru wrote:
Given most folks trade up in 3 to 5 years a 12 year roof is not much of an incentive, unless the warrantee transfers to the new owner.

I thought that 12 years was for material only, and they will sock it to you in labor cost
bumpy

[rbpru]

Given most folks trade up in 3 to 5 years a 12 year roof is not much of an incentive, unless the warrantee transfers to the new owner.

[gmw_photos]

Camper G wrote:


....snip.... Oh well, unless i buy an airstream, my next rig will probably have a rubber roof and I'll be on a 12yr replacement cycle just like the OEMs want! Lol.

If a person has a trailer with a TPO or EPDM roof, and wants to keep it beyond 12 years, and the rest of the trailer is still viable, wouldn't it be cheaper to just replace the roof, rather than buy an entire new trailer ?

For just the cost of sales tax and higher personal property tax alone on a new trailer, I could do a new roof membrane, and have money left over to go camping.

As for me, I don't care if my trailer lasts for 28 years. I'll be dead and gone from old age before then. At this moment, I am sitting in my trailer in Arizona for the winter. Under a roof membrane that is either EPDM or TPO.... I don't know which it is, and really don't care. I maintain it, it doesn't leak.

[2012Coleman]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I was wondering the same thing myself, how do you "upgrade" a rubber roof? by trading it in on a RV that has either an aluminum or fiberglass roof??? or reinstalling a defective product?
bumpy

FlexArmor is one way - lifetime warranty that is transferable as well.

[rbpru]

Since I have never seen any hard data to show the superiority of one type of roof over another, fiberglass vs aluminum sides, one frame maker over another and a host other items that bring about a lot of opinions; I base my TT decisions on 1, Can my TV carry the tongue weight? 2, Can we afford the TT? 3, Is the floor plan right.

The last, floor plan which includes the various amenities for daily use, out weighs the others by a large margin.

We all have our priorities.

[Ralph_Cramden]

I am almost 100% sure that Grand Design uses Alpha Systems Superflex. Not a rubber and not really a TPO, at least not in the convential definition.

[Hank_McDonald]

Water will not leak through continuous aluminum sheet. There must be a pin hole, or there is a different location where the water is getting in and it is running to that location, probably because it is low. If the water is pooling on the top, and not going away, it stands to reason it isn't leaking at that location. The location of the actual leak and where the water presents on the inside may well be different locations. They commonly are. I would suggest looking to other possible locations.

[Hank_McDonald]

I am currently in the process of purchasing a Grand Design 5th wheel. The issue of seam bubbles has come up. The roof is TPO. The bubbles are narrow but are the entire length of the substrate seam because there is clearly a gap where the panels come together. I have looked at numerous manufacturers installation specifications and videos. This is clearly a violation of the installation standards. These seams are supposed to be either filled, or covered with seam tape or both. In the case of these gaps, it appears to me that the manufacturer is indicating filling, but it isn't abundantly clear that the seam tape can't or won't work. Either way it isn't right. I have spoken with the factory person at Grand Design and their position is that these bubbles are not a problem and they seemed totally disinterested in the manufacturers opinion on this issue. So, where I am at this time is asking myself the question as to whether I want to accept this or not. I have looked at several other RV's and don't see the same problem. It appears that the roof membrane is well adheased down to a continuous substrate on other RV's. I am surprised that they seem so disinterested, but I have learned that TPO, and rubber for that matter, are tough enough that they are getting the warrantee life expectancy out of these roofs, which is only 12 years. This material when installed properly is possibly a 50 year roof material.

[Camper_G]

Thanks, I'm glad to hear I'm now the only one that had that sort of experience with them. It's not helping them sell trailers, that's for sure

[tnrv_er]

Camper G, IME with Jayco's customer service, too put it bluntly, they SUCK!!!!!

[Camper_G]

My rig has several low spots on it. Not sure if that's just from age over the years, a tree branch fell on it during the prior owner's tenure but it's not low in that spot? I have no clue. I keep all calk joints maintained well with Dicor and she's always been dry/leak free inside.

I would have to guess that Billy's issue is an anamoly. I've just never heard of that happening before. The low spots on my roof do pool with water and make bird baths when it rains, but the aluminum in those areas are in the same condition as the rest of the roof. IE very good.

I will miss the aluminum roof on the Layton when the day comes for it to go, that's for sure. We may go with a new rig in the next few years. My wife and I would like to have some more room for the kids and we'd like a fixed queen bed to sleep on. I've been looking hard at the Jayco 26BH, eventhough I'm not impressed or thrilled with Jayco's customer service at this point. I was directed to an individual there and he was not very responsive to my questions and acted like he could care less what I thought. Not good. But I like that Layout and the large compartment doors for the Jayco in the storage areas.

Funny, but when I see rigs I sell rolling down the road with their new owners I always feel a little sad. Camping is such a great family activity. We make so many memories. It forces you to spend time as a family, away from the TV and other pressures of everyday life. That's what I really enjoy about it, personally. I just love it.

[Atlee]

It is possible. Can't speak for the roof in question, but it used to happen on the old HI-LO trailers. HI-LO used steel nails to secure the wooden roof panels. They then used aluminum sheets to cover the top. Unfortunately, in HI-Lo's case, the steel nails would react with the aluminum roof and a number of pin holes would develop on the roof. Hard to notice until the water had done it's damage.

Bumpyroad wrote:
water leaking thru an aluminum sheet? Really? all those airplanes sitting/flying outside in the rain must get very heavy with the water load. sure it wasn't leaking at the seams,etc.?

bumpy

[hvac]

Bumpyroad wrote:

BillyW wrote:
Hmmm... I wonder if Aluminum is manufactured to different specs for different uses? No, I don't wonder that. I know that. Not to mention they are inspected and repaired on a strict schedule. And they do have aluminum sections replaced regularly.

This was an older trailer with a flat roof. The water was able to pool in several places (not near an edge or seam), and that's where it leaked. Period.

I would guess that the thinnest cheapest aluminum sheeting is kitchen aluminum foil. I'll have to test that out for water transmission.
bumpy

I can't get foil to leak. I mean tried balling it up. I dunno boy's.

[Camper_G]

BillyW wrote:
This was a '74 Coachmen I think. I had it in the '90s. It's been a long time.

It's interesting to say the least that's for sure. Thanks for sharing.