Dear Dave,
After a recent RV roof inspection by the dealer, I was told that there is a soft spot on the roof which will require everything on the roof to be removed for an inspection and a new roof installed at a cost of more than $17,000 in labor plus materials. There is no sign of water leaking on the inside of the unit. What could have caused the soft spot? These are the same people who have done all yearly roof inspections and all annual maintenance and repairs. I am hesitant to spend such a large amount of money. I am going to have a certified inspector look at the roof. —Harry, 2019 Forest River Forester 3271S
Dear Harry,
My initial advice would be run as far away from this dealer as possible! If they are the same technicians that have been conducting annual inspections and maintenance, then the roof should be in good condition. And since it is not, I would typically hold them responsible; however, I would not trust them! What I can find on brochures and other internet searches is that your Class C has a one-piece fiberglass roof. If that is the case, it would have the fiberglass sheet laminated to a thin luan panel, block foam insulation and aluminum perimeter framework. The brochures state a 2” aluminum framework for the sidewall, but nothing about what framework is used laterally in the roof for support. I would assume it is also aluminum?
What could cause the soft spot?
Whether it is fiberglass or a rubber membrane like TPO or EPDM, a soft spot typically means the block foam insulation has become weak or spongy. This could be due to either moisture penetration or excessive heat. Even though you do not see any moisture leaks on the inside of the unit, it could be penetrating somewhere around a roof vent, air conditioner, or skylight nearby and getting between the layers.
Does your roof air conditioner have a heat strip option? If so, I have found excess heat near that feature can cause the block foam to shrink and get spongy. This typically happens in floors above a muffler or catalytic converter and the unit runs in idle for long periods of time. However, I have heard of a few cases of the ceiling as well.
Another issue could be ductwork for the roof air conditioner is getting weak and not supporting the roof material. Depending on the size of the soft spot, it could be from wiring such as 120-volt Romex or coax cable for TV antenna/satellite dish, or prewiring for solar.
$17,000—WOW!!!
I would think that before removing everything on the roof just to inspect, someone could just cut the soft spot area to see what is happening underneath. That would be easy if the material was TPO or EPDM, as that can be sliced and the material pulled back to inspect. Then the material can be reapplied with adhesive and patched with self-leveling sealant. Fiberglass is a little more complicated as it would need to be cut out in a square pattern and pulled apart from the luan and possibly the fiberglass. Then a repair could be made to this area—not the entire roof!
Does it even need to be fixed?
You are wise to get a second opinion from someone other than the dealer that wants to take you for $17K. However, I would try to find a service center that has experience with roof repairs, as a “certified inspector” could just be someone that took an online course and passed a test rather than having real experience and knowing the structure of your rig. Not that you can’t use an inspector, but do your homework to find out their level of expertise. I would also contact Forest River to get their take on what the construction is like and who they might recommend.
And, if it is just a soft spot, does it need to be fixed? Or is it just an area that needs to be watched to make sure it doesn’t get worse?
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I have to get a new roof on my RV, scheduled for September. The RVgeeks recently did an article on TPO (what I have) and EPDM roofing, describing the pros and cons. My guy wants to use PVC. What are the pros and cons for this roofing material? —Jim, 1999 Fleetwood Discovery 36T
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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Moisture meters are routinely used in the boating world, especially for pre purchase inspections. Why can’t they use one for this kind of issue?
I’m with Dave, if they have done a yearly inspection on your RV, they should fix it for free. Having it inspected by a RV inspector would be best & then go from there! Depending on what they find if anything. The 17K + material is just outrageous to say the least @ $200 an hour that would be 85 hours! Sure would like to know how your situation turns out.
Snoopy
Thank you, Dave! Hmmm, … something certainly seems crooked if the folks who cared for the roof don’t take responsibility for the soft spot and repair it for free. Charging for the repair is much like my termite company treating our house, monitoring for termite activity, finding widespread termite damage, and then charging to repair the damage their carelessness caused. No way!
When someone shoots you a price that outrageous, they are signaling they don’t want to bother with it.
We had a one-piece fiberglass roof replaced due to a tree branch falling on our 33′ Class A. It cost the insurance company $19K and that was in 2020. I see now the insurance company has a limit on the roof replacement at $15K.
Fiberglass roofs are constructed similarly to surfboards which over time can get delamination (soft) spots due to water seeping in from cracks and sun exposure. To fix remove fibreglass in soft spot fill with q-cell (if needed) and patch with appropriate fibreglass and resin, sand and paint. If you live near the water a boat repair place could probably do it easy enough.
Dave: Sorry I didn’t get a chance to respond to this query yesterday but I sent in a very similar question, minus the dealer/ repair shop portion, to you a couple of months ago regarding my 2019 Winnebago Sightseer 33C. As per part of your advice to maybe let it be and see what may happen, I’m happy to report the hollow sound and soft spot seem to have disappeared! Weather related maybe ??