How Much Does It Cost To Fix RV Delamination?

Delamination is a problem that will get worse over time if you don't fix it. How much does it cost to fix RV delamination?

The materials in your RV walls (wood, fiberglass, insulation) are bonded together by powerful adhesives. If the glue weakens, the bond will eventually fail. This leads to problems that may do severe damage to your walls.

It can cost anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars to fix an RV delamination problem. If you buy a kit to fix a minor problem yourself it may cost only around $200. If you hire a professional to fix a serious problem it may cost about $2000.

If you take care of the problem early, it will be cheaper to fix. If you are thinking about doing it yourself, it is much easier to fix if the damage is less serious. The best strategy is to prevent RV delamination, the next best is to fix it quickly before the problem gets worse, and the third best way is to hire a professional to fix it before it ruins your RV.

There was one time when I had to pay $2500 to have a professional fix a delamination problem. It would have been even worse if I had waited even longer. More recently, I fixed a less serious delamination problem by buying a kit and doing it myself, for only $200 and not $2500.

‍What If You Can't Afford to Repair it Right Now?

It might be a good idea to borrow a bit of money to take care of the delamination problem early. Even if you have to make some interest payments, it is still cheaper than waiting until the problem gets worse.

If you really and truly can't afford to fix it, then you may have no choice but to ignore the problem for a time. It will be more expensive to fix in the future, but this might be the only option in some cases. Hopefully, the problem won't get too serious and do real damage to your RV's structure.

What Do Professionals Cost?

A lot of the time, you won't be able to take care of the problem yourself, not even if the damage is only moderate. Sometimes, the work is difficult unless you have the right skills and experience.

Even if the work is relatively simple, you might still not want to or have time to do it yourself. A lot of people have more money than time.

Professionals often cost more than $1000 and they sometimes cost thousands of dollars. There is a huge range of prices, depending on how severe the damage is. If the water damage is causing problems other than delamination, it may be quite expensive to fix.

What About Doing the Work Yourself?

If you are more into doing repairs yourself and the damage is reasonably simple to deal with, you could get a delamination repair kit. These kits are cheap (a hundred to a few hundred) and include everything you will need to fix your RV.

Additional Costs

Depending on what work needs to be done, you might have to spend more than the cost of a repair kit. If you have a leaky roof (a serious problem that can ruin your RV) it may be very cheap to fix or it may cost about $1000.

Cracks in fiberglass can cost $100 or even as much as $500 to fix. Some smaller repairs include replacing a window gasket ($75-$150) or replacing weatherstripping ($50 to $200).

Professionals Are not Always Expensive

Don't assume that a professional will always charge you $1000 or more. They might charge you as little as $150 if the job is small enough. If you don't want to do it yourself, there won't always be a huge bill.

When Should You Do the Work Yourself?

RV repair kits are only for small repairs. The kits include strong adhesives, tubing, and syringes. You can use these kits to repair the bond between the fiberglass and the rest of the RV's wall.

If water has been seeping into the inside of your wall for too long, there may be too much damage for a repair kit to fix.

Is the Work Difficult?

In my experience, it was not, but I do a lot of DIY projects. If you don't usually do things yourself, it might be too much work and too much to learn. It can take a few days or longer.

You will have to remove windows and doors, and then install them again. You will need to put something against the wall to brace it. You might have to build something to put against the wall yourself by nailing a few pieces of wood together.

Will Insurance Help You?

It might, but it might not. They might not cover delamination and if the problem is very bad, you might have to start paying more for insurance. Try calling insurance - there's a good chance they'll help you - but it is hit or miss.

Preventing RV Delamination

Preventing delamination is cheaper than fixing it. Prevention is the cheapest, followed by fixing the problem early, then fixing the problem later.

You prevent RV delamination by keeping water from leaking into the walls of your RV. You need to check the RV's external seals. If you notice any water leaking into your RV, you need to replace or fix them.

This doesn't take long, and you usually only need to do it once per year. If you examine the seal and find anything that needs maintenance, you should remove the old sealant, clean the seam underneath it, and replace the sealant.

Do More Extensive Maintenance Once Every Two to Five Years

If you repair every seam on your RV once every five years, you may prevent this problem. In areas with more moisture in the air, you might do it more often than once every five years. This may be enough to avoid ever getting a delamination problem.

Store Your RV Properly

Don't store your RV outside in the winter. If your RV is expensive enough and you have enough money, try building an RV garage. Otherwise, consider paying for indoor rather than outdoor parking for your RV.

RV Walls Have a Few Layers

The walls of your RV are made out of different layers of material. These layers are bonded together. When the bond between the different materials fails, this is called delamination.

More than one material goes into building your RV's walls, so the inside and outside of the wall are often made of different materials. There may also be other materials inside the wall.

The outside of the wall may be fiberglass. Between the outside wall and the inside wall, there may be wood and insulation. Lamination is used to attach the different layers together.

What Happens When Your Walls Become Delaminated?

When the bonding agent fails, the fiberglass is no longer attached to the rest of the wall. This makes bubbles or air pockets appear in the wall, which get worse over time. If this is happening, get it fixed right away - the longer you wait, the more expensive it will be to fix.

Why Does Delamination Occur?

Usually, a water leak causes it. Part of the seal fails, allowing water to leak into your walls. The bonding agent will usually fail if it is exposed to water.

How Serious Is This Problem?

Delamination can get worse over time and lead to more serious problems. It can damage the wood, weakening the entire structure of your RV. Delamination can also lead to mold, which can gradually destroy any kind of wooden structure.

Mold Can Destroy RVs, Houses, and Other Property

Mold can utterly destroy and not only do a bit of damage to a valuable piece of property. If a house has a mold problem, the owner needs to take care of it, even if it is difficult for them to afford. The longer they wait, the worse it gets.

Sometimes, if a homeowner doesn't fix a leaky roof, their house eventually becomes worthless. If a mold infestation goes on for too long, it may be extremely expensive to fix. It may also make the house unsellable, so the owner could lose most or all of the money they put into the property.

Mold can destroy an RV just as it can destroy a home. If you don't take care of delamination, that can lead to mold infestation. A serious mold infestation may eventually leave you with a badly damaged and worthless RV.

Keep Track of Your RV Maintenance

If you want your RV to last for a long time, you need to take care of it properly. You could write down all of the maintenance and repairs you have done on your RV and when you did them. This way, you will know how long it has been since each type of maintenance.