GypsyWindTraveler Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 So we found out that all of our windows and vents have small leaks in them. they havnt been to bad but I want to get to them before real wood damage sets in. and we live in our RV full time with our cat so its been a rough few weeks during this last rainstorm. The one Vent above our bed is pretty bad and I already had to tear out teh sealing and replace the interior thin wood. I took a look at the old vents  from the roof and they have sealent and paint covered up over the metal framing and ontop of the bolts and everything... so I can really unscrew any of the vents to re-seal them, my question was, is there something to remove the sealent from the bolts? I could cut the seal between the vent facing and the roof but im worried im going to have to chisal away at each bolt to get it all off. We have 3 vents that need to be resealed. I put in a new small 14" vent where our broken air conditioner was and that sealed up well with no leaks. And We have been unscrewing and taking out one window a day and scraping off the old putty and putting new clear sealant on. I would love anyones sugestions on how to do this as well =) any information will be greatly apreciated. I have a few more days before the next rain and then hopefully a few weeks before the next hope everyone is doing well and having fun with there RV's!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyonthespot Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 I have to envy anyone with enough moxy to live in a toyota motorhome... especially with a cat. what kind of clear sealant are you using ? i have always been told "butyl butyl butyl" when it comes to re-sealing... how many miles are on your dolphin? if you wrote a book about living in a toyota dolphin im sure i would buy a copy. hope you get all the wet sealed out. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 A razor blade to cut around the frames. A drill with a wire wheel will clean off the bolt/screws so that you can remove them and the frame. Clean is important befroe you reseal. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nibs Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 What ever you do don't use silicon sealant on your openings!! The stuff degrades quite quickly and leaves traces when you remove it that won't allow other sealants to adhere. Use butyl tape, or better yet use polyurethane sealant such as pl100 or Vulkem. go to a marine store to see what they are selling, then try and find the same stuff in a hardware store. When you reinstall screws and bolts put some sealant on the threads, this will seal the boltholes, and will stop them loosening. To remove the old sealant you can try solvents, alcohol (not the drinking kind) is probably the mildest, acetone is probably the harshest, but make sure the solvent doesnt damage the finish. Make sure that you dont get solvents on plastic vent covers or plastic windows, it may make them cloudy. I learned the above building and living on boats, where we often sealed fittings that live underwater. Merry Xmass We have been in our 18' Sunrader for almost 3 months now - no cat. Tony - from central Mexico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyonthespot Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 We have been in our 18' Sunrader for almost 3 months now - no cat.Tony - from central Mexico. 3 months? you must have urethane-sealed yourselves in??!?!??!! lol 3 months in mexico living in a sunrader... wow... im impressed. i wish some of you guys who live in your motorhomes would write a daily blog of your adventures... meanwhile back to your regularly scheduled thread: my vent above my cabin just started leaking after a bad freeze-thaw ice/rain storm we just had... and wouldnt you know it the previous owners used silicon of all things... so i dont know what im going to do... i never could figure out how to repair my prior toyota motorhome from the same leak... but i guess my question is: do i need to totally UN install the vent AND replace it, in order to seal it? Im hoping i can just put a bandaid on it but thats how it got to this point to begin with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 The best band aid is a tarp , or parking the Toy on a slant. You have seen the results of the PO band aid so you don't need to go there. Remove the vent, clean to bare metal, reseal with new tape. Put Dicor sealant on each screws before installing them. Then after the screws squeeze out the excess putty trim it flush with the frame. Then use Dicor and seal the edge all the way around. Put another dab on each screw head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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