Roof Leak ???

[popup2012]

Was moving my new 16 TBS to its new home under cover when it started to rain lightly.  I then noticed that water was dripping from under the rear plastic fender well on the door side.  Should I get up on my roof and look for a leak??  When you have a roof leak does it generally run down the inside walls.  I have seen no sign of water under the cabinets.

[daplumbr]

If water was dripping in that area and there is no plumbing problem, you should look for a leak. In a light rain, it's unlikely any of the joints in the wall would leak, so yes, you should start with the roof. I would start with the roof edges looking for gaps in the roof caulk. You can do that from a ladder. Use a good light and a brush to clean up the caulk a bit so you can see any holes. If there are none along that side, look at the seams around the vents, AC, and antenna. The center vent and AC unit caulk will require that you get on the roof.


One caveat; I thought I had a leak in the left rear corner roof because water appeared to be dripping from under the trim at the bottom. It turned out a very fine line of water was running off the roof, down the outside of the trailer right along the vertical edge trim, and then seemed to dripping from behind the trim when it really wasn't. So before you go crazy with caulk, double check where it's dripping to make sure it's not running down the outside of the trailer somewhere. 

[nwcamper]

What kind of caulking would you suggest to use on the trailer joints?  I have checked my owner's manual and it does not seem to make any suggestions.

Thanks!

[charliem]

[font size="3"]The generally preferred product is Dicor self leveling caulk. Be sure to clean the areas before applying to ensure good adhesion.
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[daplumbr]

The Dicor self-leveling caulk is great. I have only used it on the roof and I'm not sure it would work on vertical areas. A good choice for vertical areas is a RTV sealant like Permatex. 

http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80050-Silicone-Adhesive-Sealant/dp/B0002UEPVI

[dan]

If your 16TBS is new, the roof leak will be covered under your warranty - you might want to give Don @ LivinLite a call.  We picked up a new 2016 16TBS in Feb; had our first big rainstorm in Phoenix in April; discovered two streams of water coming down the passenger side of the trailer wall - one right behind the microwave and one right over the front passenger window.  Talked to Don and he had us take it to a local Camping World.   Turned out the mounting screws for the awning were not properly sealed along the roof line. Camping World removed the old sealant, resealed it, and then water tested to verify.  Bit of a PIA taking the trailer to Camping World, but better (for me) than going on a mouse hunt looking for the leak yourself - no cost under the warranty.