If you think it's dry....think again.....oh that blue insulation!

[Tina]

So much water...still in that insulation.

Well, I did some work in Diggity Dodge this morning and concentrated on one area of the ceiling that was a major contributor to the still existing water reservoir of a ceiling.  There is a piece of 2x4 coming out from the wall that just stopped at about 8" and doesn't seem to be attached in any way to any other boards.  It just kind of hangs there like a lone wolf.  This piece was hanging down really bad when I began this project and appears to be a major source of the sagging ceiling from standing water..  It looks like whoever did this was going to run a 2x4 all the way across like the other supports, they had clearly cut a line in the insulation to do that...but they just stopped and left it as is.  No support at all.

When I started working at it the insulation I freed up around it started leaking water.  It was still completely saturated!  More drying time is clearly needed before I start adding ceiling materials for sure.

I have picked that rotted thing apart and looked all over it for any kind of screws or nails, cannot find a single one. Nor can I find any toenail attempts from the board adjacent to it.  So, I'm going to remove that and run a new 2x4 across the ceiling where it was supposed to be.  This is going to be labor intensive because that insulation does not just pull down.  It  is glued up there so tight, and is so dense that I have to chisel away at it in sections carefully so I don't hit the aluminum roof. It is neck breaking work.  Arrgggg!!!

Russ.... per our chat earlier today, I am certainly not ahead of you in any way. LOL  I am still ripping out wet rotted wood and paneling from the cabover.  I spent about two hours on this during the morning. I have lots of "dirt" to play in before it goes onto the garden as compost. LOL

Here are the two corners of the cabover areas.  Every piece of wood in those corners and halfway back was compost.

I am going to have no choice but to remove the "bed" floor up there just so I can clear out all of the rotted stuff.  I don't know how much work that will be, the vinyl etc. is attached to that with bolts and heavy duty staples.  I am just going to have to do it though, because part of that "floor" is rotted in one center front area and on the sides. (My brother used to sleep up there.  Oh my.....)

The roof vent in that end was leaking, but it hadn't leaked to the rotted wood stage yet. I expected it on those.

Also, the window frame on the front of the cabover seems to be in really dry and good shape on the wood around it.  I really expected that to be a goner.  Yey, for favorable conditions there!

Girl!  What HAVE you gotten yourself into this time????  ROFL

Ya know, the scariest part of doing this is that a few years ago I considered buying an old "Restored" RV.  I am so glad I did not do that!  There are people out there who might have just covered this stuff up and called it "restored".   UGH!

Have a great day all! 

[Tina]

Okay, David. Thanks for educating me on that.  Fortunately there are only two places where the blue insulation is damaged and I will do as you suggested.  All of the rest of it was just wet and needed drying time. It seems to be good and solidly attached.  

[david craft]

Yes. Laminate means that it's glued together. Once the lamination goes away, if there is no real substructure framing, you lose strength in a hurry. That blue,"structural foam", I'll call it, was part of structure and not just insulation. If there is water damage, I rebuild a wooden frame of wood the same dimensions and replace the damaged panel. Be sure to match dimensions or go a little smaller so that the molding still covers the siding when reconstructing.

[Tina]

Hi David, keep in mind I am extremely new to this.
I'm not sure what you mean by laminate construction. Laminate where?
Inside there are no steel beams that I have found, it's all wood under an aluminum roof. Is that what you are referring to?

[david craft]

Is that a steel framed laminate construction?

[Russell E Johnson]

Me and my computer are having a disagreement today. I ask it to do something and it either over-reacts or does not react at all. So between me and it there were many repeats put out. LOL

[Tina]

Sorry to hear that Russ. Ya just never know until you start yanking things out eh?

I got this posts' email from you 6 times.  It must have wanted to be sure I read it.  ROFL

I'll be posting another blog update in a bit. Found the reason for those corners of the cabover being so rotted out.

[Russell E Johnson]

I will be adding my blurb in a bit, but for right now here is this tidbit. I pulled the dinette out and found the wall behind it rotted out and wet with water. So it is drying out then I will add that section to the needed repairs. Looks like I will have a whole new front 1/3 when I am done. Gotta love compost--in the garden that is. LOL