leaking windows

[genecurp]

I took delivery late Nov 2005 of my 3495RK. This past weekend my maintenance check list told me it was time to vacuum out the window tracks to keep the weep holes open. It was raining heavily. I first went to the window over the desk and found the felt in the bottom slider track soaked along its full length. The track had NO standing, visible water, and NO water had run over the track and down the wall. Thank goodness. But the screw on the bottom of the track was discolored, so this was not the first time.

I checked all the other windows. Some were dry. Additional leaking windows were the window in the bedroom slide, the window behind the single recliner and the window behind the sofa. These 3 additional windows only had wet felt for an inch or so next to where the windows halves come together.

I found a helpful thread posted begun 4-16-05 by montanaowner but the problem was much worse with water flowing down the walls. A real horor story of trips to the factory, window replacements on at least 2 occasions, etc. My windows do not allow me to see out the weep holes, so mine must not be installed backwards.

I will vacuum the windows after they dry out. My question is what can I do to make sure the weep holes are operating? Is there anything else I should do?

Thanks for your help

[CountryGuy]

Are you sure you are not having condensation due to too much moisture in a warm unit sitting in a cool climate?? If we don't keep the humidity under control in our unit, we will notice moisture in the window wells. I have just taken a paper towel to them, got em clean and dry at the same time.

Maybe I misunderstand your situation, and if so, sorry, but that is what comes to mind when I read your post. It may be that your windows are different than ours? Do you have the double pane ones?? I am looking at my window over my desk right now, and I don't see felt. Did you take out the screen to find felt??

[steves]

From the outside use a small screw driver or knife blade to make the sure the weep holes are clear. I found I had some caulking in one of mine. If you don't see the weep holes from the outside then they colud be in backward?

[genecurp]

Hi CountryGuy,
This is not condensation as it I have had no condensation on the glass showing anywhere. (OK, once boiling potatoes on the window by the range top.) Further, I bought a humidity meter for use inside the rig to monitor my humidity. We both work and are gone all day. Perhaps that is why no condensation. Certainly reasonable to assume condensation, but that does not seem to be my problem.

By the way, I had the maintenace man at the campground come into my unit to take a look. He first expected condensation. After looking at the amount of wetness, said he thought there was a leak somewhere. He was non-committal about the weep holes.

Gene

[CountryGuy]

Gene, you still under warranty?? dealer nearby??

Hey, good luck with this. Let us know what you find, OKK??

[genecurp]

Yes, still under warrenty. We work winters, and I can see the dealership from the driveway of my campground. I was planning on a March warrenty visit since my items are all very minor. Maybe I will go sooner now.

Tonight I will try the knife or screw driver (gently) in the weep holes as suggested above.

Felt in track still wet although rain has stopped. After they dry I will also vacuum them.

I tend to think the problem is the weep holes aren't draining. Why not is the question.

Gene

[Wrenchtraveller]

The wet felt track is caused by the rain running down the window and leaking past the seal on the slider windows, usually on the bottom of the window. My 06 Double pane windows are doing this when we get wind blowing rain onto the glass. Because the slider windows must slide this seal will never stop all the water that runs down a window. As long as the window drains stay unplugged this moisture will drain to the outside but a slider window is never as water tight as the tilt out windows that crank shut and compress the seal on closing.

The only window that is staying too wet in the bottom track is my big rear picture window that has the little sliders on the bottom and I don't see why I would ever need to open those little sliders when I have other windows and A/C so this spring , I am going to put a bead of silicone around those slider seals and stop the moisture from coming in.

Oh, if your weep holes were plugged, your bottom track would have standing water , the fact that your track is only moist shows your windows are draining. I have found in storage, by raising the front of the unit up, helps to keep the window tracks dryer because it drains the track quicker. Of couse this only works on my side windows.

The slider window seals on my 06 Montana with double pane windows are quite hard and I believe a softer seal would do a better job of pressing against the glass and keeping out water but remember, the design of a slider window allows that window to move along that seal so we have a dynamic type seal where a tilt out window compresses the seal and forms a static seal, which is far superior.

[genecurp]

Thanks, Wrenchtraveller, for a very lucid explanation.

I did verify with a screwdriver that all the weep hole drains are open. Visual inspection showed only small amounts of dust or trash. When fully dry I will vacuum the tracks.

The dealer said to bring it in, so next month I will do that. As well I will have a few things done to prepare to travel for the season.

Gene

[firetrucker]

We found water in the track of our rear window in the 3400. After trying several fixes suggested by our dealer, I took a close look at the plastic seal around the window. It turns out that the seals on either side of the window overlapped the top seal rather than the other way around. This allowed water to run down inside the seal and ultimately inside the window.

I got some black silicone caulking and put in each corner, making sure I forced it in under the seal, and that solved the problem for me.

Hope this might help you.

Bob

[Wrenchtraveller]

Bob, thanks for the tip, I'll check mine this weekend. Are your's double pane?

Gene, let us know how you make out with your dealer. These windows should be keeping water out of the bottom track better than they are. Take care, Don

[sreigle]

I think it was RandomLine whose windows were installed upside down.... weep holes on the top.

[mazeeff]

I have experienced the same problem on my 2005, and the solution was simple. I found that several of the screws which hold the window halves together had lossened up. I snugged up all the screws, and the leak was stopped completely. I suspect that the twisting of the rig while driving, tends to loosen these screws up over time. I have had no leaks at all since this, and it has been six months.

[firetrucker]

No, I've got the single pane windows. I sure would like to see a good comparison of how much energy the dual pane windows save versus the single pane ones, though. I hate going to sleep at night by counting how long the furnace runs each time it comes on, and how long it's off before it starts again.

I'll second Mazeeff's comment on the screws. I've added screws and water fittings to my critical list of things to check before each trip. If things will get worse by something loosening due to vibration, that's what will happen, and vice versa.

Bob

[genecurp]

Going to dealer Feb 14 (I love my Montana). Windows are on the list. Had a gentler rain this weekend and had wet bottom tracks in only one window. I will post what the dealer tells me.

Thanks again to all.

Gene

[rvfirefighter]

I had a couple of windows leaking on my unit, the window at the dining room slide and the small windows at the rear. The problem was the caulking that glues the window to the frame was not sealing the glass in few places.
To check this out pull the rubber trim from around the window and visually check the seal around the glass. Water was weeping around the glass and draining down the inside and collecting in the track.
Good Luck

[genecurp]

I got my unit returned from the dealer yesterday. The windows that were leaking needed to be resealed.

I appreciated everyone's suggestions and sharing of experience.