RV Roof, PDI and Warranty

Gang:
I have been corresponding with a Heartland Owner via private messages. She has a pretty new rig, lives in a wet area of the country, and had extensive water damage essentially totaling her RV in the first months of ownership. Heartland and insurance has denied her claims over supposed inadequate maintenance of the roof system, specifically the caulking. ON A NEW RIG!

This brought up to me the question: Should a roof inspection and instructions on roof maintenance should be a required part of the Pre-Delivery Inspection done jointly with the dealer's service staff. If Heartland is requiring this maintenance be done every 90 days to keep the warranty in force, they shouldn't hold the owner responsible for this, if the owner is not taught how to do it.

So, has ANYONE ever had roof maintenance included in their Pre-delivery inspection tour? Unfortunately, doing this required inspection causes real safety hazards for both the new owners and the RV dealer service staff, and therefore liability exposure to Heartland and its dealers. Yet, Heartland/insurance is REQUIRING these inspections to keep the water intrusion warranty in force.

Personally I think that the roofs on our rigs are still using 1950's technology. Roof caulk has been used by RV manufacturers since day 1, but RV thick rubber sealant tape has been around for 30 years or more. This tape, Eternabond or Dicor, does not shrink or crack like roof caulk does, does not open paths to water intrusion (if properly installed), and the Eternabond has like a 14 year warranty. I personally have 4 inch wide Dicor tape over my end cap seals, and bought 2 50 foot by 2 inch rolls to seal up the long raingutter to rubber roof joints.

Bill,

I'd be surprised if any dealer did any training on roof/caulking/sealant maintenance. And they probably also don't discuss the maintenance schedule published in the trailer manual, or the warranty statement and things that are excluded from warranty coverage, including water damage not attributable to a manufacturing defect.

All those things are detractors that could derail the closing, which is why it'll never happen.

Worse, I doubt that many dealers maintain RVs that sit on their lot. Sometimes a "pretty new rig" may have been sitting on the lot for 1 year or more without anyone checking the caulking or sealants. The buyer may get a great deal and then end up living with the dealer's failure to maintain.

I walked around the roof shortly after I purchased mine. No issues. A little while later and with a few miles, I went back to the roof only to discover a large gap where the rear cap joined the roof. I fixed and sealed the problem. An initial inspection may find nothing only to have a problem a short time later. Unfortunately, you have to be aggressive with preventative maintenance with these things. Assuming all is fine with a new and expensive rig will not get it done anymore.

If the caulking was done properly at the factory, there is no reason that it would not last for a year or more. In fact proper caulking should last for more than a year. So for a manufacturer to disallow warranty in the first year for roof caulking is avoiding warrenty responsibility for poor workmanship.

Though I feel for your friend and think Hearthland could do something to help, there is still the responsibility on the RV owner to do their research prior to purchase, read and understand the maintenance required of an RV that is in the manual. Ask questions if you don't understand. Heartland schedule says check roof sealant every 3 months. It's no different than purchasing your tow vehicle. You read the manual. The vehicle manufacturer nor the dealer is going into how to check your oil or when. What the "Check Engine" light means, or when to check tire pressures.

In line with what Gary stated, once the RV is on the road and bounces a bit it is a good idea to check for loose anything. I did the same as Gary and inspected my roof when I got home as well as other items on the TT. Yes if it's been just a few months Heartland could make some offer to help (50/50), but how many months are actually involved here? 2, 3, 4, 6?

Sure it could be placed in the PDI's out there, why not?

Roof inspection is called out in my PDI on page two...just need folks to use it.


Roof Sealing & Fixtures - You will need to get up on the roof now so round up a ladder or carefully inspect the one on the back of the unit. Check that all the mounting points are solidly attached to the body & the rungs are firmly fixed to the frame. Climb on the roof & inspect all seams, gaskets & any other place that the roof material has been cut or holes drilled. Check that all shrouds & covers are intact, unbroken &properly seated on the roof. Proper polyurethane caulking should have been used to seal all places where the roof has been penetrated. Check closely around air conditioners, vents, antennas, sewer vents, & side seams. Look for any signs of bubbles (large & small), delamination, foreign objects or protruding screw or nail heads under the membrane (if a rubber roof). ** Take shoes off...best in your socks or barefoot.

I am on our roof at least every other week. There are many that, for one reason or another, cannot get up on the roof. Any manufacturer that cannot properly seal the roof from the factory and then blame the consumer is in the wrong. I have had to add a lot of caulking on ours over the summer. The caulking the factory used to seal the sides is flaking away. That is almost 88 feet of “I am not sure what to do next”. With our warranty ready to expire in 30 Days it sounds like it will be one more thing I will have to pay for.


Sent from my PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

My Prowler is three years and three months out from date of purchase...add three more months to it's listed date of birth in Elkhart!

I check the roof whenever I get a chance...so far not one issue...yet!

The only caulking I had to fix was on one of the slides around the window where the caulking had shrunk from the sun and exposed either a crack or a runaway saw cut from the factory that was covered up with caulking!

After reading how loose the roof guarantee language is, I make myself get up on the roof every 6 months or so. So far I havent found anything really all that bad ever. But if there was an issue it wouldn't take long to destroy a RV. I keep my unit under a 42 foot long car port, so it doesnt see a lot of UV, unless we are camping.

We just bought another new coach, and the dealer thought I was nuts, when I asked if I could go up on the roof to inspect it. I had even brought my own ladder to get up there safely. I am sure the average RV buyer, hasnt a clue on this maintenance issue. Why worry its new! Most of them seem to think its like buying a car, really no maintenance for at least 5 years or so.