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Why is the matress soaked and what's that dripping from the front window?

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7:48 pm
September 24, 2011


Sportsman Matt

Central MA

Moderator

posts 95

Well last night I got in late, figured I would watch some Letterman and head to bed. Well I was sitting on the dinette with my back facing the bed, when I stretched out to yawn, my arm touched the top of the matress. It was wet and cold. So I jumped up and turned all the lights on in the trailer, wondering why the matress was soaked. I knew it was raining but the windows were closed. Then I spotted it, a drip from under the front window blind. So I ran out to the truck, pulled out the #2 square bit, chucked it in the 18V drill, and removed the valence and the blind. I was in shock. The water was running in the top of the front window, out one of the screws.

OK this is not good, especially seeing the water stain growing on the matress.

So I pulled up the queen sized matress, sheets, blankets and pillows. They all got shoved into the hallway by the bunk beds. Then I removed the OEM matress, which made a great sponge, raining water as I folded it in half and tossed it out the door into the back of the truck.

Then the fun part. I ran in the house at 1AM, woke up my father, explained the situation, and we decided to grab a tarp, tarp it, and elevate the nose to drain any water from going under the tarp or down the nose into the leaking area.

So after tarping, I took the linens inside to wash in the washing machine, then moved the queen sized matress down away from the heater, and turned up the heat on the highest setting. Figured it would try and dry out the trailer by morning.

Well this morning I got up around 9AM, and with a break in the rain, pulled the tarp, cleaned up the seam around the front window and re-caulked the whole thing with GeoCel ProFlex. Then I took some Dicor and put a dab of it over each of the rivets on the front window, better safe than sorry.

But that was only half the problem, the bed has a particle/chip board surface that got soaked, and by soaked, it was swelling and very soft to the touch.

So I measured out the bed, measured the bed panels, and took a trip to the lumber yard, where I bought 2 sheets of 1/2″ AC plywood, cut them to size on their panel saw, and installed them after unscrewing the old particle board from the 2×2 framework.

Cause of the leak was deteriorated or missing sealant on the front picture window, luckily it didn't damage the front wall, just ran in the window at the top and ran straight out the top of the trim ring, not the sides or the wall.

Damage was the particle board base for the front bed, and a wet matress (which dried out overnight) and wet linens (which washed and dried and ready to install).

So total cost, under $90 for the plywood and the tube of Dicor and the tube of GeoCel. And 1 hour in the dark, and 3 hours this morning with caulking, removing and replacing panels.

Glad I caught it now, and not had it start leaking in 2 weeks when I'm starting my last vacation for this year!


9:57 pm
September 25, 2011


Mike Magee

near Tulsa OK

Member

posts 204

Good catch indeed!  Glad you were inside it when it rained, so you could notice the leak right away.  Imagine if you were just letting the trailer sit for months between trips, with a leak going the whole time.  Surprised  You were very fortunate.

I really appreciate being able to look out the windows and see the scenery, so I asked my dealer about ordering one with a front window and why didn't he stock any with front windows.  He replied that I could get one if I wanted, but he didn't recommend it because the front window is usually the #1 most common site for leaks to occur.  So I bought one off the lot without a front window.

2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB

11:02 pm
September 27, 2011


Sportsman Matt

Central MA

Moderator

posts 95

Sad part was I wasn't inside when it started, otherwise I would have tried to prevent the damage, from what I can tell, it was leaking for atleast 9 hours (I left just after 2PM and got back in around midnight when it was raining friday when this whole thing started)

So far no leak but tomorrow and thursday they predict rain, so I'll see how the repair holds up, figure if it starts leaking agin in the morning, I'll not only see it but feel it on my head and back.

So keeping my fingers crossed, less than 2 weeks until vacation.

4:33 pm
October 18, 2011


Sportsman Matt

Central MA

Moderator

posts 95

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went camping this past weekend, and it rained Thursday night and Friday night. And the leak was back….

So I pulled out the front window and resealed with putty tape (something the manufacturer skimped on by using double sided foam)

but before I got the window in, I saw that above the window was soaked under the aluminum skin….

So I put the window in, and the leak became a drip every 1/2 hour or so, not enough to ruin the trip in the rain…..

Saturday I climbed up top, and found the Dicor sealant had flexed open to form a gap 1/2″ wide and 2″ long on the seam right dead center, caused from the roof flexing and expansion and contraction. So out came the caulking gun, and after patching over several more spots, I believe I'll be re-sealing the roof again this week as it looks like there were plenty more spots that needed a little more dicor on them….


So word of advise, double check the roof seams, it appears that sitting in the sun causes the dicor to pull apart on the seams when the roof expands and contracts….


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