2017 IDM 245 roof leak repair - delamination has started :( Need to remove awning to begin

[ScottyP5947]

Hello everyone - Well my biggest fear of buying a fiberglass laminated coach has come true. I was having an issue with water getting in along the gutter to coach trim area. I covered it with dicor and ended up putting a tarp on it. I planned to remove and re-butyl the gutter edge and reseal. Well I took a good look at it and it's lightly bubbled and delaminating between the door and the roof.

Even better, Heartland started a 3 year warranty 4 months after my coach was built so all I had was one year for warranty.
I plan to fix the leak, then do the DIY epoxy delam repair to the outside. Is that the way to go? What does it cost for a dealer to fix a minor delam? (Just a ballpark) I doubt there is any wood rot yet. How is their fix different?

Is there anything else I should know before I begin this project? I know I need to remove the awning fabric so I can unscrew the gutter from the roof membrane to see what's going on under there. Any tricks and tips? Should I expect to be able to peel back the roofing material once I have the gutter off or is it glued solid to the roof?

Lastly - do you think it would be worth it to call Heartland to see what they say? I'm pretty sure they would tell me too bad, you had a 1 year warranty...

Thanks in advance for any input!

Scott P

 

[carl.swoyer]

Sorry for your pain.
Water intrusion can cost alot.
That being said, fixing the leak first would be my main concern.
A picture of the delamination would be helpful.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

First, what is a 2017 IDM 245?

Second, Are you the first owner?

Third, when did you buy the unit?

Fourth, look at the label on the frame, or elsewhere to find the date of manufacture. The difference between date of manufacture and date of your purchase will tell you how long the unit sat on a lot.

Delamination caused by water intrusion is typically not a manufacturing defect and therefore usually not covered by warranty.

But if you bought in 2019, and the trailer sat on the dealer lot for 2 years prior to that, the dealer may have neglected regular inspection of caulking and sealants as is often the case at dealerships. So the delamination may have been caused by dealer neglect.

If you are the first owner, and inside the typical 1 year warranty period from date of purchase, you still have a responsibility to check caulking and sealants every 90 days (IIRC). But even with that requirement, you have a good argument that the cause was dealer neglect before you even took delivery.

Depending on how you answer these questions, you might call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready. They may be able to persuade the dealer to fix it for you.

 

[BigJim45]

Dan

It is a Mallard sold by good old Camping World

 

[ScottyP5947]

Hi there -

Thanks for the input folks. It's a 2017, built and bought in 2017. And yup - sorry it's a Mallard from Camping World. So I tore into it yesterday, I was able to get the awning off by removing the roller from each head (idler and power) and sliding the fabric out. Not spring loaded from what I could tell.

I peeled back the roof material around where my leak was and the only place I could see where it was getting in at the screw holes that hold on the aluminum trim where the roof and the top of the walls meet. It's hidden by a rubber cover that slides into the aluminum trim. There was butyl tape under it but the screws were above the butyl so water was getting right through. The screws were rusted and so was the water getting in.

Looks like the delam is only over my door so I should be able to get epoxy in from the top and clamp from the bottom to get this 'fixed'. I am pretty much on my own, I'm sure when it comes to this repair - and really I don't want it sitting in the shop for the whole camping season. I understand about checking the caulking and all that but my frustration comes from the fact that had those screws been in the butyl tape, I don't think it would have let water in.

I attached a photo. Not much I can do, I'll take advice about the delam fix if anyone has experience.

Thanks
Scott P

 

[avvidclif]

Just as a thought. A previous SOB had delamination on the side above the basement door. It was under warranty and the dealer took care of it. BUT what he did was call in a marine fiberglass repairman from a local boat shop and he actually did the removal of the affected area, regluing, and putting it all back together. Once he was finished you couldn't tell anything had ever been done.

Long story short, rather than a dealer look up a boat repair place and try to get some ideas and or help. Might be cheap enough to just let them do it. ???