Country Coach Owners Forum

Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: Steve Rothenberg on July 07, 2011, 11:46:10 am

Title: Water leaking on slide
Post by: Steve Rothenberg on July 07, 2011, 11:46:10 am
Yahoo Message Number: 72503 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/72503)
Hello all,

I know this has been discussed numerous times, but unlike others who have stated they were having water leaks on the inside upper compartments, or the floor, or inside the lower storage bays - my leak is showing up on the fabric of the lower window box behind our sofa and leaving a water stain on the fabric.
While having the slide extended and running the A/C unit, I discovered the condensation from the A/C was dripping through the awning which covers the upper roof of the slide, and water was pooling up on top of the slide. It looks like the rubber seal running the length of the slide (directly above the window) is deteriorating and I assume the water is finding its way inside through this means. Now for the questions:

1. I wouldn't think water should be leaking through the awning cover and pooling on the top of the slide. Anyone have the same experience and can share their fix, or is this normal?
2. It puzzles me how the water is ONLY showing up on the bottom of the inside window box. I would think I should see signs of it leaking down the wall, or leaking down the top and side of the window box also....could there be hidden issues that I have yet to discover?
3. Any suggestions to the removal, repair, or replacement of the seal? Do I have to order a seal, or is there a caulk/sealant that will work for this repair?
4. Lastly, any suggestions of how to remove the water stain on the fabric? The manual recommends K2R for spot removal on fabric, but I think it is referring to oil or grease stains - not water.

Thank you all for any suggestions or input you have to offer.

Safe travels and enjoy the summer!

Steve

2000 Intrigue
#11168

Title: Re: Water leaking on slide
Post by: Jack Nichols on July 07, 2011, 01:19:59 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 72504 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/72504)
Steve:

I will give my best guess to answer your questions, then suggest something you did not address.

1. My slide toppers have drain holes to let water escape and not pool on the topper. Pooling on the slide top during a heavy rain seems somewhat normal. Seeping into the coach is not normal, of course. The deteriorating seal may be a factor, as you stated.
2. Water may be finding its way into the slide wall, around the window frame, and escaping onto your interior. I would be concerned for the damage it might do inside the wall structure - rot, mold, de-lamination come to mind.
3. Others on here are much more qualified to address this question than I am. Thankfully I have not experienced it, yet.
4. Good luck with the stain.
Now, to my other thought:
 My AC unit's condensate drips into a catch pan in the bottom of the topside unit, and then is directed through tubing to drip out at the rear corner of the coach. If yours is the same, then leaking water on the roof, thereby onto the slide, indicates either the drain tubing is stopped up or has come loose from the catch "pan".
 In my case I found my plastic "pan" had cracked because someone had cranked down HARD on the four mounting bolts holding the AC unit on the roof - the gasket (which still needs replacing) and roof deformed enough to break the catch pan. The catch pan has drain tubes on both sides of the unit, so it can drain even when the coach is not level. Only one side was damaged at the connector to one of the drain tubes, and I blocked off that side of the drain system, and rely on one drain tube only - works great. I will replace that piece if and when I am in there for some other failure. Discussions of why a drain pan is made of nonflexible cast plastic instead of a durable plastic, or better yet, metal, will have to wait for some other two hour discussion I do not want to get into here. Grrrr.
 Something to consider, if your drain configuration is the same as mine.

Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527
Title: Re: Water leaking on slide
Post by: C Marshall on July 07, 2011, 01:40:37 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 72505 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/72505)
Pardon my attempt at this. But I learned at a Zip Dee seminar and from ZD at the factory the

importance of keeping your awnings clean. The surface tension of water combined with clean fabric

keeps the water from penetrating the fabric. Dirt or dust on the fabric wicks the water through the

pores in the fabric. There is a foam gasket around your window and it will fail allowing water due to the

capillary effect to get to your window box. Carrier and sons use to remove the windows for CC in the

past and install rubber window gaskets and reinstall and seal the windows.
I am not sure How the

window drains work across the bottom of the window but they may need to be cleaned also. I had an

issue where the integrity of the seal between the face of the slide room (wall) was open for about 18

inches at the seam with the top of the slide. So, Lazy days pulled back all the slide awnings and sealed

the seams, which I check bi-annually. There are some aluminum 1" right angle pieces that cover joints

between the tops and the end pieces of the slide rooms that need to be checked also. And yes after this

many years it may be time to replace the wiper seals. Do you ever check the rain water collection boxes

under the bed room slide? Have you checked for any signs of delimitation between the slide room wall

and the wall right angle edge pieces? If water has an 1/8" slope in 1' it can travel a long way inside a

wall, just ask the Mississippi River.
TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Original Message:
-----------------

From: Steve Rothenberg journey.2009@... (journey.2009@...) Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 08:42:35 -0700 (PDT) To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Water leaking on slide

Hello all,

I know this has been discussed numerous times, but unlike others who have stated they were having

water leaks on the inside upper compartments, or the floor, or inside the lower storage bays - my leak

is showing up on the fabric of the lower window box behind our sofa and leaving a water stain on the
fabric.

While having the slide extended and running the A/C unit, I discovered the condensation from the A/C

was dripping through the awning which covers the upper roof of the slide, and water was pooling up on

top of the slide. It looks like the rubber seal running the length of the slide (directly above the

window) is deteriorating and I assume the water is finding its way inside through this means. Now for
the questions:
1. I wouldn't think water should be leaking through the awning cover and pooling on the top of the

slide. Anyone have the same experience and can share their fix, or is this normal?

2. It puzzles me how the water is ONLY showing up on the bottom of the inside window box. I would

think I should see signs of it leaking down the wall, or leaking down the top and side of the window box

also....could there be hidden issues that I have yet to discover?
3. Any suggestions to the removal, repair, or replacement of the seal? Do I have to order a seal, or is

there a caulk/sealant that will work for this repair?
4. Lastly, any suggestions of how to remove the water stain on the
fabric? The manual recommends

K2R for spot removal on fabric, but I think it is referring to oil or grease stains - not water.

Thank you all for any suggestions or input you have to offer.

Safe travels and enjoy the summer!

Steve

2000 Intrigue
#11168

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Title: Re: Water leaking on slide
Post by: Dan Fahrion on July 08, 2011, 10:13:31 am
Yahoo Message Number: 72538 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/72538)
Steve

We had such a leak and OMC resealed around all our windows and presto no more leaking.

Dan 20006 Allure 31348