Ceiling bump, seam, or ??

xltjim · 10-21-2019, 06:45 PM

** This is my third attempt to post. After 32 years in IT perhaps I am losing my touch. Hopefully this isn't a triplicate.

Hello,

So we were on our last camp out of the season and I was laying on the bed and one of the ceiling lights were on. I looked up and noticed a small bump in center of the ceiling, looked to be about 1/2 inch by 6 inch extending cross wise (side wall to side wall). It's not soft at all and I can tell by pushing up that its not at a joist. Now, its only noticeable with a light shining across it at the right angle. While I never saw it before, it may have been there since I bought the trailer and just noticed it.

Thinking I had a possible leak I got home and washed the roof and did a caulk inspection as planned before winter layup anyways. All looks good to me.

Being that it is about a foot away from the skylight I went ahead a took down the inner skylight. I was able to put my hand in and felt right up to the area. The insulation was not wet at all, nothing was. I did feel what is like a seam going across this exact area. Feels like some hardened glue or something extends across in a line at this area as far as I can reach in and around.

Not sure how they build these, but would they put a seam in where there would be no joist? Some flexing going on at this spot with heat and cold cycles perhaps causing a slight buckle at that spot? My inner skylight cracked at one of the holes for screw near there which I noticed this spring - I think it may be related ?

I am taking a watch and wait approach to this. I was just happy that it wasn't water getting in there.

Tried a photo but it is impossible to see in a picture. Just need to be at right lighting and angle to see it. I think I will just take that bulb out of that particular light LOL.

Regards, Jim

**Lloyd** · 10-22-2019, 07:54 AM

It wouldn't surprise me at all if they butted the pieces together and it wasn't on a joist.

If you have the inner sky lite off and can reach in there, get a mirror and a light so you can see what it looks like in there. One of those telescoping mirrors that swivel. I bought one some years back and when ever I'm in question about what might be happening in the heat run or the AC run, I pull a cover and I'm able to see in there.

xltjim · 10-22-2019, 09:05 AM

That is a great idea Lloyd. I think I have one of those somewhere in the garage. Somewhere being the problem. Will pick one up if I can't find it. When I pulled it off I got a face full of sawdust, should of expected that I guess.

**dagst1** · 10-22-2019, 09:36 AM

I would say it is not a seam.The ceiling panels are like a piece of paneling. The seams are covered with a trim piece so you would see it. Probably just some excess glue. If you have a stud finder that would tell you for sure where the joists are. They are cheep and very useful at home if you want to put up a picture or something.
As far as how they are built there are several videos on YouTube that show the process. They maybe from different manufactures but they all use pretty much the same process.. If you are ever in Indiana you should try to take a factory tour and see first hand the process. We went to a Forest river plant and a Crossroads plant. At the F R plant they were building a entry level camper and at the Crossroads plant i believe they were building the Redwood 5th wheels. Two different plants and levels of campers but the process was about the same.

xltjim · 10-22-2019, 01:18 PM

Probably right Dagst1 but.... I stuck my telescopic mirror up there, lifted the insulation with a paint stick to look under it. What I see near the problem area is a bit of glue or something. The glue, or whatever, is only by the raised bump in the ceiling.

If not a seam, there is definitely a split(?) then going as far as I can see (side wall to side wall). It is straight and sure looks like it was butted together. I didn't want to poke at it too much. There is just bare ceiling at the problem spot, no strip across like the truss locations in the rest of the trailer. The location is about 8 inches away from the joist...nothing that I can secure to if it gets worse I don't think. I could probably fab up something on the ceiling itself running from joist to joist if it ends up progressing. No sign of any water leakage as far as I could see around in there. For now, I think I will monitor to see how it progresses. Wondering if it was a damaged panel from the get go and stresses of heat/cold/flexing are taking its toll. Or maybe that glue is causing some of the issue. Dunno. Thanks guys! Jim

You may also like: