Roof, Slide-Out & Awning
RV Roof Repair and Membrane Replacement in Placentia, California
RV roof repair covers seam resealing, patching, soft spot rebuilds and full membrane replacement in EPDM, TPO or fiberglass. Costs run about $750 for a reseal to $18,000 for a full membrane and decking replacement on a large coach. All work is performed in-shop in Yorba Linda, about ten minutes from Placentia via Yorba Linda Blvd.
What kind of roof does my RV have and does it matter?
It matters for every product choice. EPDM is a rubber membrane that chalks white as it ages. TPO is a lighter, more rigid thermoplastic that stays whiter and is heat weldable. Fiberglass is a hard laminated shell that is painted and repaired like the rest of the body.
EPDM tolerates patching with rubber compatible adhesives and lap sealant, but it does not accept the heat welding that TPO does. Using a TPO cleaner and primer on EPDM, or the reverse, produces a bond that looks correct and peels within a season of heat cycling.
Fiberglass roofs do not leak through the field, they leak at penetrations and at the cap seams. That means the repair is almost always seam and fastener work plus gelcoat or laminate correction, not a membrane job, and it can be refinished with the coach body.
Should I reseal the roof or replace the membrane?
Reseal if the membrane is intact and the decking underneath is dry. Replace if the membrane is torn, brittle, badly chalked with exposed scrim, or if walking the roof reveals soft decking. A reseal over wet decking traps the moisture and accelerates the rot underneath.
We probe and moisture meter the decking through the membrane before quoting. Soft areas are marked and priced as decking replacement, since the plywood or lauan under a membrane loses fastener holding strength long before it looks obviously failed from above.
Full replacement means stripping everything off the roof: air conditioner, vents, antennas, racks and the entire membrane. Decking is repaired or replaced, new membrane is adhered, then every penetration is rebedded and lap sealed, which is why the job runs into five figures on a large coach.
What sealant should be used on RV roof seams?
Dicor self leveling lap sealant is the standard for horizontal roof seams and penetrations, because it flows out and self levels over the joint. Non self leveling Dicor is for vertical surfaces. Eternabond tape is a permanent seam tape for long runs and repairs on a properly cleaned surface.
Surface prep is what decides whether either product lasts. Eternabond will not bond to a chalked EPDM surface or to old silicone residue, so the run is cleaned, deglazed and primed before the tape goes down, and it is rolled with real pressure rather than pressed by hand.
Silicone is the wrong answer on an RV roof, even though it appears constantly on used coaches. It does not bond reliably to EPDM or TPO, nothing else bonds to it afterward, and removing it before a proper repair adds labor hours that could have gone into the actual fix.
What is included
- Full roof survey with decking probe and moisture metering
- Seam and penetration resealing with Dicor lap sealant
- Eternabond seam tape application over cleaned and primed surfaces
- Soft decking cut out and replacement before new membrane goes down
- EPDM, TPO or fiberglass roof replacement with all penetrations rebedded
- Air conditioner, vent, antenna and rack removal and reinstallation
- Water test of the finished roof before the coach leaves the building
How the work runs, step by step
- 1
Roof survey
The roof is walked on a safe platform, every seam and penetration is inspected, and decking is probed for soft areas.
Day one
- 2
Scope and estimate
Findings are photographed and written up as a reseal, a partial decking repair or a full membrane replacement with itemized hours.
1 to 3 days
- 3
Strip and repair decking
Rooftop equipment and the old membrane come off, then wet or soft decking is cut back to sound material and replaced.
2 to 10 days
- 4
Membrane and penetrations
New membrane is adhered, trimmed and terminated, then every vent, unit and antenna is rebedded in fresh butyl.
2 to 5 days
- 5
Seal and water test
All seams receive lap sealant or seam tape, then the roof is flooded and inspected from inside for any intrusion.
1 to 2 days
Questions we get asked
How much does an RV roof replacement cost?
How often should an RV roof be resealed in Southern California?
Can you fix a soft spot in the roof without a full replacement?
Do you do roof work outside or in the shop?
We Can Help! Contact Us Today.
Bring it to the shop and we will assess the damage, document it properly for your insurer, and tell you exactly what the repair involves. Serving Placentia and the surrounding area from our 35,000 square foot facility.
All work performed in-shop. We stand behind our work.