Hail proof? Roof covering, is it worth it? (1 Viewer)

[peterc10]

Looks nice, so is the GRP roof a second skin with an aluminium one underneath, as the OP roof is?

Yes. The OP has a Hymer just like us.

 

[Speve]

Looks nice, so is the GRP roof a second skin with an aluminium one underneath, as the OP roof is?

Thanks,Yes and glued down but as I said earlier the edges were a bit suspect so I decided to clean out and reseal with sikaflex to tidy it up which I think worked well

 

[filopastry]

Our insurance company send out emails warning of hailstone damage risks. Doesn't help a lot if your away from home.

 

[jezport]

What next, pay extra for rain proof sealant.

 

[tony_g]

Thanks,Yes and glued down but as I said earlier the edges were a bit suspect so I decided to clean out and reseal with sikaflex to tidy it up which I think worked well

Yes, a good call I suspect. Our new Hymer Excis has the extra GRP roof panel ( as standard). I didn't know the dealer always specified it on stock ordered in. Anyway, be that as it may, I have noticed the long sides going nice and crispy black on the edges and generating black streaks with a vengeance. Definitely need something to seal them off before I bankrupt myself buying black streak remover!

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[funflair]

Pretty much obligatory here and insurance companies hike up premiums without the anti hail option which is almost always fitted as standard. I've never seen any de-laminating issues as described and our GRP topper is in 2 pcs.

Once you've experienced a hail strike then you'll soon be happy to of had that GRP roof (assuming it's well bonded.....) holes in my friends Smart cars roof come to mind and my car being an almost total right-off.

One of the big German manufacturers told us that the insurance companies were pushing them into the fibreglass roofs.

Martin

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes, a good call I suspect. Our new Hymer Excis has the extra GRP roof panel ( as standard). I didn't know the dealer always specified it on stock ordered in. Anyway, be that as it may, I have noticed the long sides going nice and crispy black on the edges and generating black streaks with a vengeance. Definitely need something to seal them off before I bankrupt myself buying black streak remover!

Just wash it once a week, problem solved.

 

[CazPaul]

So a good idea but more thought required in fitting the roof, people shouldn't have to be re_sealing it and look at the OP roof. Still say it should be a proper original roof not an after fit one.

 

[tony_g]

Just wash it once a week, problem solved.

Yeah, right. Too busy going places....

 

[Roger20]

Just resurrecting this thread because I am about to fit a 4G antenna and Motorhome WiFi suggested it needs professional installation because of the anti-hail coating. Speaking to Adam this is because of the wide variety of types of anti-hail cover. As he pointed out if it's a floating fibreglass sheet or a rough surface like Rapido apparently sealing needs much more care.

I'm happy that if the Hymer sheet has been properly stuck down is should be OK - mine is a one piece sheet. Does anyone know whether Hymer bonding is over the complete surface or intermittent (edges/openings/partial sections). I would have thought that when they install such a big sheet they would be simply peeling off a protective sheet as they dropped it down onto the aluminium. To just seal with sealant out of a gun where necessary would be much more labour intensive, random and have potential QC issues - but it would be good to know.

Reading this thread has made me think about sealing a bit more though. As pointed out, water can creep given the chance and if there was any lifting at the edges, this gives a way in. However the factory cut out and then seal openings for roof lights, fit aerials etc and I would have assumed this was after the sheet has been bonded to the aluminium so they must be happy with the bonding. I will seal up the hole I cut between the skins anyway.

I have also cut myself on the sharp edge whilst washing the van so if nothing else I will sand the edges back a bit. Longer term it might be a good idea to run a bead along the edges but perhaps not before warranty expires. Any thoughts on that?

The coat is obviously good protection for 98% of the horizontal part of the roof but if the curved part down to vertical walls is also aluminium this would presumably be partly vulnerable to heavy hail damage.

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[peterc10]

When I drilled the hole for my wifi antenna the GRP layer on my Hymer's roof appeared to be bonded to the aluminium roof. Put it this way it was still stuck on the core that I drilled out.

 

[Lenny HB]

No problem last 2 Hymers I drilled through the GRP sheet, it's fully bonded to the roof.

 

[Padders]

A quick browse through here and I'm dangerously close to feeling smug about having opted for PVC so we can shelter under that nice steel roof!!!

 

[two]

I think the aerial is sealed by tightening a nut on the inside to 'clamp' it to the roof, so the effectiveness of the seal is dependent on the nature of the outer surface. If you add a sealant first, that might deal with any irregularities.

 

[PeteH]

My R-V`s, being older, had the then obligatory Rubber Membrane roof. They didn`t suffer so much from Hail damage allegedly?. But they needed re-coating periodically. Usually with a rubber based "paint". Many now have full Fibreglass roofs as I understand.

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[dunnah01]

My Rapido has a GRP Durbar style bonded hail protection. It's a one piece sheet over the entire flat roof so any holes have been sealed with a Sika type adhesive or sealant on the many add on bits, TV aerial, satellite dish, solar panels, cable glands, MiFi, skylights. No leaks after 10 years for most stuff.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I was browsing through the site and thought tht looks interesting, then realised it was a blast from my past.

 

[NorthernSands]

I think the aerial is sealed by tightening a nut on the inside to 'clamp' it to the roof, so the effectiveness of the seal is dependent on the nature of the outer surface. If you add a sealant first, that might deal with any irregularities.

The antenna has 3M adhesive covering the underside, and a rubber ‘skirt’ seal around the outside. The nut is only meant to be hand tight, I think. Sealant can also be used around the outside if required.

 

[TeamBandS]

We need to remember that thunderstorms and associated heavy hail are much more likely in mountainous areas such as around the Alps. I bought my Hymer from a German dealer and it is a listed extra (2015) and they even list the weight which I can not recall but it is quite a few Kgs. I believe that in Germany you can get a discount on insurance with a hail roof but when I asked my UK insurer for a discount I got no joy as hail damage in the UK has a much smaller risk. One extra advantage (I think) is less rain noise - it is certainly much quieter in the MH than my previous caravan but then the caravan did not have the same standard of roof.

 

[Roger20]

The antenna has 3M adhesive covering the underside, and a rubber ‘skirt’ seal around the outside. The nut is only meant to be hand tight, I think. Sealant can also be used around the outside if required.

No problem with sealing antenna to the top surface. It's the possibility of water creeping between the top fibreglass sheet and the aluminium roof itself and then into the interior by way of openings cut into the roof.

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[Hymerbell]

If I hear hail coming I whip up there and lay out a series of cork beer mats that I keep in the van for just such occasions...

 

[mike mcglynn]

I had a Rapido and had to change the roof light after an attempted break in France and whilst fitting the new one I noticed that the roof covering was loose laid flexible material which surprised me as it was one piece
and Was made with little nodules all over, presumably non slip aid .

 

[SpeedyDux]

We had a massive hailstorm in France once ... we'd just arrived at the campsite near Paris at about 5.00 pm and the hail started ... fortunately as we'd literally just pulled in there was a mini roundabout with a very large tree in the centre, I told hubby to go and park under it which sheilded us and meant that by the time the hail came through the tree it had slowed considerably so fortunately we didn't get any damage done to our MH but other on the side in the open did ... it was as if someone had tipped a load of golf balls out of a bomber aircraft as it passed over!

You were lucky a tree branch didn't land on your MH. Having said that, falling branches may be less of a risk than hail damage. French hail can even destroy tiled roofs.

 

[Minxy]

You were lucky a tree branch didn't land on your MH. Having said that, falling branches may be less of a risk than hail damage. French hail can even destroy tiled roofs.

With the definite damage that would have been caused had we stayed out in the hail storm compared to the small risk of a tree branch falling on us it was the 'safest' option, after the storm the site was flooded in areas and there were definitely vehicles which had been affected by the battering from the hail.

 

[tony_g]

Just wash it once a week, problem solved.

Once a year, more like. Twice at a pinch

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[Wh05apk]

Once a year, more like. Twice at a pinch

Blimey this post is 4 years old!