Preventing delamination

[agesilaus]

I found this blog on Live Work Dream to  be very informative. The author describes doing preventative maintenance on your RV siding and roof and goes into great detail, with photos on how to go about this. Apparently Northwood recommends and annual careful inspection and taking prompt action if any problems are spotted. I also have a Northwood RV so this made a considerable impression on me, but obviously most RVers should be doing this anyway. Live Work Dream.

I have to admit that this really was not on my to do list before reading this.

Edited December 2, 2020 by agesilaus

[Darryl&Rita]

Works on rot, too.

[Ray,IN]

Annual inspection and preventative maintenance is recommended by every RV mfgr.,  That blog might motivate some who are not diligent concerning preventative maintenance to begin the annual practice.

[Jinx & Wayne]

I agree seam sealing is important, but I think more often than once a year is in order.

If you put recaulking on a rotating schedule it isn't so overwhelming.  Two slides January, two slides February, remaining side seams March.  If you are traveling you are going to need to do some touchup/replacement every three months or so in a towed RV because there is a lot of movement going on back there.  Get up on the roof at least every three months, and preferably every month.  The blog recommended Dicor which I have been using.  A RV shop owner who I respect suggested I try polyurethane caulk.  He said it will go six months traveling or a year or more stationary.  I'm going to tackle that project in January, February and March.

I've found silicone to be very unsatisfactory.  You must clean it out completely because it won't even stick to itself.  Dicor will stick to itself so redo's are not as difficult.  I expect the first stripping with polyurethane to be lengthy but not subsequent applications because it will stick to itself.

[Kirk W]

14 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Annual inspection and preventative maintenance is recommended by every RV mfgr., 

That has been my experience as well. Moisture getting into the structural parts of an RV is probably it's biggest enemy. I have done that every spring for more than 30 years and have never had moisture related problems. The one place that I did miss was around the entry door and had to repair the floor there on a travel trailer back in the 80's. 

9 hours ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

I've found silicone to be very unsatisfactory.  You must clean it out completely because it won't even stick to itself.  Dicor will stick to itself so redo's are not as difficult. 

Absolutely! Actually, Dicor is a butyl caulking and there are other brands that work well, but I too have stayed with Dicor because I know the brand but the key is butyl material and not silicone.