Inner skylight removal..2001 itasca 35u

[Jim]

hi..i have a dark area in the skylight area near the roof edge side and a possible leak..I say possible because it may just be heavy condensation from excess humidity on the wall near the top edge that wets the ceiling carpet.. the dark area may be the remnants of an ants nest or mildew..i was thinking I can take the inner skylight down for inspection and would like to know if this is a difficult or risky task..would not like to break it and have to buy another..thanks in advance..jim..

[wildmandmc]

have u gone on roof, could be just a seal problem. $3.oo tube of chalk might do the fix.

[Jim]

thanks for the reply..i did go on the roof and caulked areas that looked aged so need next rain to see if it worked..i still would like to remove the inner skylight to see what the dark area is..hope someone has done that.. jim..

[bruceh]

You might carefully inspect the outer skylight for cracks etc. I have had to replace mine twice so far.

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by bruceh

You might carefully inspect the outer skylight for cracks etc. I have had to replace mine twice so far.

And I thought that Florida Sunshine was rough on things. My coach is the same year as yours and is parked in open storage year round but still on the original skylight. Do you get a lot of hail or impacts from low tree branches? How are your vent domes holding up?

Can you comment on if the inner dome is easily removable for cleaning etc since you have replaced it twice?

[bruceh]

I live in a hot dry place, the foothills above Fresno. I do have a lot of overhanging branches and do sometimes have light contact. I am nt sure of the exact cause of the skylights cracking but it has been a problem.

I can't comment on the inner dome removal as I have never removed it.

My vent covers are fine but they are covered by vent covers and get no sun on them.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by Jim

hi..i have a dark area in the skylight area near the roof edge side and a possible leak..I say possible because it may just be heavy condensation from excess humidity on the wall near the top edge that wets the ceiling carpet.. the dark area may be the remnants of an ants nest or mildew..i was thinking I can take the inner skylight down for inspection and would like to know if this is a difficult or risky task..would not like to break it and have to buy another..thanks in advance..jim..

Hi Jim,

Do you have a series of white caps around the bottom of the skylight? If so, carefully pry one off and see if you discover a screw under it. If you do that is how you get that thing off. Remove the covers and remove the screws. I doubt if this cover is caulked so be careful not to end up wearing it.

Let me know if I am close on this. It is the way mine is put in. If all else fails call Winne.

Rick

[Patrol 65]

Try pulling up on the caulking. I am willing to bet that it lifts up and off if moisture got under it. I sealed mine last year without lifting the old sealant but when I noticed that dark spot near the wall this year, I lifted my repair and both the new sealant and the old came up. After a cleanup of the old stuff, replaced new sealant and everything is as good as new. Got the stain off of the carpet ceiling with Mean Green spray cleaner.

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by bruceh

I live in a hot dry place, the foothills above Fresno. I do have a lot of overhanging branches and do sometimes have light contact. I am nt sure of the exact cause of the skylights cracking but it has been a problem.

I can't comment on the inner dome removal as I have never removed it.

My vent covers are fine but they are covered by vent covers and get no sun on them.

Ok I was thinking since you said that "I have had to replace mine twice so far" instead if "I have had to have mine replaced twice so far" that you replaced it yourself and would know the answer on how easily the inner dome can be removed.

[bobpie]

I just found a large crack in my outside skylight dome, it was under the snow. I cleaned the snow off and ran a bead of caulk just as a temporary fix for now. Not sure what to do next. Looks like a professional fix job is in order. OH MY!

[bruceh]

I replaced the outer dome, not the inner.

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by bruceh

I replaced the outer dome, not the inner.

So they are not an integrated unit where the inner dome attaches to the outer dome sandwiching the roof panel inbetween and are mounted independently.

[jerichorick]

So Jim. This all started with you. What is happening for you? Did you remove the inner dome yet?

When I popped one of the plastic nubs off at the edge of the skylight I found a screw. There is a little cap retainer around the head that the cap cover snaps onto. If you haven't pulled the inner dome yet I encourage you to do so. If you have a 12V light in the dome you should remove that fixture first.

Think of this assembly as a sandwich. The outer dome is one slice, the roof is the meat and the inner dome is the other slice.

Merry Christmas,
Rick

[Brockx]

Originally Posted by bobpie

I just found a large crack in my outside skylight dome, it was under the snow. I cleaned the snow off and ran a bead of caulk just as a temporary fix for now. Not sure what to do next. Looks like a professional fix job is in order. OH MY!

If you don't want to do the replacement right away buy some eternabond tape and cover the crack. Go well past the ends of the crack if possible. That "fix" will last a long ...long...time.

[Jim]

hi..sorry for the delay..was away for Christmas and didn't follow this post..anyway today I popped the 16 screw covers and removed the inner skylight..did all screws except for 1 on each end and had my wife hold it up while I removed the last 2..it is very light..with the light wires attached I was able to slip one end in the shower handle under the shower knob and it rested there while I cleaned the inner area..the coloration I saw was rusty residue from a small leak which I never noticed..it penetrated the foam and stained the foam insulation..i washed the area with comet cleanser and it is white again..whole job took less than 1 hour including letting the area dry out..thanks for your input and I hope this is helpful..jim..

[jerichorick]

Good Job! Well done. Thanks for the update. The more who share their new found knowledge the better the chances are someone will be prepared to deal with a similar problem. You gained experience, confidence and save money to boot! Again. Nicely done.

Rick