Water Water everywhere...

[Fifer]

We recently took up our sub-floor, and found that we have quite a bit of rust on the metal flooring.
Do any of you have suggestions on how to find where the water is coming in and how to seal off the leakage points?

The man that we bought the bus from suggested that we use osopho rust converter on the flooring to stop the rusting process, and then use roofing tar to seal it off. Does this sound like a good plan, or does anyone have other suggestions?

Some of the water seems to be coming in the wall so we're planning on taking the metal panels off to see what's going on under them, and potentially sealing (and insulating) there as well. Later on if there is condensation coming in from the windows, will having sealed walls cause us to have problems with rot ?

Thanks!

[timbuk]

stay away from that roofing tar it is for roofs and not metal ones it stinks i wire wheeled my floor and tremclad or rustoleum primer then watch what happens in the rain or hit it with the hose you would have head to toe tar all over you for sure

[the_experience03]

The rust is probably the same stuff we all have had to deal with. Basically, moisture gets under the rubber from spills on the edges, condensation, etc, but it really can't get out so it rusts.

I just wirewheeled mine clean, spot primed with Rustoleum, and then rolled on some THICK coats of an oil based rust fighting tractor primer.

[Demonknight]

Just a question that the comment about the outside panels and caulking....is there any reason one couldn't waste a lot of time by welding them, then grinding them smooth a seemless look in effect?

[the_experience03]

I don't think I would want to weld the bus for fear of metal fatigue and tearing the sheetmetal. They are pretty rigid bodies, but nevertheless they do flex and if you welded all the seams where it would have flexed at before...well...it's going to find somewhere to flex at.

[swinada]

POR-15 is your friend http://www.por15.com/

[Fifer]

Today we had a bit of a thaw, and when we went out to the bus this afternoon, the whole ceiling was covered with a thick layer of condensation. Do any of you you who have finished conversions still have issues with rot from condensation? Is this what you meant in earlier posts about caulking the outside?

I've read on other sites (and possibly this one as well) where people have used ceramic based paints as not only insulation but also a sealant. If we hit all of the seams/rivets with this would it be enough to stop water from coming in? We are planning on doing some wood work on the ceiling, would this be a bad idea if we've got this much condensation going on?

Thanks for all of the answers you've already posted!

[SeanF]

We found that a major source of water infiltration in the stock bus was at the window corners. Water would leak in, follow the rib down (inside the wall), then creep over the seat rail & to th floor along the wall. No doubt some water came from bolts penetrating the floor rubber, but there was more water from the windows than I'd expected. All it takes is one leaky window to create a tiny river inside your wall.

About condensation: This is not formed by water penetrating your bus, but having (relatively) warm air inside your bus meet a cold surface (the metal ceiling, in this case). The cold metal surface cools the air, and causes the water present in the air to form droplets on the cool surface. Same thing with a cold soda or beer bottle; the water droplets are from the surrounding air. To deal with this, you can reduce the humidity in your bus, and/or break the thermal bridge between the outside and inside structure of your bus that allows the inside sheet steel to become so chilled.

HTH
Sean

[SeanF]

PS: Another good reason to install a woodburner in your bus...it makes a "dry heat" as opposed to the unvented gas-burners which make a lot of moisture.

THX
Sean