First: stop the water
Get the RV out of the rain if you can, or cover the roof with a tarp weighted at the edges. Do not climb onto a roof that feels soft or that has been hit by a tree. Inside, move anything under the drip, pull cushions and mattresses away from wet walls, and run a fan or dehumidifier. The faster the interior dries, the less mold and delamination you deal with later.
Second: find where the water is actually entering
The drip is almost never under the leak. Water travels along roof framing, down wall studs and across the ceiling panel before it shows. Start on the roof, upstream of the stain: check vent and skylight flanges, the front and rear caps where the roof meets the fiberglass, the roof edge moldings, and any accessory (antenna, solar mount, ladder) bolted through the membrane. Look for cracked, separated or lifted sealant, and for tears or bubbles in the membrane.
Pour a small amount of water on each suspect area one at a time and have someone watch inside. A hose test finds most leaks in twenty minutes.
Third: document everything
Photograph the interior damage, the roof, and the suspected entry point with wide and close-up shots. If a tree, hail or wind caused it, those photos are the start of your insurance claim. If it is a worn-sealant leak, they help us give you an accurate estimate before we drive out.
Repair, reseal or replace?
A single failed seam or a puncture is a localized repair. Sealant failing in several places on a roof that is otherwise sound is a full reseal, or a candidate for a seamless silicone roof coating. Soft, spongy decking over a large area, or a roof torn open by a tree, is a replacement, and that is usually an insurance job. We inspect first and tell you which one it is.
What it costs
Our leak inspection and localized repairs are $175 per hour plus travel and materials. Most leak diagnostics are one to two hours. A reseal is typically a half day. Replacements are quoted in writing after inspection. Rates are on our rates page.
Related questions
Can I use Flex Seal or roof tape on my RV roof?
As a temporary stop, yes. As a repair, no. Most spray and tape products are incompatible with EPDM and TPO and make the proper repair harder. Use them to get through the weekend, then have the roof repaired correctly.
How long can I wait to fix an RV roof leak?
Not long. Wet decking rots in one season and wet wall framing delaminates the sidewall. A small membrane repair turns into decking, framing and interior work when it waits a year.