The roof on your recreational vehicle is just as important
as a roof on any landlocked house. It protects you and your home from some of the destructive forces of nature, Part-timers,
as well as fulltimers, need to plan regular maintenance for the tops of their RVs. Proper roof maintenance will keep your
rig snug and dry. Two types of roofing materials are generally used on recreational vehicles: metal and rubber.
Metal roofs, usually aluminum are found on older RVs. Regular
cleaning and inspection are all that is generally required. I use regular automotive wash and wax, and clean our roof two
or three times a year... depending on trees we've parked under, how long we stayed under them and what they dropped, or dripped,
onto our roof. The birds that live in those trees make a difference also.
Black streaks down the sides of your rig are caused by run-off
from the dirt, bird droppings, fallen leaves and other stuff that decays and is washed off the roof of your RV during light
rains and heavy dew. Regular cleaning of your roof, especially just before the rainy season starts, will go a long way toward
eliminating the cause of black streaks.
You may want to clean your roof more often than three or
four times a year if you regularly park under sap dripping trees, fruit trees, trees that attract a large bird population
or places where harsh environmental fall-out may settle on your roof. If allowed to stay on your rig for an extended period
of time these conditions may result in unremoveable stains.
If your RV was made in the last few years, chances are it
has a rubber roof. It's not the natural latex rubber we normally think of as roofing material, though. It1s a material called
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) which is specially made for roofing. EPDM rubber roofing membrane is made to last
20 years or longer and usually has a 10 to 12 year guarantee, depending on the brand.
EPDM manufacturers advise the rubber roof membranes do not
require the use of any protective roof treatment or roof protector product. The only maintenance recommended is cleaning the
roof four times a year.
If you have owned a rig with an EPDM roof for a few years,
you've no doubt noticed that the roof surface is chalky. Manufacturers say not to worry, this is a normal process of age and,
and that even after 10 years, only 10 percent of the material is lost due to chalking. Plenty of roof is left.
Regular cleaning will reduce chalk buildup and minimize
white streaks on the sides of your RV. The correct cleaning product is of great importance for your EPDM rubber roof. Never
use cleaners or conditioners containing petroleum solvents, harsh abrasives or citric based cleaners on your EPDM roof. Using
such solvents will cause irreparable damage and will most likely void your warranty. If you are uncertain about what is in
the product, don't use it. Of course each EPDM manufacturer recommends using their own brand of cleaner, but all approve the
use of mild laundry detergent.
While EPDM rubber roofing does not need to be protected
from ultra violet rays (UV ) and ozone, the manufacturers do approve 303 Aerospace Protectant as a safe way to resist staining
and make future cleaning easier.
To reduce the expense, you may want to treat the whole roof
once a year and do only the part of the roof that can be seen from the ground the rest of the time.
After the roof is clean and before you climb down, be sure
to inspect all the roof seams, around vents, etc., to make sure the caulking is still in good condition. While you1re up there
you might as well check the condition of all vent covers, the air conditioner cover and the TV/satellite antenna, etc
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