hole in the roof

[michele50]

I removed the fridge today from my 1970 1400 - there is a large "vent" in the roof that is leaking. This "vent" is a hole that is about 17 x 6. It is covered with something that looks like a loaf pan. I am not putting the fridge back in - do I fix the vent or is there a way to patch the hole? Why is there a vent there anyway? There is a vent directly behind it.

[Deleted]

[vikx]

You can remove the old vent stack and patch it. After removing it, see if you can slip shims just under the metal (on top of wood framing) to raise the area. Make sure the original framing is good and sound.

Use a piece of aluminum at least as thick as the roof for the patch. RV putty tape should be all around the edge between the pieces; add extra thickness of putty at any dips in the roof pattern. Screw the patch into the framing; oozing the putty at the edge.

Seal with Dicor self leveling lap sealant. This product is like liquid bubble gum and very sticky. Go round and round the patch. The Dicor will self level and seep into any gaps. This product can be touched up and sticks to itself.

Hope this helps.

[michele50]

This is very helpful thanks.

It looks like maybe my "loaf pan" section was crushed down. I took pics but still can't figure out how to post here. the frame under the loaf pan is rotted - that will have to be replaced - if I understand correctly I would shim the roof in that spot - would this also work in places there are dips in the roof? I will be taking out the ceiling inside and plan to put insulation up there - do you kind of look everything over and fix it all at that time. The inside of the roof so far looks in good shape where I have it exposed but there is a ton of silver goop on the top. Would putting shims up there cause cracks and more problems?

When you say RV putty tape are you talking about what I have read is butyl tape? Does the patch go on top or from the bottom?

Sunday was the first day I started taking this apart and I am seeing that maybe I am in over my head. Am thinking if I just go slow and take it a little at a time it will be ok - just not sure in what order you do things.

Thanks so much.

[cowcharge]

If you replace the framing under the fridge vent, you shouldn't have to shim it unless for some reason you can't get the new frame high enough to math the slope of the roof. Shims are a quick fix for areas where the skin sags, like around roof vents. The skin stretches over the years, and ends up sagging like a tent with loose guy lines. You want to avoid making a low spot where water can pool, especially next to a break in the skin, so the patch would be best on top of the skin. Replace the frame, run putty tape (the gray stuff with the wrinkly paper backing) around the cleaned edges of the hole, screw down your patch through the skin and into the frame (drilling pilot holes and putting some sealant in the screw holes), and seal the edges.

[michele50]

Thanks I can visualize this now.

Do I use flat head screws vs. the ones that hold the edging on?

There are a couple of spots about the size of a softball in two other spots do you shim them? I am concerned about moving the roof too much as the PO covered the roof in the grey stuff. I have read, I think on here, that it can crack and water get under the grey stuff. I know I want to avoid that.

[michele50]

Sorry another question - Would this method work on the side where the grill/vent is as well? Could I put the patch and then place the "grill" part back over the patch to camo it? Would I put some drip molding over it as well to stop any possible leak?

ok I lied it was more than one question.

[cowcharge]

You probably already finished repairing this, huh. Oh well

I wouldn't use flat screws, I'd either use the same type as on the vents or pan head, the round-top ones. The more area the screw head has pressing down on the aluminum, the less movement of the skin there can be, preventing the skin from tearing if it moves, and the more area of sealant there will be around the screw hole.

When I moved my water tank fill up higher on the side of the camper, I used an aluminum patch and bondo from the auto parts store. You can see how I did it here, although my summary of how I should have done it is at the end (a little over halfway down the page): vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=shastaownersrestorations&action=display&thread=648&page=3

I used the same method to patch the hole where the tree fell on the roof. This would work for any reasonably-sized hole on top or sides (I think the patch I bought at VIP was 6x6). Probably your fridge cool air intake is too big for that method, though. But with the original vent cover, you could do whatever you wanted underneath it, since it would all be hidden. A plain aluminum patch sealed like the roof patch would be fine.

[michele50]

Thanks - My brother helped me do the repair but as in all sibling relationships - he didn't listen to me so I am still working on it. I think we used Pan head ones but he wouldn't listen about putting the wood under so I have to take it apart - can I jus unscrew them and then put wood under or should I take apart the whole thing.

Thanks for the info on the side patch that will be most helpful.

Daugther getting married so work is S-L-O-W right now.

[shastaman]

I thisnk you should be able to remove the screws and place the wood wedges in place.

[cowcharge]

wood wedges for what? did you replace the rotten framing under the fridge vent?

[michele50]

Will need to replace the wood frame - he took that out and the screws go into nothing - I will have to back the screws out put up the frame then put them back in - at least there is no water coming in tight now.

[michele50]

oh! forgot to ask - if I have to back the screws out do I have to put in the butyl tape again or just put the sealant in the hole and put the screw back in?

Not clear on how the tape functions and is it like a one use only kind of thing?

[cowcharge]

The tape should still be flexible enough to use again. You might have to re-shape it like modeling clay if it's squished too thin and all the screw holes have widened.

[capnjonny]

Instead of screws into wood frame could you use pop rivets to hold the patch on to the roof skin?

[michele50]

I can't because I don't know how to rivet

[kathleenc]

I have this same problem in my Williams Craft - but the po patched it with what I think is fiberglass. Is there a way to remove the fiberglass? Or is this something else entirely? I'd like to fix it correctly.

[cowcharge]

Out of all the different goops POs have put on my roof over the decades, none of them are that caramel color. I can't see any fiberglass cloth in the pic, though...

[soup]

Jan 15, 2013 23:08:34 GMT -5 cowcharge said:

Out of all the different goops POs have put on my roof over the decades, none of them are that caramel color. I can't see any fiberglass cloth in the pic, though...

The automotive fiberglass resins can be that color when bought in small pint quantity kit at walmart and the like.

Some of the ones you get in gallon cans at auto parts store can be that color but most are blue if they are commercial grade.

Sometimes I'll take fiber mat and tear it down to smaller fiber almost to just separate 1" fibers and mix it into the resin before applying. They might have done this too and is why no mat showing.
I know of no way of total removal unless your putting in a new vent and start cutting.
Sanding will get rid of most of it but you can't sand on the aluminum next to it very long! My experiance too shows the longer you wait to sand fiberglass resin the harder it is to sand.

Best fix might be to just sand down a bit, rough it up, hit it with ultra light feather weight auto filler, sand flat smooth and paint.

kathleenc,
Is it leaking now?

[kathleenc]

It leaks a little bit, but not nearly as bad as that roof seam you can see in the same picture. The patched hole had something that required nailing through the roof to hold it on while the yellow stuff was gooped on.
I think I would be fine with covering it with another patch material, as long as it sealed it and I could cut off some of the nail lengths inside.
But the roof seam - how would that have been sealed originally? Putty tape? It looks neatly done but there is no support beam under it, although one is close by and I could put a sister on. When it was raining here, I pushed up slightly on that seam and water just rolled in.

[cowcharge]

My roof seams leak too, the water runs along inside the seam to the edges. Once I get the goop off I'm going to use Eternabond roof tape over the seams, since a new roof is out of the question. I got 50 feet of tape on Ebay for $56 IIRC...

[kathleenc]

Sorry to be so dumb, but what is "IIRC?"
Also I did go search for Eternabond tape - most listings say for rubber roof repair. Will it stick to aluminum as well? If so, sounds like you provided me an excellent idea for solution - Thanks!

[cowcharge]

"If I Remember Correctly". And it's supposed to stick to aluminum too.