Roof Protection

[Richie Rich]

I have a 2018 Miramar that I bought Used while in Florida this past March. Believe it or not, it had just 2100 Miles on the OD... I think a northerner bought it up north, drove it to Florida... Spent one winter in it... Decided it wasn't for them! My Luck to find it and buy!
So, My Question is about the Roof. Since it probably spent some tough, sunny weather in Florida I'm thinking it might be a good idea to give the roof a good cleaning and then use "some sort" of Protectant on it. Does anyone out there have any suggestions for a good product to use??

[cavie]

Just clean it. too early to worry about any coating.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Richie Rich

I have a 2018 Miramar that I bought Used while in Florida this past March. Believe it or not, it had just 2100 Miles on the OD... I think a northerner bought it up north, drove it to Florida... Spent one winter in it... Decided it wasn't for them! My Luck to find it and buy!
So, My Question is about the Roof. Since it probably spent some tough, sunny weather in Florida I'm thinking it might be a good idea to give the roof a good cleaning and then use "some sort" of Protectant on it. Does anyone out there have any suggestions for a good product to use??

First things first. When you bought this did you purchase an extended warranty or service plan? If so, that plan might have specific requirements for the roof. Many plans require an annual inspection by a professional (a.k.a dealer) for the warranty to remain valid.

A well maintained TPO roof should not need any type of sealant for around 5 years. A periodic inspection of the caulking around the AC, vents, antenna etc... needs to be done. There is more chance of the caulking to crack and weather than there is for the TPO roof membrane itself.

[Long & Winding road]

I will clean my TPO roof once a year (I used the Tedford Rubber / TPO roof cleaner).

Then i follup up with 303 on all of the plastic parts (Roof vent covers, AC cover etc, Then I wax the fiberglass part over my cockpit are, then I put 303 on a rag and wipe the entire TPO roof down.

It will only last for a few months but I fugure it will help reject UV rates for 2 / 3 mo and when it rains it cleans off the roof much better (Less black streaks).

My RV has an indoor storage bay to the roof looks like new.... if I parked it outside I think I would try to clean and retreat more often.

Be carefull because the 303 will make the roof more slick (Its fine once dry but if it rains be careful walking on it).

[Bob Denman]

The best thing you can do to protect your roof: a liberal usage of your eyeballs! Give it a good cleaning, and keep your eyes peeled for any problem spots. Repeat often!

[Fish and Dear]

For what it's worth we also store ours in a garage mainly for roof and paint protection. The sun and elements are your worst enemy. Still, though, I inspect the roof every few months, at least, looking for anything not right. I also give it a good wash and apply 303 Protectant every 3-4 months on everything up there. Yes it does get slippery, so be careful. But my understanding is the 303 is just about the best thing for UV protection.

[Judge]

I have used Propack B.E.S.T. 55128 Rubber Roof Cleaner/Protectant with good results. Turns the Dicor from dingy grey to bright white.

For what it's worth, in my opinion roof inspection and continually maintaining the Dicor is the worst part of ownership. While my coach was still relatively new, I cleaned the roof and then applied Eternabond tape over every seam, joint and fixture on the roof. Now I only need to clean the roof once a year and don't have to worry about leaks developing. The only downside is if I need to replace a vent, Winegard Connect, etc., the Eternabond takes some work to remove.

I'm with Fish and Dear..... I also store my coach in a garage up north when we are not using it so I don't have to worry about sun, rain, snow, ice and excessive heat causing extensive wear and tear. I just can imagine keeping my coach stored outside year round in Florida with the summer heat down here. Fortunately we camp in the northern states during the hot months down south.

[Fish and Dear]

Originally Posted by Judge

I have used Propack B.E.S.T. 55128 Rubber Roof Cleaner/Protectant with good results. Turns the Dicor from dingy grey to bright white.

For what it's worth, in my opinion roof inspection and continually maintaining the Dicor is the worst part of ownership. While my coach was still relatively new, I cleaned the roof and then applied Eternabond tape over every seam, joint and fixture on the roof. Now I only need to clean the roof once a year and don't have to worry about leaks developing. The only downside is if I need to replace a vent, Winegard Connect, etc., the Eternabond takes some work to remove.

I'm with Fish and Dear..... I also store my coach in a garage up north when we are not using it so I don't have to worry about sun, rain, snow, ice and excessive heat causing extensive wear and tear. I just can imagine keeping my coach stored outside year round in Florida with the summer heat down here. Fortunately we camp in the northern states during the hot months down south.

I've considered the Eternabond tape application. But every time I am about to hit the BUY button I think I need to talk to someone else about it. It's that replacing things that makes me re-think it. I don't see needing to replace anything up there in the near future, and I am squirreling away some cash for an RV Flex Armor roof down the road. So I guess I might as well tape it up.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Fish and Dear

I've considered the Eternabond tape application. But every time I am about to hit the BUY button I think I need to talk to someone else about it. It's that replacing things that makes me re-think it. I don't see needing to replace anything up there in the near future, and I am squirreling away some cash for an RV Flex Armor roof down the road. So I guess I might as well tape it up.

The Eternabond tape just needs to be warmed / heated up to be removed. Either a very hot, sunny day can be enough or a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting.

Some of the adhesive material will remain behind but Eternabond tells you that is a good thing because it will bond just fine when you reapply it.

I had my flexible solar panels held down with Eternabond on my last coach. I pulled them off when I traded it in. It wasn't too bad and probably not any more time consuming than digging out old Dicor.

[Flyinhgh]

Clean it with bleach and water is OK. Also make sure you check the seals.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Richie Rich

I have a 2018 Miramar that I bought Used while in Florida this past March. Believe it or not, it had just 2100 Miles on the OD... I think a northerner bought it up north, drove it to Florida... Spent one winter in it... Decided it wasn't for them! My Luck to find it and buy!
So, My Question is about the Roof. Since it probably spent some tough, sunny weather in Florida I'm thinking it might be a good idea to give the roof a good cleaning and then use "some sort" of Protectant on it. Does anyone out there have any suggestions for a good product to use??

Make sure to check the roof we got our new motorhome from Gander RV and it's never been used until yesterday and when I went on the roof there is a 3 inch tear that they are going to fix under warranty. I would have thought the unit would have been checked by the dealer before delivery.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by Flyinhgh

Clean it with bleach and water is OK. Also make sure you check the seals.

Bleach is the last thing to use on a TPO roof.

[Tebo53AZ]

I use the 303 cleaner and protectant and it works great. It’s in the garage when we are not on the road, but after a 6 week run to the east and south coasts, there was no streaking

[Rcstroll]

WOW!!! This group is great! I've been RVing since 2012. Always just cleaned roof when washing. Bought my current 2019 Miramar end of 2018 and love it! That said I've only been on my roof twice. The information all of you provided is invaluable and I will certainly heed it. Thank you!!

[Junodtim]

My 2019 Thor Quantum RC25 came with a 10 year roof warranty. The caveat is the the roof must be cleaned and then apply UV protectant 4 times a year. I use the recommended stuff from CW.

[Scubawise]

Hi new 2020 thor vegas. What do I clean the roof with and can I apply this 303 after?

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by Fish and Dear

For what it's worth we also store ours in a garage mainly for roof and paint protection. The sun and elements are your worst enemy. Still, though, I inspect the roof every few months, at least, looking for anything not right. I also give it a good wash and apply 303 Protectant every 3-4 months on everything up there. Yes it does get slippery, so be careful. But my understanding is the 303 is just about the best thing for UV protection.

What do you clean the roof with before applying 303?

[Travelin' Texans]

The best product I've used to clean the roof is Simple Green concentrate. Mix as per label in a gallon pump sprayer, soak roof with solution, let set for a few minutes, using a medium bristle brush in a bucket of 50/50 mix of Turtle Wax Car Wash & McGuires Gold Car wash soap scrub throughly, & rinse. Been doing this for the last 10+ years.
I use the same method & products on the awning, but roll it up while it's soaking, unroll, scrub & rinse.
In 40+ years of rving have NEVER used any type of treatment on the roof, only cleaning, periodic inspections & resealing as needed, never parked indoors or under cover, never had a roof issue.
If I recall the roof manufacturer recommends only cleaning with a mild soap, no treatment mentioned.
WOULD NEVER USE BLEACH ON THE ROOF!!! Nor any product containing bleach.

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

The best product I've used to clean the roof is Simple Green concentrate. Mix as per label in a gallon pump sprayer, soak roof with solution, let set for a few minutes, using a medium bristle brush in a bucket of 50/50 mix of Turtle Wax Car Wash & McGuires Gold Car wash soap scrub throughly, & rinse. Been doing this for the last 10+ years.
I use the same method & products on the awning, but roll it up while it's soaking, unroll, scrub & rinse.
In 40+ years of rving have NEVER used any type of treatment on the roof, only cleaning, periodic inspections & resealing as needed, never parked indoors or under cover, never had a roof issue.
If I recall the roof manufacturer recommends only cleaning with a mild soap, no treatment mentioned.
WOULD NEVER USE BLEACH ON THE ROOF!!! Nor any product containing bleach.

Thanks for the answer. Do you rinse the Simple Green off the roof before you scrub with the Turtle Was car wash and McGuires Gold car wash soap?

[Lt Keefer]

I'm in the keep it simple camp for roof maintenance. I use Murphy's Oil Soap twice a year, spring and fall. Been doing it this way for over 20 years. After cleaning, I inspect the seals and use dicor for any imperfections. There are plenty of people that say nothing short of battery acid will hurt TPO, but I stick with the mild cleaners and nothing with abrasives in it.