We have many customers ask if our product is something that they can apply themselves and, while many of our applicators are former customers, unfortunately the average consumer can’t apply our product. Understandably many people see the variety of DIY products on the market and presume that most RV roofing solutions are something that you can apply in your frontyard. Some of these solutions have their place, things like Eternabond tape and the like can help temporarily prevent further damage while looking for a permanent solution, It is important however to remember that not all DIY products are created equal. Most of these solutions are only meant to be a temporary fix.
Affordability VS Cost Effectiveness
In an emergency you may not have thousands of dollars to drop and weeks to wait to get a new roof installed. Roof patch kits are often an affordable option. It is important to remember that these patch options, such as Eternabond Tape, are not long term solutions. A tear in the roof often takes precedence over quality of repair. Impact with a tree or other low hanging object can leave lasting damage, but water damage is often the main concern in these situations. Often while more expensive, a professionally installed permanent solution can save you money in the long term, most rolled-on coating and patch kits require regular maintenance to maintain their effectiveness..
Speed VS Quality
Often getting into a repair shop can take weeks, if not months, and a leak doesn’t stop while you try and schedule a repair. Often it’s necessary to fix a problem in a timely manner. It only takes a few days for a small rip to become a major issue. Even in our line of work, a timely patch can prevent extra expense when you do go to install a permanent solution. In some cases, like vacuum bonded roofs, you could even outright save your camper roof from crossing the point of no return. Wood damage can lead to other issues as well such as damaged or lost roof components. On the other hand the quality of material used in most of these fast solutions are purposely low, to keep cost and price down, so it’s important to pay attention to the type of products you’re using. Most professional products require 1-3 days to install and are more involved processes than the typical DIY product.
Environmental Factors
Many roofing materials have very specific requirements for proper adhesion and curing. Most rubber roofing adhesives and rolled on coatings need low humidity for multiple days to fully cure, without proper curing these products have a high likelihood of failure. Most rolled on coatings are only good for roughly 6 months, even if applied correctly. One of the main factors that limits us from doing our process with a mobile setup are environmental factors. Since you have to remove all the caulking and clean all of the various surfaces before applying any sealing product, they shouldn’t be applied outside. We take great care in making sure that our product is applied in a controlled environment to ensure a quality end result.
Do you have questions?
You can ask your questions in the comments below and we’ll do our best to answer them as quickly as possible.