Roof caulking around fantastic fan and other sad stories

Paul1959

Hi folks,

I am taking the advisory to check and renew as necessary the caulking seals on my Tab 400.  I am wondering how anyone might have accessed the roof on their 400 as I cannot comfortably reach all around the roof fans to remove the existing caulk from a step ladder.  I am looking a using 2 Little Giant ladders and 16ft lumber scaffolding.

Before I tell you my other issue, I must tell you that I am the 3rd owner of this 2018 Tab.  That said, it appears that a previous owner in an attempt to seal a leak, used silicone sealer about all 3 round windows and the bathroom fan on the roof.  I have done some reading and it appears that there is an intense dislike for the silicone caulk, since it is hard to remove.  I am noticing as well that the silicone caulk job is pretty poor and it does not appear to be well bonded in several places.  Looks to me like someone removed the windows and re-installed as the graphics appear to be damaged around 2 of the windows.  Anyway, I was hoping that someone may be able to share a similar story with their unit.  I would really like to know of thoughts on what to use to get the silicone sealer off.

Paul

Mickerly

Auto parts store or hardware store should have silicon removal products. I try to get as much off as I can, then use a product to remove the residue. Be careful not to scratch the roof.

If the roof surface was waxed before the silicon was applied, it probably didn't stick. Use rubbing alcohol or wax remover from the auto parts store to get to a clean surface. Make sure to wax after the sealant is dry.

XenanMe

I find Mineral Spirits works really well to remove silicone from surfaces.  Remove what you can by hand and then apply mineral spirits with a microfibre cloth to get any remaining spots on the surface.

Paul1959

Thanks for your ideas on this.  I was wondering thought if mineral spirits might leave a residue as well.  Could this be removed with IPA or denatured alcohol. 

Does anyone know if these solvents will affect the graphics?  I have the silicone problem on the port holes windows as well. 

Also, wondering about what to use as a sealer/adhesive for the sides and bottoms seals.  I am still waiting on a specific recommendation from NuCamp.

SLJ

I've always used Dicor self-leveling sealant on roof protrusions and Dicor non-leveling on side walls. Easy to replace or touch up. Just used non-leveling on my bathroom fan install. 

Paul1959

Thanks SLJ.  Is that a polyurethane based material as NuCamp recommends?

TheySeeMeRollin

Making scaffolding out of lumber has some drawbacks.  Will it flex?  How heavy is it?  How difficult will it be to put on your ladders?  How much weight will it support?

I decided to bite the bullet & purchase an aluminum ladder stage.  Yes, it cost $180 for something I'll use only occasionally, but I figured taking it to the dealer to do any work on top, would cost me more than that anyway.

The stage I bought is 12' long and supports 250 lbs.  It only weighs 36lbs.

That will give me about 2' on each side of my T@B 320 for the ladders.  Since you have a 400, you'll need to get the size that will work for you.

As a side note, now that I have a ladder stage, I can get the crown moulding project in my house done a lot easier.  I wish I had it when I painted my den.

https://www.wernerco.com/us/products/specialty-products/stages?page=1#pf-filters=spec:cat/Stages

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Werner-12-in-x-12-ft-Stage-with-250-lb-Load-Capacity-2012/203134460

Gherzig

@Paul1959 -  I rented a 10' multi-position step ladder from Home Depot for $20 when I replaced my fan. Worked perfectly.

I digress regarding a Dicor Caulk experience.  When caulking, I managed to get a significant amount of Dicor caulk on my shirt - don't ask.   I planned to toss it but after 2 weeks, may wife put it in the wash by itself with hot water.  Every bit of the Dicor was gone - fully dissolved with no signs of it!  Good news for my shirt but a bit concerning for my roof.  The shirt is 100% nylon which is likely the reason.  However, I don't think I will ever wash my roof with warm water.