wgander
San Diego
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Joined: 07/30/2002
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Replacements are available in acrylic or Lexan, and clear, opaque or bronze.
Are there any advantages of either, or is it just personal preference?
The original appears to have been held in place with a ribbon of white adhesive, then screwed down and the edge covered over with sealant.
I bought butyl tape, thinking I'd have to put it under the flange of the skylight: looks like I only have to put it on the top surface of the flange, to cover the screws, and extend it to the (rubber) roof.
I removed the wet wood and cut replacements for it, to install when I'm satisfied I have aall the rotten wood out, and the space is dry.
How am I doing so far?
If I decide to keep the original skylight, is there anything to make removing old caulk and butyl easy to remove? I'm thinking of getting a new one only because it's so difficult to remove the old caulk and butyl.
It looks like the original adhesive left a one inch space at a rear corner: I don't know how water managed to get past all of the butly sealant to enter that corfner.
2000 Four Winds Five Thousand 28A (Chevy 3500), Master Tow Dolly, 2000 Chevy Venture minivan TOAD
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Serena
US
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Joined: 01/12/2008
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I've removed the caulk with a putty knife and mineral spirits. It was time-consuming, but not difficult. If I had it to do again (and I do - other skylight) I think orange oil solvent this time. Helps if you work whatever you use in a little and let it work. Goo-Gone will take off any remaining bits of it with old rags.
Serena
I Know Where I Been, Cuz I Was There When I Went.
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othertonka
Stockton, CA
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Joined: 11/15/2003
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I would recommend that you don't put the Butyl tape on top of the flange over the screws, but that you put the Butyl tape under the flange, between the flange and the roof and tighten the screws a little at a time in a random patteren just until the butyl tape starts to squeeze out. Then trim off that part of the tape that squeezed out, a plastic putty knife works good, and then cover that edge and the screw heads with Dicor self leveing lap sealant to finish the job. If you decide to reuse the original skylight, be sure and inspect it for any hair line cracks. You had a leak somewhere and it could have been a crack in the skylight itself. This is the way I installed my replacement skylight and the butyl tape works great. Good luck
Dicor
Othertonka
2004 Southwind 32VS
2002 CRV Toad
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vikx
Washington State
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Othertonka got it right. Butyl tape goes UNDER the flange. VK
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wgander
San Diego
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I finally have the bottom of the flange completely clean. I have the top of the flange clean up to the screw holes. I'd like to get all of the old sealers off, but don't know if I have the patience to keep at this! I'm going to wash it and make ssure there are no cracks in it before I put it back on.
The leak was at one corner - it's obvious that there was no sealant there. There are cracks at several of the screw holes.
I'll take the advice to put down butyl tape under the skylight; that should seal the screw holes and cracks, then run a bead of Dicor around the edge.
Removing the wet wood was a mess: after pulling it out with my fingers, I used a chisel to break more of it free, and ended up using a jig saw to cut off the rotten part. I may have to use Liquid Nails to hold the replacement pieces of wood I cut in place: one of the pieces was stapled to the metal stud in the roof and I don't have the tools to staple through metal.
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vikx
Washington State
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Try to put a lot more than a bead of Dicor. It's made to self level and you'll need a good wide layer of it to seal. Sounds like you've done a great job getting the old off-Dicor will take care of the rest; goop the screw heads well. You might try to drill and screw the replacement wood to the metal after Liquid nails to give you a bit more strength. VK
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wgander
San Diego
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Done! I hope it's leak free.
The butyl tape came with about 20 screws; I drilled the flange and added screws because some of the holes were cracking. I ran a bead of the Dicor Lap Sealant (nice stuff to work with) and put a dab on every screw head.
Four Winds quoted me less than $30 for a replacement exterior skylight (my motor home has an exterior and interior). By the time they got back to me I had the original one cleaned up. A previous thread had a link to a business that didn't have anything for less than $100. If I ever have to do this again, I'll wait for the factory to get back to me.
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wgander
San Diego
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Bah! Hum bug! It rained today and leaked at the same corner. Leaked more than before. Took off the inside skylight to determine where it was leaking but didn't want to crawl around on the wet rubber roof. I ran paper towels around the entire inside edge and only the one corner was wet.
The motor home parking pad on a slight incline and the motor home faces uphill. The leak is on the lowest, downhill corner.
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garry1p
Broken Arrow, OK, USA
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Joined: 08/12/2004
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OH MY all that work and now !!!!!!!
I have the same problem with the vent over the shower now I'm worried since it sounds like you did everything right and it didn't work.
I will be looking forward to how you overcome the leak before I start my repair.
Garry1p
1990 Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite XL
454 on P-30 Chassis
1999 Jeep Cherokee sport
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vikx
Washington State
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Sorry to hear of this new development. Been there...I have a couple of ideas for you. First, check to see if there's another roof protrusion that could be leaking with the water running to the low corner of the skylight. Sometimes water will travel quite a ways before dripping down. Also, even tho it sounds like you already have, make sure you really gooped the Dicor on-it takes at least a caulk tube per skylight or vent.
Leaks can be frustrating and very difficult to trace. Hang in there. When it dries out, check all the vents, edges and anything else up there that could leak. Good Luck! VK
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