Are you facing a water leaking problem with your RV’s slide out? Well, you are not the first one. In fact, most RVers have faced this problem at least once during their camping trips. This is a major problem that not only makes your camping experience bitter but also causes costly damages to your motorhome. But, how to stop RV slide outs from leaking?
To stop RV slide outs from leaking, you can replace damaged weather seals, use seal protectant sprays and install slide-out topper awning. In case of heavy rains, you can use rain guards. Also, make sure that your motorhome is as level as possible on the camping site. All these can stop the water leaks in RV slide outs.
But to solve a problem entirely, you need to know what causes the problem and what the symptoms are. And this is why I have briefly explained all the possible reasons for RV slide-out leaks and the signs you should look for to determine whether your RV’s slide out is leaking or not. So, without further ado, let’s begin!
Possible Reasons for Slide Out Leaks
RV slide out leaking is a common problem that almost every RV owner has faced at least once. There are many reasons why water leaks in your RV slide out. These reasons are given below.
Crack on the Seals
Cracked or damaged weather seals in your RV’s slide is one of the most common reasons for water leaks. When you go RVing outdoors, these seals will be exposed to a harsh environment like extreme heat, rain, or snow.
And with time, no matter how good you are with taking care of your RV, these seals will start to crack. When they get damaged, the possibility of water leaking inside your RV will increase. If you notice that your RV is leaking when the slide is closed, damaged seals might be the culprit.
The RV is Not Level
Most of the time RV owners overlook the fact whether their motorhome is leveled or not. This is important. An unleveled RV can result in water leaking inside your trailer.
When the RV is not perfectly leveled and it is raining heavily outside, this can result in water bypassing the weather seals on your RV’s slide. As a result, a good amount of water will get inside your trailer causing costly damages to your motorhome.
Manufacturing Defects
There are some instances where newly bought RVs started leaking. And upon inspecting, the owners of those RVs have found out that the leaks were caused by either poorly installed weather seals in the slide-out or missing seals in a certain portion of the slides. Defective slides can also be another possible reason for leaks in your RV.
Although these types of manufacturing defects are very rare, they can happen. In such cases, get in touch with authorized dealers to resolve the issues you have with your RV. It is never a good idea to troubleshoot or fix something when you are under warranty. You can void the warranty of your RV if you do such a thing.
Other Reasons
When your RV’s roof drain gets blocked by debris of dirt, mud, leaves, and other things, water can leak through the gaps in your trailer’s slides.
On top of that, dirt and leaves can gather in the slide-out tops. This might make it harder for you to open and retract your slides and is a possible reason water leaking into your motorhome.
Leaks in the plumbing and water lines are another common reason for water getting inside your trailer. This is a common problem for every RV. When you are on long camping trips, the water lines and other plumbing lines in your RV will be exposed to a harsh environment. This can damage the pipes, which will eventually lead to water leaking into your RV slide out.
Signs That Your RV Slide Out is Leaking
You can find out whether your RV slide-out is leaking or not by visually inspecting your trailer thoroughly. But keep in mind, when you notice water in a certain spot inside your motorhome doesn’t mean that the leak source is in that spot.
That’s because water can easily flow from one place to another. So, identifying the source of the leak problem will require extensive inspection of your RV. With that out of the way, have a look at the signs given down below. If you notice even one of the signs in your RV from that list, that means your RV’s slide-out is leaking.
- The color of the weather seals will change. They will appear to be cracked and worn out. On top of that, if you squeeze the seals, you will feel that they have become softer compared to what they used to be.
- The bottom of the slide will feel a bit spongy in some locations.
- If your RV’s slide-out is leaking, you will notice that mildews or molds have developed inside your trailer. They might also produce a musty smell that might be pungent and unpleasant to you.
- The screws near the water seals will become rusty. They will also appear to be loose.
How to Stop RV Slide Outs from Leaking?
Water leaks can cause some serious damage to your camper. Therefore, it is extremely important to stop RV slide-outs from leaking.
This is why I’ve listed all the things that you need to do to make sure no water can get inside your trailer.
Inspect the RV in Regular Intervals
Check the RV in Regular Intervals. This is very important. You should check your camper thoroughly at least once every six months if the RV is sitting in your garage for a long time. Especially during the fall and the spring season.
Check everything carefully starting from the plumbing lines to the weather seals in the slides. It is recommended to inspect your motorhome every time before going on a long camping trip. Otherwise, water leaks during the trip can make your camping experience unpleasant.
Use Seal Protectant
One of the main causes of a water leak is when the weather seals get cracked. Seals can be damaged for various reasons like sun rays, UV rays, dirt, and wind. And seal protectant sprays provide extra protection to these weather seals from such damages. Use it as a part of your motorhome maintenance.
Use Rain Guard
If it is raining heavily, even a perfectly installed seal will not be able to keep all the water out of your camper. In that case, using a rain guard might be your solution. It will keep all the rainwater away from your RV slide’s components, thus preventing any sort of water leaks.
Make Sure That Your RV is Leveled
Most of the RV owners overlook this. But it is extremely important to keep your RV leveled in camping sites. An unleveled trailer will not only cause slides to leak but also will damage the machines in your RV. So, always prioritize to keep your motorhome as level as possible.
Use Slide Topper Awning
As mentioned before, dirt, mud, leaves can gather on top of RV’s slide out which can cause water leaking inside your camper. To keep these away, you can install a slide topper awning in your RV.
But just installing a slide-out topper will not solve the leaking problem entirely. You will need to clean the roof portion of your RV regularly. This can prevent dirt and other debris from accumulating on the roof and blocking drainage lines.
Replace RV Slide-Out Seals Every Two Years or Whenever Damaged or Cracked
One of the main sources of water leaks is the cracked weather seals. So, if you notice any sort of damage to the seals like splits or cracks in the gasket, or the seal appears to be worn out, you should immediately replace them. Don’t wait for a water leak to occur. It is recommended to replace all the weather seals at least once every two years.
Conclusion
Identifying and stopping water leaks in RV slide outs is not that difficult task. Inspecting the RV and taking some preemptive measures can help you prevent this sort of unfortunate problems from occurring in the first place. And I hope that the actions that have been pointed out in this article can help you solve your RV’s water leak problem.
Thank you for having the patience to go through the entire article. Wishing you the very best for your next camping trip.
