How to Fix RV Water Damage and Keep it from Coming Back - Easy Class C DIY Overhead Cab Remodel
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- In this video, we're going to show you how we rebuilt the water damaged overhead cab the first time, and how we did it way better the second time. When we first bought our RV, one of the biggest jobs we had to do in the remodel was to fix the major water damage that was in the overhead cab. Not only is this common in Class Cs, but it can also be difficult to maintain. We went through the (tough) process of ripping it all out and rebuilding it, which lasted for almost two years with no problems until we dropped the ball on the very wet Oregon Coast while we were spending the winter there. We had been resealing the outside seams, but not enough and moisture inevitably found it's way in. For that climate, we also should have been using a dehumidifier.
Although, much props to how much the activated charcoal bags we keep around the rig and the mattress infused with charcoal saved so much. Fortunately, this was a fairly easy do-it-yourself fix. A lot of the reason that it would be so much easier than the first time was because we thankfully left everything loose in the first rebuild of the cab so that it wasn't nearly as hard of a job as it was before to take everything out. We were so glad we did this! After thanking our past selves profusely, we got to work on the second rebuild, which we made much more resilient than the first one. Between using cedar planks rather than plywood (which is way more resistant to mold and water), using "KILZ" on every side of the material beneath it, and making the outside seals way stronger, we're thinking this one will be pretty hard to destroy. Whether you're dealing with water damage in an RV, a boat or in your home, we hope you find this helpful!
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Great job that has increased my confidence! I am in the process of demoing the overhead cab area of my class C. Lots of water damage that was hidden by by either the previous owner or dealership. I know I can do this....I have all the tools. Just really nervous about the ceiling. Thank you!
You can do it! So glad this helped. We do highly recommend keeping it modular and not nailing or bolting anything down, so you can clean it all up IF water does find is way in. Also, dehumidifiers, activated charcoal bags, and keeping the seals maintained are all huge helps in keeping it out. Best wishes on your journey!
great idea to build out the wood paneling on the insert, instead of building it inside the rv cab area.
Thanks so much! We loved this upgrade and leaving the inside can white left it nice and open.
Sorry to see that I'm not the only RVer dealing with this problem. It's partially my fault knowing there was a leak and letting my RV sit for 4 years, but the repair/renovation is coming along nice and I'm confident the cab rebuild is stronger than original.
Sorry that happened, but glad to hear your rebuild is coming along! And, yes. It is also nice to know after you rebuilt it that it's stronger than what it was, originally. We just have to frequently reseal the outside seams. Was you damage also in an overhead cab?
I love the new cedar planks! They're amazing!
Trimming is maybe not your thing but you did well Chris ! Nice remodel my friends !
Fuki Flex thank you mon beau! ❤️
Thank you, Fuki!
Looks Awesome!!!👏💛
Thank you so much!
We had a blast re-modeling our top loft/cab of our RV. Cedar walls were definitely a good touch! Feels like a full-on cabin up there now.
*Quick sidenote below as it wasn't shown in the video:*
We're pretty sure our leak actually came from the OUTSIDE front slanted edge (driver's side) of the top cab. Although leaks in Class C's can literally come from anywhere, it's strongly advised that you check your seals every 6 months. We used Flex Seal. It's a little messy, but once you get the hang of it, it's somewhat easy to maneuver. Any other questions, please let us know!
I would have eliminated the windows. They are notorious for leaking.
You're right, but we got lucky with no issues (yet). We also re-sealed everything to make sure. Also, windows make for a beautiful morning view! :)
Yes, they are! We really had to clean those out. We super sealed them from the outside, as well. Plus we're going to take them out once in a while and clean them.
I Own the same Fleetwood Jamboree and had leaks coming from the roof along the seam where the fiberglass meets the roof. IF you smell mildew mold you will need to remove the 1/4" ply across the front under the window. and probably around the window too. the factory cut the hole for my window slightly too big on one side and that turned out to be another source of water intrusion. While the plywood is off, after cleaning and killing the mold with bleach you can seal around the window from the inside with a exterior great door and window caulking.
You are absolutely correct on this. However, in our case, it's a combination of not only the seal/caulking on the side, but also from the front window. The inside of the window sill was gathering FULL of water, but we thought this was normal and all we needed to do was suck it out from time to time, but in reality it was completely filling up the overcab under us while we were sleeping. Luckily for us, we re-organized it in the first place by totally gutting out the factory foam, useless underlayment and stapled panels and custom cut those mold resistant foam panels that you can see in the video. This is huge for us because in the event that water DOES come through, we can easily dismantle everything to clean it up.
Nice job you all. It looks great. I'm just beginning my journey. I plan to go full time very soon. Just bought a 93 Dutchman on Ford E350 29'. It's in really nice shape but needs updating. You've given me some ideas. Thank you and Peace. Happy Trails.
Thank you so much! Yours sounds amazing. Would love to see what you do with it!
@@KreativeFreedom I'll send pics when I get it done. I may well do the ceder planks. That's beautiful y'all. Peace and Happy Trails.
Look forward to seeing it! Thanks. You should do the cedar. So many good reasons to. Happy trails to you, as well!
Love it! Came out really nice!
Thank you so much!
Can you please list the mattress details?
copied from a reply "Zinus mattress infused with activated charcoal and green tea (it survived the ultimate test and completely resisted any mold or mildew)"
Here's the link! www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBPG153/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kreativefreed-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01NBPG153&linkId=4e015a2d1a0a6d83c577424fe56078a1
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Thank you for sharing this!
We had some hidden water damage in this area and I was on the verge of selling our RV. Your video gave me confidence and a ton of wonderful ideas!
I'm even that much more motivated to clean up my garage so I can get a workstation to start cutting some wood!
We're so happy to hear this was helpful for you! We would love to see your results! 🙌🏼
We are having to take our overhead cab apart and I really like the artic foam boards that you mentioned. But I am having trouble finding them, would you be able to share where you purchased them from?
Hey! We grabbed them from Home Depot. Best of luck and we're happy to answer any more questions!
@@KreativeFreedom awesome. Thank you
I'm looking at getting an 81 RV it has exterior damage and most likely interior, what steps do I need to fix the exterior
This was really informative because I plan on getting a Class C & towing my car. I know Class C’s are known for the water leakage over the cab in the corners, so it was great to watch you fix it. I think I could do a fix job like this too. I really like the addition of the cedar. It’s very pretty & breaks up the white by adding some texture & color. What mpg do you get when towing your car?
Hi there, Linda! Thanks and so happy it was helpful! We probably average around 12mpg towing the car, but that includes going over passes, etc.
@@KreativeFreedom Can I ask what MPG without towing a car. I just bought similar and am wondering. I've not clocked my mileage yet. Thank you!
Where was the water coming in? How did you stop that?
My god what am I getting myself in to 😆
Haha 😂
You have alot of cars for a full timer rv living. Are those your tow cars?
We were staying with family while we rebuilt this, so that's their driveway and their cars. We just tow our Jetta, which is our only car.
I have a Coachman 2015 looks like I may have a problem how much am I looking to spend to repair??
It depends on how much area you need to repair. This fix only cost us about $300. Best of luck!
Did you use that kilz spray the first time as well?
We did, but only on the bottom and where we used it survived everything fine, so this time, we also used it on the walls.
If I'm thinking of buying an RV with overhead damage....as a newbie...do think that if not doing the work myself it a really expensive or hard thing to pay someone to do?
Hi, there! Overhead cabs are notorious for it. The job was actually quite easy, so we wouldn't imagine it would be very expensive to pay someone. Just do a thorough check to see how extensive the water damage is to make sure it's not all through the rig, bc that's a different story. We do recommend using the cedar planks because they are resistant to water damage, the Zinus mattress infused with activated charcoal and green tea (it survived the ultimate test and completely resisted any mold or mildew), & be sure to consistently reseal the seams after it's fixed to prevent more water damage from coming in. Also, make sure the window sills are pulled out and checked inside, because we found a lot of mold in ours. Wishing you the best of luck! If you do decide to buy it, we would love to see the result! Feel free to ask us any other questions about it and take care! 🙏
Having mine done; $7400 and change. They're pretty much rebuilding the entire cabover structure, other than the frame. Water soaked the insulation and pooled up over the winter. They said it had probably started leaking last summer, just not enough to notice. Then when the snow started melting it really rushed in this spring. Luckily it looks like insurance is going to cover it.