One of the most destructive problems that are faced by mobile home owners is that of leaky roofs. If it goes unnoticed, then the leak and damage will slowly spread through to other parts of your mobile home, including possibly its walls and floor structure, causing severe damage.
Therefore, it is vitally important that owners carry out regular inspections of their mobile home roofs. A regular inspection means 4 or 5 times a year, or even more if you can. One of the reasons you need to inspect it so often is that, especially in the case of someone who doesn’t live permanently in their RV Trailer, there might not be anyone around to notice the roof leaking for quite some time, by which time the ceiling may already be stained and irreparable damage caused.
A thorough inspection of an RV trailer roof is not a five minute job. Be prepared to invest some time carefully checking your roof so that you don’t miss anything. Any roof inspection should include such necessities as checking inside the mobile home as well. Be sure to inspect the walls on the inside where the roof sheets are connected to the edges of these walls. This might mean you have to open closets and cabinets in order to properly check every part. The thing you are looking for during these checks is any sign of dampness or water damage to the walls and/or fittings in the home.
Ceiling discoloration or staining might well be an indication that there is a Roof leakage somewhere on the roof. Check the discoloration carefully. If it is only slight, then the leak is unlikely to be a major one and can probably be fixed with by simply applying a sealant. If the discoloration is particularly bad though, or if you can see any rotten or mildewed wood, then this is a sure sign of a serious leak, and the need for major repairs is likely.
During your inspections, make sure that you check the top of your mobile home to learn the locations of all the air vents, air conditioning vents and anything else that will require waterproofing. All of these points are common sources of leaks in a mobile home roof. All of these items should be checked both inside and outside for any signs of leakages.
Most mobile home roofs make use of vinyl strips, to waterproof the screws in the roof. Be warned that these vinyl strips do not last forever and will need replacing after a few years. Eventually, they will come unstuck and fall from their retaining grooves. You can buy replacement vinyl strips at most mobile home camp sites, as well as many garages and dealerships. Leaks from these screws can be almost undetectable and so it’s advisable to replace all of the strips on a roof completely after 5 years, even if they look fine.
Another common leakage that is difficult to find is leaks that are close to the running lights. The lights are sealed with a rubber gasket that fixes it to the body of the mobile home. These areas have to be checked very carefully, as the rubber gasket can wear out after some time. If you notice a leak here, you can either buy a replacement gasket, or perhaps more conveniently, seal the leakage with a silicone caulk. If undetected, a leak here could cause some serious deterioration to the walls and floor of your mobile home.
