WINNEBAGO VIEW – Roof Leak Repair and Resealing

Roof Leak Repair and Resealing for WINNEBAGO VIEW

I’m standing on top of a View’s rubber roof right now, one boot on the air conditioning unit, running my fingers along a seam that’s wept stains down into the galley below. The old factory sealant is chalky, crumbling away in pieces when I press it with my thumb. This isn’t a maybe-we-should-look-at-it situation anymore — water is already finding its way in, and if I don’t stop it here, the next hard rain will turn that stain into wet cabinetry, soft spots in the wall, and a structural repair that costs three times what this sealing job will. A roof seam failure on a View isn’t cosmetic damage; it’s the beginning of a cascade that ends in rotted framing and delaminated walls. The good news: caught at this stage, before the wood underneath starts to fail, this is a weekend project with the right sealant and a methodical approach.

Required Parts

• Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealante Dicor 501LSW-1 Epdm Self-Leveling Lap Sealant-10.3 Oz. Tube, White, 10.3 Fluid_Ounces (Packaging May Vary)
• Eternabond RoofSeal Tape0 EternaBond RoofSeal White 4″ x25′ MicroSealant UV Stable RV Roof Seal Repair Tape | 35 mil Total Thickness – EB-RW040-25R – One-Step Durable, Waterproof and Airtight Sealant
• Rubber roof cleanern Dicor RP-RC-1GL Deep Cleaning Rubber RV Roof Cleanser Spray Refill – White, 1 Gallon

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Leak Detection and Documentation

The hunt for a roof leak starts inside, not on the roof. Move through the interior during rain or right after a downpour, checking every corner of the ceiling with a flashlight — pay special attention to light fixtures, the area around the roof-mounted air conditioner, vent fans, and overhead cabinet seams. Look for discolored patches (tan, brown, or yellow), soft or spongy ceiling material when you press gently, wallpaper or fabric that’s lifting, visible water drips, or that unmistakable musty smell that means mold is already colonizing inside the walls. Get behind or inside overhead cabinets if you can; water doesn’t announce itself at the most obvious spot — it travels sideways through the framing and shows up feet away from where it entered. Take photos of every suspicious area and sketch a rough map marking each one. Understanding that the actual breach point may be significantly higher than where you see the damage will save you from patching the wrong spot.

Step 2: Exterior Roof Inspection and Preparation

Choose a dry day with no wind and temps in the 50–90°F range — sealant won’t cure properly when it’s cold or humid. Climb up using a ladder with stabilizer bars (never skip this step on an RV), and move deliberately across the roof in soft-soled shoes. The View’s rubber membrane can handle walking, but you’re one sharp object away from a puncture, so watch where you kneel. Inch your way from front to rear, stopping at every single penetration: AC unit, roof vents, plumbing stack, antenna mount, ladder brackets, and the front cap transition where the fiberglass cab-over meets the rubber. Run your fingers along every seam and lap joint, hunting for cracks, gaps, sealant pulling away from the edges, or material that’s turned brittle and powdery. Tape off each problem zone with painter’s tape so you won’t miss anything when you get down to work.

Step 3: Cleaning and Surface Preparation

New sealant sticks only to a clean surface — old oxidation, road film, and weathered coating are instant sealant failure waiting to happen. Grab a dedicated rubber roof cleaner (Dicor RP-RC-1GL is the standard), and scrub every repair zone and 6 inches of rubber beyond it on all sides using a soft brush. Let the cleaner sit for 5–10 minutes to break down the grime, then rinse it away with clean water. For stubborn buildup or old sealant that needs to come off, use only a plastic putty knife — metal tools will score or puncture the membrane. After scrubbing, dry everything completely. This isn’t a quick-wipe situation; give it 2–4 hours in decent weather to dry all the way through. Moisture underneath new sealant = seal failure, period.

Step 4: Removing Failed Sealant

If the old sealant is loose, cracked, or peeling away, scrape it off completely before laying down new material. Use a plastic tool and work slowly — you’re not in a hurry, and one slip will tear the roof membrane. Work a plastic putty knife under the edges and lift the old sealant away in strips. For sealant that’s baked on hard, an RV-specific adhesive remover can soften it, but test it on a hidden spot first to make sure it won’t damage your roof. Once you’ve cleared away the old material, clean the exposed surface again with roof cleaner to strip any oily residue left behind by the aged sealant. If you uncover tears, punctures, or soft spots in the membrane itself while scraping, those need Eternabond tape before you apply any lap sealant.

Step 5: Applying Eternabond Tape to Damaged Areas

Eternabond is a pressure-activated sealing tape that bonds permanently to the membrane and handles cracks, small tears, and degraded spots in the rubber. For any damage you’ve exposed, cut the 4-inch tape to overlap the problem area by at least 2 inches in every direction. Peel back the edge of the backing, line up the tape precisely, and press down the first couple of inches. Gradually peel away more backing while you smooth the tape down, working from one end to the other to push out air pockets. When it’s all down, go over the entire surface with a J-roller or your hand, pressing hard and evenly. Don’t skimp on pressure — the adhesive works through compression. Edges are especially critical; lift them or trap a bubble and water will find it.

Step 6: Applying Lap Sealant to Seams and Penetrations

Dicor self-leveling lap sealant is engineered for RV roofs — it flexes as the rig expands and contracts instead of cracking apart like brittle caulk. Load it into a quality caulking gun, cut the tip at a 45-degree angle to make a 3/8-inch opening, and start at your roof vents and other fixtures. Run a generous bead all the way around each penetration, making sure new sealant overlaps any existing sound sealant by at least half an inch. Aim for a bead about 1/4 inch thick and 3/4 inch wide. Maintain steady trigger pressure and move at a consistent speed. The air conditioner gets special attention at all four corners where the flange meets the roof — these angles are notorious leak points. After you finish each penetration, step back and eyeball it; ripples and unevenness are fine, but thin spots or gaps are not.

Step 7: Sealing Roof Seams and Final Inspection

The View’s rubber roof is laid in sections, and the lengthwise seams running down the middle are the most common failure points. Apply lap sealant along the entire length of each seam, creating a bead that covers the seam itself plus about 1 inch on each side. Wherever two seams meet or a seam ends, slow down and lay down extra material — junction zones are weak points. Don’t skip the front cap transition — that’s where the fiberglass cab-over meets the rubber, and it flexes constantly, so it needs a thick, durable seal. When you’ve finished all the work, walk the roof and look at it from different angles. The sealant will smooth itself out over the next 24 hours, but don’t drive or climb back up there until it’s fully cured. Plan to get back up there once a year and do a quick seal check; that habit will catch problems before they become interior damage.

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The Sealant That Actually Stays Put on Winnebago View Seams

View roofs fail at the seams because factory sealant hardens, cracks, and loses its grip — typically within 3–5 years of factory installation. You need a self-leveling formula that flows into gaps and remains flexible through the temperature swings your rig experiences.

What works

• Remains workable for 15–20 minutes after you squeeze it out, so you have time to smooth and shape the bead without it skinning over and tearing.
• Cures with flexibility built in — it stretches and contracts with the roof as temperatures climb and drop, rather than fracturing under the stress.
• One tube will handle a typical seam repair without running dry halfway through, and leftover material won’t harden in the applicator before your next project.

What doesn’t

• Laying new sealant over old sealant or oxidation means zero adhesion — the new stuff will peel off in two years, and you’ll be back on the roof doing this over.
• The white finish yellows visibly after 2–3 seasons of sun exposure, even though the waterproof properties hold; if the aesthetic bothers you, this is a cosmetic trade-off worth knowing about.

I nearly scrapped an entire seam reapplication on my first View because I didn’t realize the old sealant was silicone-based, and Dicor won’t bond to silicone — only EPDM-to-EPDM or metal. Check what’s under there first. Get the Dicor 501LSW-1 Epdm Self-Leveling Lap Sealant-10.3 Oz. Tube, White, 10.3 Fluid_Ounces (Packaging May Vary).

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