Fungus growing under coach

[slaytop]

Last year I noticed a mushroom-like fungus growing under the right outboard storage floor. It was located at the floor port that serves as a utility opening for the connections inside the storage compartment. I scraped off the fungus and soaked the area with bleach and a fungicide and it seemed to take care of the problem.

This fall I noticed that the floor area where the fungus was located is soft and I could probably push my hand through it if I tried hard enough. Since I was out of time to work with it I decided to wait until coming home from Forida this spring to lift up the vinyl cover and check the condition of the flooring underneath.

Now that I am in Florida, the fungus is growing again and has again formed a mushroom-like growth under the coach. I have attached photos of it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of the problem? Is it possible for this fungus to spread and rot a greater portion of the storage area floor?

Thanks.

 

[SueJean]

Wow!

I don't have any help to offer, but I had to say THAT IS AMAZING!

It would be great if it's something edible, amen?

Good luck with that!

P.S. the last pic (812) comes out pretty blurry on my screen.

 

[westxsrt10]

Thats looks too much like the mushrooms i had growing under my eaves in California. I was told it takes 2 steps to end the growth (clean and treat). I used this first step (Pic) and it stopped the growth while keeping the area dry. OxySheild barrier step 2 may be needed for your area.

Looks tasty, did you try frying pan with butter and wine?

 

[SmokeyBare]

You might do a search on fixing Dry Rot that happens to wood. Its a problem for those who own a boat. They sell a good product which works well. Called Git Rot Penetrating Epoxy.

Here is a link to a place that sells the stuff.

http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/16610-git-rot-penetrating-epoxy-32-oz-kit-from-boat-life.html

Good Luck.

Marv

 

[lwmcguir]

You have to much moisture which is leading to the wood decay/rot problem. Be careful using the products that will kill it as they have to be toxic to you as well. The wood will completely deteriorate and you will have to replace it if you cant kill it. This is a common problem with wood that never dries out completely.

 

[slaytop]

lwmcquir, I'm sure you are right about the moisture and I will have time in a couple of days to work on stopping further damage. I think the vinyl covering is preventing the wood from drying from above and the closed belly underneath doesn't help. I'm not sure where additional moisture is coming from to keep the problem going. After I pull the vinyl up I will try to kill the fungus with the above mentioned products if they are safe to use in a closed compartment under the bedroom. If that doesn't work, I will consider replacing the damaged wood when I return home. I'm afraid that it will continue to spread if some action isn't taken soon.

 

[lwmcguir]

Good luck killing off the Fungi. Most of the products that you can buy can be used indoors but are hard on the skin. Wood rot is a common problem but not usually in camper floors. Several preservatives are available such as Penta and the newer ones that are used for pressure treated lumber. Check the directions closely to be on the safe site. I have used products containing Isothiazolin, however it is a skin sentsitzier and some folks react badly if skin contact occurs. Whatever product you use must stay in the lumber/plywood or it will come back is there is any moisture at all there.

 

[slaytop]

I removed the growth shown in the earlier photo and sprayed as much as I could reach with an organic fungicide I purchased at a nearby landscaping company. The problem is the fungus is growing between the bottom of the floor and the black plastic vapor barrier underneath. It will definitely be an urgent matter to pursue when we return home.

 

[slaytop]

I returned back to Ohio, albeit a month too soon, but at least I missed the big snow storms. With the Landmark inside and out of the weather I am now able to look more closely at the fungus problem. I emptied the storage area and then removed the vinyl cover over the floor in three sections. The floor is a 3/4" strand board composite panel. Where the floor was moist, the surface of the strand board came off on the underside of the vinyl. A photo of the underside of the vinyl shows where the moisture was located on the top side of the board. Another photo shows the top side of the board while still in the storage area. Take note of the location of the port hole in each photo.

Next, I removed the panel between the storage area and behind so I could better inspect the areas for leaks. I tested all the plumbing for leaks and couldn't find anything leaking at this time.

Next, I cut the floor board within the storage area into three sections and removed it from the storage compartment. A photo of the bottom of the board is shown with the white colored fungus. The fungus was completely through the board from bottom to top in some areas. The photo showing both the bottom of the board and the bottom of the vinyl shows clearly how the moisture and fungus was on both sides of the floor board. The board was still moist when I removed it.

Since the floor board had vinyl on top and black plastic wrapped on the bottom, there was little air to reach the moisture and dry it out. It may have been there for a couple of years. The first source of moisture was most likely the OS shower outlet on the door side. Although it didn't leak for me today, (since I took it out and then put it back) it may have leaked at an earlier time. There are connections on the back side that can leak if not tight. The other potential water leak area is at the valve selection panel. It's possible for water to drop on the vinyl surface and then travel to the edge of the panel where it can be absorbed through staple holes or wherever it gains access. The road side section of the floor was dark and moist without the white fungus. It may have been caused by hydraulic oil seeping out of the system connections. I have tried to stop the seeping by tightening the hoses in the past and I should repair them before this job is completed. Also, there may be some RV antifreeze in the mix from the end of the coiled hose behind the valves after winterizing.

I have to remind readers that this is a "classic" Landmark model and not the newer design. I have done a few modifications to the plumbing but they were all functioning properly at this time.

I am looking for a replacement floor that will not do this in the future if it gets wet. I welcome your remarks.
Larry

 

[RubiconAg]

As for a fix or wood type, I would use a marine grade 3/4 ply and a construction grade vapor barrier with some of the underbelly (corregated plastic) screwed over the barrier to protect it from the elements. Our trailer is in storage right now but if I remeber correctly the only area of this wood that has a barrier to the elements is outside of the frame rails correct? The more I think about this the more worried I am about other areas that are treated the same.

I have looked at our "port hole" from the bottom several times and thought "I wonder if the exposed wood from the hole saw could be an issue." I guess this clearly answers my question.......

It seems that any road spray or overflow from the UDC that makes its way through port hole could potentially be absorobed into the wood. I would imagine that a couple of dollars worth of Vicor or Bituthane type material would fix this.

Maybe Jim or someone from Heartland could chime in on the best fix for this as most of our coaches have this potential problem.

 

[jbeletti]

Maybe Jim or someone from Heartland could chime in on the best fix for this as most of our coaches have this potential problem.

This portion of the forum is not monitored by the factory. I can't speak for why we do what we do in this area, but I can tell you what I saw one owner do. Can't remember his name but I saw it at the Central California rally in October of 2009. The owner is in the HVAC business if I recall correctly, Anyway, the port hole in the bottom of his UDC, he had a gap of maybe 1" between the molded plastic port hole cover and the sheet metal of the j-wrap (or some such).

He cut a length of sheet metal that was the exact height of the gap, bent it into a round shape to match the porthole and fitted it into the gap in some manner. He also sealed the seam where it butted up against the bottom of the porthole. A real nice job.

I believe we (at the plant) fit out this area much better today than we did a couple years ago.

Jim

 

[slaytop]

JIM,
Perhaps this should be referred to the company as a potential problem for classic owners. The port hole was sealed with a rubberized material that covered the edge of the strand board and glued the plastic protective material underneath. The plastic material is needed because a portion of the board is exposed from the frame to the outer J-wrap. The same plastic material is wrapped around the edge of the board all around and is stapled in place. It may be glued but that is hard to determine with the condition of my coach. It is easier for water to get into the board than to dry out because there are staples and screws that go through the material into the board. Most of the screws going into the board and along the bottom of the back panel were rusty. This also sets up a condition for corrosion where steel screws are fastened to aluminum. I'm looking for a reinforced plastic composite panel without wood fiber to use as a replacement. I know it is manufactured in China but not by anyone in the US that I can find.