Door and mushroom vent leaks

[wcammack]

Hi everyone,

 

So I finished my camper over a year ago, and have spent six months on the road living out of it while I moved across the country. I absolutely love it, but have had consistent issues with leaks both around the doors and the mushroom vents. In regards to the doors, I think it’s a tough issue to fix just because the nature of how my doors ended up fitting together. The top and bottom edge of the doors aren’t flush with the camper, and I think this is where the water leaks in. I find after a good rain the foam strips on the inside of the door are completely saturated with water and start to leak out onto my mattress. I’ve tried tightening the tension strap on the inside, but it hasn’t helped. Anyone else dealing with this/have any solutions?

 

In regards to the mushroom vents, I’m sort of baffled. I did everything exactly right, and as far as I can tell they are exactly how they were intended to be. Yet they consistently leak water through them even when they are closed. Anyone have a clue what is going on here?

 

Thanks!

[faithie999]

I don’t have any suggestions about the door leaks, but what I did with the mushroom vents was to put a strip of Frost King foam inside the cap so when the cap is snugged down the foam seals against the inner part of the vent.  haven’t had any water intrusion.

ken

 

 

[szerby]

I used a auto door trim around the edges of my doors.  Have them a professional black outline on the outside and an nearly airtight seal.

[Gerald Baranski]

For our doors we installed adjustable buckle clips (like on a backpack) its made it easier to adjust the doors. I skipped the mushroom vents and installed larger portholes.

[Anonymous]

Hi Gerald,

Where did you find the porthole windows?  Do they have screens?

Thanks!

Sara

[wudboatVT]

What type and size of door edge trim did you find that worked?

[western_flyer]

Both front and back I installed the base plate on the outside not the inside as per manual. In the front to compensate for the curved surface I used nylon shims/spacers from my neighborhood hardware store to have a flat surface for the vent to mate with. Then calked in the gaps. In the front I  drilled a small weep hole (3/32?) at the base just in front of the bug screen. I also sealed the bug screen up about an inch with Marine Goo (Shoe Goo). In the rear the vent sloops down so no weep hole or Goo. Results, no leaks, no foam used.

Also note I use longer bolts and some handles so the vents can be opened and close from the inside.

Sorry I don’t seem to be able to add pictures.

 

 

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by western_flyer.

[western_flyer]

[western_flyer]

[PatandRay]

I am curious about your solution to your door leak. Our doors don’t leak but the are not flush with the body.  I am frustrated enough that I am looking for ways to rebuild the doors.

 

We did solve the mushroom vent leak with weathstripping.

 

 

 

 

[ArtisticAdam]

I used the foam method recommend by fathie999 and had no issues. However i’ve always hated the look and function of the mushroom vents.

I just finished up an upgrade to ditch the mushroom vents. Pictured below is a 3″ attwood marine cowl on the outside with a 4″ deck hatch cover on the inside. Slightly modified the black plastic of the cowl to open up to 4″. Sandwiched between the cowl and deck hatch is a sheet of metal bug screen. I couldn’t be happier with the final setup. It looks and functions way better than the mushroom vents. We can open it up from the inside and the airflow significantly increased.

[szerby]

How do you close it from inside?   I do not see any way to close it as that vent comes from the factory.  Di you use another component?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 12 months ago by szerby.

[ArtisticAdam]

last two attempts to post this did not go through for some reason.

szerby I used a marine inspection deck cover on the inside.

here is a photo from inside.

[szerby]

clever.  however it is either open, or closed.  there is no adjusting.   not a big deal at all,.  I added a know to my mushroom on the inside to dialing open, closed or in between.  but i like your style.  might be a future upgrade

[Author]

Posts