Roof Leak in potential purchase

bellucio

Hi All
Mrs Bellucio & I have been searching for a motorhome for the last few months. We have been up and down the country and last weekend we found the perfect one local:D
Now the thing is that there is a leak in the roof. It is coming from one of the vents that got damaged according to current owner. I think he left it for a while before actually fully sealing up any damages:(
What I am wondering is what the roof in campervans made of ? This is a mid nineties Eura Mobile if that is any help.
Could a leak like that do alot of damage to the roof. There is a patch to the left of the vent (about 1 inch square) that seems softer than the rest of the roof! Is this bad ? There is a strip of wood going across the roof and a small bit of that doesn't look 100% right... Whether that is dampness or what now I don't know.
This is the one real thing that is holding us back (besides being short a small bit on funds;) ) so I would really some advice on this.
Thanks in advance

peasant

You're doing well to be worried.

Most motorhomes of that period have an outer skin of aluminium, a layer of insulation (most likely styrofoam) and then a layer of wood/MDF like material.

Water will soak into the styrofoam and then into the wood, rotting it in the progress. Even when the wood is dried, it is still no good as it has lost all its strength.

If it is only in a small area, that could easily be fixed. The other worry is though, how much water did get in there and where did it run to?

The main skeleton of the motorhome is usually also made of wood, wooden battens in this case. Water would run along inside the sandwich construction till it hits one of those battens and then run down it to the floor. If you get enough water flowing, it will soak and rot that batten and every other one in its path right down to the floor to continue the rot there.

A leak in the roof, left untreated, could turn a motorhome into a sod of soggy, aluminium clad turf in a few months, especially with the amount of rain we're getting.

Inspect thoroughly and then inspect again.

bellucio

The more and more I think about it I am edging away from it but only for the dampness reason. Mrs Bellucio loves it as layout is perfect, big shower...Me. I just want one where I can sleep and that both Mrs Bellucio and baby bellucio are safe in

peasant wrote: »

You're doing well to be worried.

If it is only in a small area, that could easily be fixed. The other worry is though, how much water did get in there and where did it run to?

What would need to be done to it to sort it out? Is it possible to make an educated guess as to if/where water went after that ? I think we will have another look at it all right but take over some backup...
I passed the other day and the owner had it out, and was up on the roof. So I'm guessing he got around to fixing it:)

chrisblack

I'd be tempted to steer clear....

Having said that - how long has the leak been there - if it's only recent and has been repaired, then it will possibly be okay, however, we've seen a fair bit of rain recently!

Is there a smell of damp in the van,or are you overpowered with air freshner when you enter?? If so walk away.

I'm sure someone else may advise you to get a dampmeter - although I don;t knowhow to use one myself.
Chris

peasant

bellucio wrote: »

What would need to be done to it to sort it out? Is it possible to make an educated guess as to if/where water went after that ? I think we will have another look at it all right but take over some backup...
I passed the other day and the owner had it out, and was up on the roof. So I'm guessing he got around to fixing it:)

If it was just a small leak and there for only a short time, you're probably just looking at a small soft patch. Take the rooflight out, re-seat and re-seal it thoroughly and leave the rest as is.

If it was a large leak / leaking for a long time the water could have gone anywhere. Depending on which way the van was leaning and which way the structure diverts the flow of the water, the follow-on soft patches really could be anywhere, even in places that have nothing to do with the roof.
The only way to check is to inspect every inch of the roof, the side walls, the rear and the floor, especially all the joints. Thats where the load bearing battens are. Take care to creep into cupboards and seat boxes and check everything. Without having any instruments, just use your thumb to press against the walls. If it gives, it's gone.
Also inspect the van from the outside for any tell-tale bulges or pitting in the aluminium (often caused by dampness behind)
If all that reveals nothing, it may be time to pay an expert for an inspection (any motorhome dealer should be able to do this with a damp tester) for final peace of mind before you buy. A seller who's got nothing to hide should be agreeable to this.

bellucio

chrisblack wrote: »

I'd be tempted to steer clear....
Is there a smell of damp in the van,or are you overpowered with air freshner when you enter?? If so walk away.
Chris

There wasnt really any smell of either. the leak isnt there that long and windows open any time we went over to it.

Went to see the motorhome again over the weekend. Leak wasn't fully fixed. Still some water coming down through the air vent:( Decided to not go through with any purchase. Looks like the search continues
Thanks to all for your advice.