Urgent help please!!!

[Ste6t9]

Ok so I’m looking for help and all ideas welcome.

We’ve had a major storm and all 3 roof lights that were on lowest open setting have blown open. I can manage the water issue but the front large roof light has blown off.

I need methods for affixing it if possible, repairing it if needed (I haven’t seen it yet) and how to get it secured and watertight (enough) to drive it home.

 

[Anseo]

Sorry to hear that Ste6t9.

Without seeing it I cannot suggest a fix per-se.

You could ask around for a mobile caravan repairerworkshop.

I would consider a temporary fix using either the existing cover or a waterproof fabric and a lot of duct tape (or equivalent); I would reasonably happily leave the worry of a permannet fix until I get home if I could ensure no water ingress until such time as an effective repair can be carried out.

Good luck, I hope that you find a resolution to the problem soon.

 

[Thingy]

As a quick and temporary solution, what about a Maypole roof cover
https://www.maypole.ltd.uk/Leisure/Caravan-Covers/caravan-top-cover

 

[Anseo]

As a quick and temporary solution, what about a Maypole roof cover
https://www.maypole.ltd.uk/Leisure/Caravan-Covers/caravan-top-cover

Good suggestion Thingy B)

 

[Ste6t9]

As a quick and temporary solution, what about a Maypole roof cover
https://www.maypole.ltd.uk/Leisure/Caravan-Covers/caravan-top-cover

Not sure if they sell those in Switzerland though.
I’ve managed to do a very temporary fix with a bin liner however sadly the hinge at the front of the rooflight it snapped off completely. However it is Hopefully with some duct tape around it secure enough to get us home next week

 

[Ste6t9]

We’ve managed to get a bin bag over the top of the rooflight and then pull it through and secure it with the remaining latch as it worked.


Not sure if this is enough for now but it might at least give me time to get everything dried out. We are forecast storms all day tomorrow unfortunately but then something from then onwards. Anyone know the best way to dry out sofa cushions?

 

[woodsieboy]

Ref the cover idea, we were away a few weeks ago and the people next door to us needed spares when they were in Italy, they ordered from Amazon and they shipped to the site in Italy, might be worth looking for a top cover on Amazon

 

[Anseo]

Ste6t9,

A bin bagliner will not get you home, buy a tarpaulin (cut it and put it on in 2 or more layers, and don't skimp on the best tape you can buy to secue it in place) from any supermarkethardware store and tape it down very securely, the tape residue can be cleaned up later, any water ingress may cost you a helluva lot more than a tarp and a few rolls of tape.

 

[otherclive]

Sorry to hear of the damage it must have been frightening to you and the family. Best tape is Rooflock or Eternabond. Have your emergency assistance provider any suggestions such as moving you under cover or technical support. Are you with Red Pennant or other?

 

[otherclive]

Sofa cushions will dry out naturally albeit slowly. In France our neighbour sat in the awning admiring the lightening storm only to realise at bedtime he’d left tow large roof lights open. The bedding and cushions were soaked. They hung the bedding outside to dry and hired a dehumidifier to tackle the caravan seating and internals.

 

[gravesyt]

Ste6t9 something similar but mine was the car sunroof shatter when putting a roofbox on down cornwall . Then i remember a top gear show . So got 4 rolls of duck tap a piece of cardboard cut it to size total covered it with duck tape fitted like a glove no air whistling in or rain got through even the makeshift sunroof lasted until i got a replacement 10 dày later

 

[Hutch]

Ref the cover idea, we were away a few weeks ago and the people next door to us needed spares when they were in Italy, they ordered from Amazon and they shipped to the site in Italy, might be worth looking for a top cover on Amazon

There is a problem with Shipping through amazon to Switzerland as they are not in the EU. I Had friends there and had to carry stuff over to them every 6 months. DHL might be Ok though.

Duct tape and thin plastic might be good but finding the stores in ZH is awkward, as you are near to the lake then , a ships chandlers might be able to help. .

 

[Ste6t9]

Just to update

The bag is over the top of the roof light which is in place, albeit with a couple of cracks in both layers. We have a cheapish groundsheet we bought that I could cut to size but at present the bag is wrapped round the roof light and trapped in place. And locked as much as I can. The locking bar still holds the back side in place but the hinge is broken at the other end.

I hope to Duct tape it shut for the journey home or even cover with ground sheet and tape all the edges down

 

[otherclive]

Just to update

The bag is over the top of the roof light which is in place, albeit with a couple of cracks in both layers. We have a cheapish groundsheet we bought that I could cut to size but at present the bag is wrapped round the roof light and trapped in place. And locked as much as I can. The locking bar still holds the back side in place but the hinge is broken at the other end.

I hope to Duct tape it shut for the journey home or even cover with ground sheet and tape all the edges down

I’d go fir overlaying it with a taut groundsheet or tarpaulin with edges all sealed with duct tape plus many cross strips. It would have less nooks for wind to access under it than just taping the rooflight down.

 

[Thingy]

Not sure if they sell those in Switzerland though

Amazon.com
im sure they will deliver.

 

[thosoneill]

Could you not just multilayer strips of good quality duct tape or gorilla tape and secure to a completely dry caravan roof - as already stated residue can be cleaned later

 

[Ste6t9]

Last update for now. Not been back to the van this morning yet (staying in static with other family) I’m going to use our cheap groundsheet and gorilla tape which I have seen in a shop nearby.

I’ll ask the edges and then over the top to totally cover with tape.
Can I get right on the roof or is that asking for more trouble???

 

[otherclive]

Last update for now. Not been back to the van this morning yet (staying in static with other family) I’m going to use our cheap groundsheet and gorilla tape which I have seen in a shop nearby.

I’ll ask the edges and then over the top to totally cover with tape.
Can I get right on the roof or is that asking for more trouble???

I think given your situation carefully accessing the roof where required should not exacerbate the problem. Could your recovery provider not ship the caravan home?

 

[Ste6t9]

I imagine this would be possible but I think I need to go with sealing it myself and making the place habitable as we’re here till Sunday with another overnight in Lux on the way to Zeebrugge. I’ve got the sheet and have found a shop for gorilla tape so once the good weather comes (tomorrow) I’m drying the roof out and then putting the sheet over the roof light and taping it to within an inch of its life.

Just checking I can perhaps lean on the roof (carefully) without it breaking.

 

[Lappy]

Ste6t9,
Leaning on the roof is not the same as standing, as you will be distributing less body weight.
You will no doubt need to access both sides of the caravan to carry out the repairs and overlap the tape fwd and aft of the skylight where you are unable to fully reach.
Hopefully you manage to complete an adequate repair to get you home.
Regards,

 

[Ste6t9]

I do have 2 brothers in law here at 6’2” and 6’5” so I’m enlisting their help once the sun is out tomorrow then it’s everything outside to dry in the sun and get the sheet over the roof light.

As I said, not seen it yet this morning but if my bin bag will halos for 24 hours more, then I can secure it.

 

[Raywood]

As a temporary measure I would use lots of Duck tape. Good luck though.

 

[Hutch]

Cardboard if you can find it Duct tape Plastic bags then Another cardboard and more duct tape. The storms are great to watch out there, but yours must have been a massive one. Safe trip home, very memorable though.

 

[Ste6t9]

The fix is done.

Rooflight taped into place with the bin bag still in place as it was keeping everything dry. However as that wouldn’t manage a journey back from Switzerland we have employed the tarpaulin and duct tape method and I’m feeling pretty confident it’ll make the journey back to East Yorkshire.

Here it is:


And now for this:

 

[otherclive]

Looks good. Hope that you have an uneventful return journey home. Good luck.