EPDM roof and maintenance of RV roof

How to Maintain Your RV EPDM Roof

With proper care and maintenance, your RV EPDM roof can last for 20 years or more. That’s pretty much equivalent to the life of the vehicle itself. One of the benefits of EPDM roofing materials is that the care and maintenance required is minimal. Regular cleaning is the first step.

 Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the roof at least four times per year. The cleaner used should be one that is specifically designed for EPDM roofing and is free of petroleum distillates.

 Products containing petroleum distillates, whether they are designed for cleaning or protecting, will cause the rubber to swell and loosen. There are many chemicals that fall under the category. The easiest way to tell for sure that the cleaner you are using does not contain any of the chemicals is to look for one that states on the label “free of petroleum distillates, safe for use on EPDM materials.”

Cleaning is a relatively simple matter, but you should keep your safety in mind. If you are going to be getting up on the roof, you should be on your hands and knees to reduce your risk of falling.

 The first step is to rinse the roof thoroughly with plain water at a relatively high pressure. Any branches or sharp objects should be removed by hand, if possible. While EPDM is tear resistant, sharp objects can cause scratches when they are pushed along the surface. Eventually the scratches can become tears. Once all debris has been rinsed away, you will need to take a medium bristle brush, a bucket of safe cleanser diluted with water and get up on the roof. You need only scrub in areas where you see stains or dirt. Keep your hose with you so that you can rinse while you are cleaning. Start in the corner farthest away from your exit point and work backwards to minimize the amount of time you spend on the wet surface.

After the roof is cleaned, you can use an EPDM protectant if you like. The protectant should be specifically designed for EPDM roofing, not for other types of materials. Some EPDM manufacturers also sell special protectants. While using the protectant is not essential, it may extend the life of the roof and reduce your need to restore or repair the roofing material. Finally, proper care of your EPDM roof includes parking it in an area where the roof is protected as much as possible. Don’t park around fruit trees. The citric acid can deteriorate the material in between cleanings.

General tips to maintain metal roof

Learning how to maintain a metal roof is important to ensure that the roofing will last as long as possible. With proper care, this type of roofing material outlasts many others. It is not unusual to see the roofs last for 50 years or even longer. New roofs often come with manufacturer’s care instructions for the material. If you don’t have the care instructions, you may be able to evaluate the material on your own to determine the composition.

It is important to use compatible materials when doing any repairs. Otherwise, corrosion can occur. If you have difficulty making this evaluation, a good roofing contractor can help. For most roofs, maintenance and repair is relatively simple. You will need a sturdy ladder. Ideally you should have someone on the ground to hold the ladder as you are climbing up and down.

You should only attempt this if you are comfortable with the height and you feel that the maintenance or repair work can be done safely. Otherwise, you should contact a roofing contractor. Once you are at a point where you can evaluate the area, you should start by looking for loose nails, rusty patches, holes or other signs of damage. If you are aware of an existing leak, you will need to take steps to repair the leak.

In general, how to maintain a metal roof involves removing debris, such as leaves and branches. Any loose nails should be pulled and replaced. Hammering the nail back down may not be a good idea. Nails are not always used for installation. Some roofs are installed using screws. Screws tend to stay in place as the years go by while nails work their way loose over time.

Urethane roofing cement is usually used for caulking around seams, edges and flashing. Learning how to maintain a metal roof involves learning how to use the urethane cement because it provides better protection from UV damage than plastic or asphalt type cements. Occasionally, re-caulking will be necessary as a part of regular maintenance. Look for cracked or damaged caulk seams and peel the old caulking away as necessary. Cracks in caulking caused by hail or flying debris are sometimes the causes of roof leaks.

Existing leaks may be due to a small hole which can be patched relatively easily using compatible materials. If you learn how to maintain a metal roof properly and you take the necessary steps on a regular basis, you may never have to worry about learning how to patch holes.