Help. I have a 2013 Gateway and i just put a Solar panel on the Roof. At the same time I installed a camera on the front AC so I can see if i am going to hit something. Well because I have the camera i can see the roof while I am driving. I noticed that right in front of the camera, right in front of the second AC the roof appears to be ballooning. I would have never noticed this if i wouldn't have this camera. I did just install a small solar panel and I am afraid I might have done something wrong. I fond a flat spot towards the front and screwed it to the roof and put a lot of dicor on all the screws. This is not my first RV, but this rigs roof has always seems very loose to me. I guess my biggest fear is that Heartland is going to blame my solar panel on this. I think I have always had this problem but never noticed it because you would never see it without a camera. Should I take the panel off before i bring it to my dealer. I should I just bring it in. I only put a few screw holes in the roof. I can not see how this would cause the roof to balloon. Any advice would be greatly welcome. I have only had the rig for 2 months. Thank you.
Help, Rubber Roof ballooning
- Thread starter martelds
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Hi martelds,
The EPDM roofing should have been glued down, so if it's ballooning, there must be an area where the glue isn't sticking. Sometimes that happens, but it's usually a few small bubbles.
It seems unlikely that putting screws into the roof would make the glue come undone, so I'm not sure what you could have done wrong to cause this. Is there some additional detail you haven't mentioned?
Did you happen to get any video saved from the camera that you can share with us, or with the dealer or with Heartland so we can understand the size of the ballooning?
Hi martelds,
The EPDM roofing should have been glued down, so if it's ballooning, there must be an area where the glue isn't sticking. Sometimes that happens, but it's usually a few small bubbles.
It seems unlikely that putting screws into the roof would make the glue come undone, so I'm not sure what you could have done wrong to cause this. Is there some additional detail you haven't mentioned?
Did you happen to get any video saved from the camera that you can share with us, or with the dealer or with Heartland so we can understand the size of the ballooning?
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
I dont see how you could have done anything to cause it to balloon while driving. I would examine the roof closely to see where it is possible that air could get under it. There's a good chance that if you cant find it, the dealer wont find it. If you could post some pictures of your roof and indicate where you see it ballooning, someone may be able to chime in and give some good indicators as to where to start looking.
I dont see how you could have done anything to cause it to balloon while driving. I would examine the roof closely to see where it is possible that air could get under it. There's a good chance that if you cant find it, the dealer wont find it. If you could post some pictures of your roof and indicate where you see it ballooning, someone may be able to chime in and give some good indicators as to where to start looking.
Greengas
Well-known member
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Sorry to hear about the problem you are having with ballooning. I hope that between you, your dealer, and Heartland you get the problem resolved quickly. All that aside, I'd sure like to hear more about the roof mounted camera you installed. Is it wired or wireless? Do you have other cameras on your RV or just the one? Sure would be great to see some pictures as well. I am planning on putting in a camera system in the spring and I love the idea about a roof mounted one.
Sorry to hear about the problem you are having with ballooning. I hope that between you, your dealer, and Heartland you get the problem resolved quickly. All that aside, I'd sure like to hear more about the roof mounted camera you installed. Is it wired or wireless? Do you have other cameras on your RV or just the one? Sure would be great to see some pictures as well. I am planning on putting in a camera system in the spring and I love the idea about a roof mounted one.
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Thanks for all the quick responses. I don't have any video because it's a live feed to my truck deck. All I did was install 4 screws for the Solar panel and 3 screws to secure the wires. So I'm sure I did not screw anything up. It sounds like the roof just needs to be glued down better. Again if i did not install the camera on the roof I probably won't have know until something really bad happened.
Someone asked about my Roof Camera. I have a pioneer aftermarket deck that has multiple video inputs. So i decide to put a wireless camera on the front of the front AC. I had to run the power wire down the vent with the solar panel wire. It works really well, now I know for sure if how tall I am. Thanks again. I will let everyone know what the Dealer and Heartland says.
Thanks for all the quick responses. I don't have any video because it's a live feed to my truck deck. All I did was install 4 screws for the Solar panel and 3 screws to secure the wires. So I'm sure I did not screw anything up. It sounds like the roof just needs to be glued down better. Again if i did not install the camera on the roof I probably won't have know until something really bad happened.
Someone asked about my Roof Camera. I have a pioneer aftermarket deck that has multiple video inputs. So i decide to put a wireless camera on the front of the front AC. I had to run the power wire down the vent with the solar panel wire. It works really well, now I know for sure if how tall I am. Thanks again. I will let everyone know what the Dealer and Heartland says.Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Check all the screws that you installed to be sure that the dicor completely seals them. The glue used is water base and if water gets under the roof it can cause the roof to come loose. Like others have said, it might just be a poor installation at the factory.
Don
Check all the screws that you installed to be sure that the dicor completely seals them. The glue used is water base and if water gets under the roof it can cause the roof to come loose. Like others have said, it might just be a poor installation at the factory.
Don
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Our roof ballooned during the first summer of ownership while on the way to the 2012 National Rally. It started at the front cap edge and went back to the bathroom vent. The Heartland Techs were able to repair it on site and it has been fine since the repair. The techs told us during the repair that the rubber material lost it's vacuum and needed to be glued and resealed.
Get it serviced ASAP to avoid rips or tears! Ours had a small tear at the front vent which was repaired by using a larger Fantastic Fan mounting flange.
Our roof ballooned during the first summer of ownership while on the way to the 2012 National Rally. It started at the front cap edge and went back to the bathroom vent. The Heartland Techs were able to repair it on site and it has been fine since the repair. The techs told us during the repair that the rubber material lost it's vacuum and needed to be glued and resealed.
Get it serviced ASAP to avoid rips or tears! Ours had a small tear at the front vent which was repaired by using a larger Fantastic Fan mounting flange.
I called my Dealer and Heartland this morning. They both said this in normal. I started to think about it and I think I might have over overreacted. When looking at the camera is appears that the ballooning is 1 foot high, but when I think about it the camera is only 6 inches off the roof and the ballooning is well below the camera. They both explained it as the same issue with a convertible top on a car. Since the camera is a back up camera I think the view is exaggerated. Heartland made a note to my account and told me to keep an eye on it. I feel much better. But I will be keeping an eye on it. Thanks again for the help.
readytohitheroad
Well-known member
Would seem odd that ballooning of your roof membrane would be considered normal? If, in fact, the entire membrane is glued down how could this be deemed to be "normal"? Willing to bet that this leads to bigger issues down the road. If it were me I would demand that it be re-glued. IMHO.
TacoTom
Active Member
Is there any way you can take a video, even if you use your phone by videoing you back up camera monitor.
If you post it then someone here can give you an educated opinion.
Just saying
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
The Iphone video of my camera is a good idea. I will try and do that as soon as I can. I do plan on having my roof looked at by the dealer and drive with them to show then what I am seeing. My dealer is way across town from me and with work getting in the way it's not easy for my to just drop it off. They have to replace the bottom molding of my kitchen slid and install new flooring glued down this time. so I though I would just take it in for one big defect fix. I would agree that any ballooning is weird, but I see little air bubbles all over my roof. Heartland assured me this was normal for this kind of roof.
The Iphone video of my camera is a good idea. I will try and do that as soon as I can. I do plan on having my roof looked at by the dealer and drive with them to show then what I am seeing. My dealer is way across town from me and with work getting in the way it's not easy for my to just drop it off. They have to replace the bottom molding of my kitchen slid and install new flooring glued down this time.
so I though I would just take it in for one big defect fix. I would agree that any ballooning is weird, but I see little air bubbles all over my roof. Heartland assured me this was normal for this kind of roof.Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
I have an update on my Ballooning Roof. The dealer had my rig for 3 weeks. Hartland had them do some type of Air test. They found some unsealed pocket in the front cap, and they found that the rear bottom was not sealed. This will allowing air to go up the side and travel up the side channels and making the roof balloon. They were sure that was the issue.
I picked in up the weekend and Nope it's not fixed. I am bringing it back in a few weeks. It appears that the only way to see the problem is by having a camera on your front AC.
Here is a Youtube clip of my roof.
I have an update on my Ballooning Roof. The dealer had my rig for 3 weeks. Hartland had them do some type of Air test. They found some unsealed pocket in the front cap, and they found that the rear bottom was not sealed. This will allowing air to go up the side and travel up the side channels and making the roof balloon. They were sure that was the issue.
I picked in up the weekend and Nope it's not fixed. I am bringing it back in a few weeks. It appears that the only way to see the problem is by having a camera on your front AC.
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
The link appears to be messed up. Try this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHPu-c9I5M&feature=youtu.be
The link appears to be messed up. Try this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHPu-c9I5M&feature=youtu.be
brianharrison
Well-known member
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Cool view of roof. I may put one up there to view gas station overhead clearances at the pumps...... And tree branches when backing into sites....
Thanks for sharing, and I hope you get your roof issue resolved. My previous expereince with roof ballooning was to remove the EPDM in the affected area and adding more glue. Maybe there is a newer repair solution.....
Brian
Cool view of roof. I may put one up there to view gas station overhead clearances at the pumps...... And tree branches when backing into sites....
Thanks for sharing, and I hope you get your roof issue resolved. My previous expereince with roof ballooning was to remove the EPDM in the affected area and adding more glue. Maybe there is a newer repair solution.....
Brian
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: Help, Rubber Roof balloning
Watched it twice. Sorry to say the video is so poor I can't tell what's going on.
Watched it twice. Sorry to say the video is so poor I can't tell what's going on.
