Mend > Caravans/Motorhomes

How do I repair a roof leak in the caravan?

We've recently bought our first caravan and it needs a little attention. We've noticed the roof has slightly sagged near the rear and now we've noticed water has leaked in and will leak in with heavy rain fall. It is leaking on a join in the roof and so the inside is showing signs of leakage and due to the sagging it will let water through. Can this be resolved quite easily? The roof needs a good clean but it all looks to be in good condition, we just need to mend the sagging and seal up the join the best way possible.

Paul
August 2008

Vehicles, Caravans/Motorhomes Repair Noticed Water

We had a similar issue with our caravan roof & repair issues. Took it to two places who wanted an insane amount. We looked around read the blogs and got a product called http://www.rvroofmagic.com roof never leaked again. We learned from the company to clean the roof annually and actually check for leaks from time to time before the get out of hand

RV Roof Sealant
September 2022

very informative threat

rv roof
August 2022

water coming through my light in the main sitting area of my static can you help please

helen
March 2016

Similar to Andy I also bought a caravan a little while ago and found the roof to be sagging. Now instead of replacing the tiber I went the full monty and re-manufactured the entire roof. Rather than using the aluminium sheeting which inevitably calls for joins I shaped and covered the new roof with fibreglass, meaning no more sealing on the roof required, now or ever. This is by no means a small job and allow for a couple of weekends/months with lots of planning and sketching, end result however worth it

Adrian
October 2014

EPDM Liquid Roof - a quick, cost-effective, DIY option to repair or refurbish your caravan roof and protect your vehicle from leaks and water damage. Phone: 0800 6120 750
www.caravanroofrepair.co.uk

MichaelB
September 2013

Try to inject filler foam in beetween the insulation from the inside then mastic along the joining strips.

matt
March 2013

ive just noticed that there is small bumps on my ceiling,rust must be starting,how can i repair

shaun
November 2010

Hi Paul,

I found thi sproduct and it worked a treat, it's great at sopping leaks and can be painted!
http://www.affixit.co.uk/industrial-tapes-builders-tapes-c-2_190/aluminium-waterproofing-tape-50mm-p-1060

Caravan Chic
October 2009

I bought a caravan a couple of years ago and it had a slight leak around one of the windows. After I pulled the interier apart and replaced the timbers I removed the window and sealed it back up. To check if I had solved the problem I cut a sheet of plywood to the size of the side door and mounted a squirrel cage blower to it. This created a positive pressure and any air that leaked out was easily detected with dish soap and water mixed in a spray bottle and applied to the outside. I sprayed the entire caravan and found other spots that I quickly fixed. Hope this helps.

Mike
March 2009

Trying to find where water enters a caravan is a nightmare. Notoriously, where it is sagging is not where the water comes in ... it is the lowest point in the caravan roof and so it will always gather there (if you park the caravan the other way round, it would eventually gather at the other side) .....
From a DIY point ... allow your self a good 2-4 hours on a dry day. (Be carafeul working on the roof ..we always work across two scafold boards ..)
Clean off all the roof of algae. bird stuff etc (don't use a jet wash as that will find the gaps and create more!) Use a good quality cleaner like McKlords or Fenwicks (we sell some on ebay shop ga-caravan-services)
Now that you've cleaned the roof, using a fine seal of mastic, go along EVERY seal on the roof .. awning sides, cross seals, roof lights, aerial joins, vents etc) wipe off any excess immediately.
Leave to dry as normal and that should prevent more water from entering... Your next challenge is the drying of the roof inside.... It will never be fully cured, however the best way forward is a couple of blown air heater or damp removers in the caravan for as long as it takes ..close all the doors and windows ....
Happy drying GA-CS

lAWRIE ga-cs
August 2008

Hi Paul,

I dont know a great deal but I also bought a caravan recentley - with a slight sag between joints in the roof. I have now taken the roof back all the way to the bathroom (at the back) right across to just below the front window. The wood struts were rotten and the insulation ringing wet. At the front there was dry rot. Shocked the heck out of me. It looked sound when I bought it. I am now going to attempt to replace all the bad timber, seal the skylights properly and replace the insulation and roof. I sure hope yours is in better shape. Good luck.

Andy
August 2008