INTRO
Eric Stark: What do I use on my RV to seal the roof and its side? Windows, doors, etcetera. Do I use silicone? Do I use cap sealant? Do I use lap sealant? Butyl tape. Putty tape.
We will explore that today in TheSmartRVer Podcast under the saying on the road section. Then, after we figure out what sealants you should be using, we will talk about ten dog-friendly RV parks.
And then we'll cruise over to Kansas and discover all of it. We're even going to visit Dorothy's house. Well, probably not. And then, in RV Envy, we will talk about Blackbeard fire starters.
If you need to know what those are, you must hang around to find out. They are super cool. And just the name Blackbeard. Right. Sounds good.
This is Eric Stark with the Smart RVer podcast, delivering the smarts you need to enjoy the freedom of the RV lifestyle without the fear of breaking down. So let's talk about everything, RV. And today is episode 155. So, let's dig in. And Alexis is back on the show this week. I'm back after her disappearing?
Alexis: No, my sabbatical.
Eric Stark: Sabbatical, that's right. So, how are you, Alexis?
Alexis: I'm doing good today, thank you.
Eric Stark: She's wide awake, ready to go. I am behind the microphone, ready to talk it up.
Alexis: That's right.
Eric Stark: All right. She's not a blabbermouth like me, though sometimes. Yeah, she doesn't want it. Right. So, a reminder.
When you take your RV into a service center and have them work on whatever it might be—maybe they will be in the cabinets working on it, who knows? Or, in particular, if you are working on the water heater in a specific area, ensure you take all of the stuff out.
You have a storage unit in that general area out of the RV; leave it at home. You have nothing valuable in the RV; things are sitting out. I went to a dealership once; it was Bish's RV.
RVs and other stuff were scattered throughout the shop's service department, coming out of the bays and RV compartments. That stuff could just disappear. They could use it or throw it back in the pile. There was no organization whatsoever.
Also, technicians will not treat the RV nicely if stuff gets in their way. They will just throw it out of the way and get this out of here. So think about that. When you take your RV, it's the same as a car.
When I empty my car at a dealership, there is no temptation. So, a reminder: When you take it in, make it easier on the guys, and don't tempt anybody.
Not all the RV guys are technicians or crooks, but temptation—you know, it's a good tip. It's there, but things can get broken, lost, etc. Then, it creates problems. Why did you bring it in with all this stuff?
Well, I just brought it in. I didn't realize it would make it easier for them to show us some love.
Please recommend us to your family, friends, and everybody else. Support the show. Let the world know about us.
Enjoy the RV life and discuss the top ten dog-friendly RV parks. Are these the top ten out of eleven? No, these are the top ten.
Alexis: That's right.
Eric Stark: Are these your top ten or the Internet's top ten, or is this a mixture?
Alexis: Yeah, I did a little research, and I had the help of Google, of course. Yeah, I know reliable Google. But, yeah, this was interesting.
Many people bring their pets, and our pets are important to us, so we want to go places where they'll be accepted and have fun. I mean, we love our pets. So, this is centered on dogs. But I'll just give you a rundown, and you can look at the website more.
There are more details, but one in Utah is the Zion River Resort. There's one in California—probably more than one—but the Pismo Coast Village RV Resort is perfect for pets.
There's one in Florida, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, and another in California. Here we go, Yosemite Pines RV Resort and family lodging, and one in Tennessee, Pine Mountain RV Resort.
Again, Florida Camp Golf RV Park. New York Lake George, New York Lake George RV park. Then one in another one in California. Look at that. Californians love their dogs.
Jackson Ranchera RV park, Gulf State Park campground in Alabama, and Durango RV Resort in California. So, do a little research before you go.
This is just a list of perfect ones, but if you're going somewhere else, search for dog-friendly places there.
Eric Stark: Right. And it makes a difference to know in advance. Especially if the park's friendly or not. Some parts allow pets, but they don't want pets.
Alexis: But they don't. Exactly. Exactly.
Eric Stark: This helps you think about it and find a place. You can check this out on TheSmartRVer.com.
And you know another thing, too, when you're traveling with Peter, I'm not going to tell you any stories because they're way too graphic and they're not. You just don't need to hear it. But do not leave your pet tied up to the side of your motorhome, trailer, truck, or anything else.
Always tie them up to something else. If you'll have them outside, that's an ugly reminder, but Chevy Chase knows it has to be said. Sometimes things happen.
Alexis: Yikes.
Eric Stark: No matter how good our intentions are or how much we love our pet, Now, if it's your mother-in-law, that's a different story.
Alexis: Higher up. Yeah, yeah.
Eric Stark: Just kidding. We love mother-in-laws here.
Alexis: We do.
Eric Stark: All right. So that's a friendly reminder about the dog-friendly RV parks. And, of course, there's more than just ten. These are the top ten or, you know, the supposed top ten. But you might have a park you love going to. So think about it before you go.
Just because they allow pets doesn't mean they'll be pet-friendly. That's what's important.
All right, so now go to TheSmartRVer.com. You can check out the list in the RV Lifestyle section and join the RV Lifestyle section. Of course, there are more articles there as well. Now, let's go to staying on the road, and we're going to talk about sealants.
STAYING ON THE ROAD
What do you use on your RV to seal a window or a vent on the roof? It seems obvious, but man, it is confusing out there. If you look on the Internet, there's every option under the sun and then some. And then, I know from experience in the store that people just need help understanding what they need to use or why they need to use it.
Alexis: Right.
Eric Stark: We're forever explaining this to people; everything is called silicone.
Alexis: I know. Yeah.
Eric Stark: And there's a lot of different sealants and silicones. We are an anti-silicone establishment.
Alexis: We are actually, we don't sell it.
Eric Stark: We won't sell it, and we don't recommend it. Silicone is not a friendly sealing agent for anything, as far as I'm concerned. The silicone manufacturers might have a different opinion. And even some of you listening might have a different opinion. You might have a specific application that silicone works fine on, and that's great.
Suppose there's a place for it—great. But it's not paintable and almost impossible to remove. If you get on the side of an RV, it takes you hours to remove it, even a little spot.
Some of the sealants used in the factory will take hours to get off anyway. Yeah, but you can get it off where silicone is so hard. Okay, there's my anti-silicone rant.
So I'm going to contain myself for the rest of the show.
Alexis: Wow.
Eric Stark: Maybe we'll see.
Alexis: That's a change.
Eric Stark: So, I was looking on the Internet for, like, sealing a roof, and I find it interesting. All of the homebrew methods are the things that people have come up with to seal their roofs. And, you know, we hear it in the store too.
People come in, we watch this YouTube video, and, you know, if I do this and that, I can seal my roof, and it'll never leak. It's suitable for eternity. That's probably not the case.
You hear somebody's experience, which may work for them, but something else might work better for you. But back to the glut of stuff on the Internet, man, there is so much. I have a list, and it's just a tiny fraction of what is there.
But, you know, Loctite makes some, something for the ceiling. Rough serval? I've never heard of them. Camping World may have its own brand.
So it's probably a repackage from decor or a company from China that's a product called RV Guard. There's another one, Zolo RV Flex. Lowe's sells products for RV rubber roofs. Lowe's that's a hardware store. You buy lumber there.
Home Depot does as well. Hardware store, you buy lumber there.
Now, if they're selling a brand proven to work on RVs, that's a different story because sometimes they carry a little section of RV-related things.
But when you're in Home Depot and Lowe's, you want to avoid buying something for a house and using it on an RV or a commercial building; you don't want to use it on an RV. Rubber roof. Geocells is another brand. Now that's a famous brand. It's a well-known brand as well-liked in the RV industry.
A lot of technicians swear by it. Plus, Camco has its deal—ever—ever, which is okay. Beach Lane RV sells some; I shouldn't have said their name.
They sell some stuff on Amazon; we've bought and tried it. It's just junk. That's our experience. So they sell a roof sealant.
And if a toilet part doesn't work, why would you expose your roof to that? Then there's a product called Flex Seal, which you see in advertisements all the time, as seen on RV stuff.
They guarantee you can blow a hole in your RV with a shotgun and put on some flex sit so it won't leak. You can cut your boat in half and seal it back up.
If you have a submarine that gets hit by a torpedo, you can brush on some flex seal, and it would be good to go.
Alexis: Yep, that sounds good.
Eric Stark: So a lot of it's gimmicky. And that's the point: staying away from the gimmicky stuff and sticking with what works.
And, yeah, there are only a couple of excellent brands that you can trust. Eternabond is another option. The tape sticks onto rubber, aluminum, and fiberglass roofs.
Now, EternaBond has a place in the RV world.
You tear your rubber roof; you put a hole in a cargo trailer in the front cap, and the roof is aluminum; it's a permanent fix or almost permanent, and it works very well. But, you know, if you seal all your seams, which is how they push it.
So, instead of using lap sealant, you should go around all your vents and seams with the turnabon as long as it stays there forever. And you never had to replace a vent because all your screws are covered with it.
Removing it from the rubber roof might be challenging without tearing or ruining it, which is my hesitation. But if you tear the roof, yeah, eternal bond.
Or if you're selling your RV and don't care—you just want a little bonus, hey, I. The roof will never leak. Then Eterna Bond might be your option.
But going with a lap sealant, like what Dicor makes, Alpha Systems, or another one, is a good brand. Just go with a lap sealant. And Dicor is the one to go with.
Many lap sealants are out there, and people come up with their formulas and start selling them. We've talked to people like that, and everything has yet to come to fruition. They promise us the world, and we never see an ounce of product.
They're, oh, yeah, we'd love to sell it to you. And we never, never go any further than that. And so they got their little gimmick market, which may be suitable. I don't know.
I'd instead stick with Dicor. It's a tried and true product. They do roofs, and that's all they do. Well, they do other stuff, but they specialize in roofs.
That's a guarantee. Then there's a product called RV roof magic. We haven't used it, but we do recommend it.
If you're going to coat your rubber roof, you know, not just do some repairs, you want to paint the ceiling, you want it to look nice and pretty again. There are a lot of systems for that. Dicor has one, and Hangs Elixir has one. You know, there's an excellent seal. There's all sorts of it out there.
But unless it permanently bonds to the roof and becomes part of the rubber roof, you've just created more maintenance for yourself. It'll look nice. Initially, it's nice and bright white, but it will be maintained over time.
Now, the decor system works much, much better than, let's say, the elixir or hangs brand. It's not permanent, but closer to where RV roof magic becomes part of the rubber roof.
So, that is a good product, and we recommend it. That product works very well.
A guy on Quora, quora.com, Thomas Donnelly, agrees with what we're saying. You know, he's an RV guy, or he's an RV owner, and, you know, another person was supporting him. And it's the same thing.
Don't use all this other stuff, and stay away from silicone. It's essential to use what's made for a rubber roof. You want to use something from something other than a hardware store, man. They will sell you. Oh, this will seal your roof, so there's no problem. I just put this on my house last winter. Oh, man. There are no leaks whatsoever. Well, it's for a home.
You wouldn't put black tar on your rubber roof or white tar on your RV, right? Stick with what's made for RVs and a name brand like Dicor. It may be a little more expensive, but you're not talking a lot of money.
Alexis: Yeah.
Eric Stark: And protecting your roof is vital because that's your entire investment underneath your roof.
Alexis: Exactly.
Eric Stark: So take care of that bad boy. And also, it's not just the lap sealant. Like, let's say you're replacing a vent.
Do you use butyl tape under the bottom of the vent to seal it to the roof, or do you use putty tape? You know, the putty tape is cheaper. It's, you know, the names are interchanged. I mean, people call butyl tape putty tape. They call putty tape butyl tape.
But butyl tape is a better product. You can use putty tape. It's not the end of the world if you use it for Vince and things like that.
But butyl tape is a much better product. It may be more expensive, but it's a little to begin with. So, I would stick with butyl tape. That's my recommission recommendation.
We don't even sell putty tape here. We only sell butyl tape. We sell some vent installation kits, and they are butyl tape.
It's probably not the high-end stuff, but it is butyl tape. If you're putting a catch on the side of your RV for your door and have putty tape, why not? You know, but a roof vent, no way.
You know, your roof windows use butyl tape. You will not regret that. And you must use the right things.
We'll narrow this down to three different products when we're done. That's all you'll have to know, and it makes life so much simpler.
You don't have to Google this anymore.
Alexis: Exactly.
Eric Stark: And need clarification and go to the wrong stores.
Right, the side of the RV if you want to, let's say, take your windows out and reseal them, or you're going to replace your clearance lights, taillights, or door, whatever it is. There's the same amount of confusion on the side of an RV. The roof is easy to lap sealant, but you have all this junk.
Well, it's the same on the side. You know, silicone is constantly recommended. Do not use silicone. It is not made for RVs. It has its purpose somewhere in life, but not in an RV.
And on the side of an RV, there's all the different brands of stuff. And, you know, everybody, like Flex Seal, will have something that'll work on the side of the RV.
They say dap products, you know, they make caulking for windows, toilets, showers, and stuff. I have so many things on my list, and my handwriting is terrible, too. That makes it more challenging.
These products have different brands, but again, let's simplify. For example, Sikaflex is a trendy brand that works well, and Geocell is very popular.
There's another one. I can't think of its name, but I see the orange label. It's in the RV industry. That's what they do.
They're not outsiders coming in with a product they think will work because it works on their aluminum fishing boat; they're tried and proven for the RV industry. Dicor makes lap sealant, and their lap sealant works fantastic.
Alexis: It does.
Eric Stark: They also make a product called cap sealant. It's for the sides of RV windows, doors, baggage compartments, etc.
And it's the same deal. You know, you're going to use butyl tape. Let's say you're replacing your window. You'll pull it out and clean off all the old stuff.
You'll put butyl tape on the window frame, put it back in, and tighten it. The beetle tape will squeeze out.
Put a bead of cap sealant across the top of the window, maybe a few inches on the side. That's all you have to do. You don't have to go around the whole window. There's no need for that. The water comes down the top.
If you want to do the sides, you could, but you certainly don't need to do the bottom. Water only leaks up sometimes. So. See, doesn't that simplify it? When you have. Dicor is lap sealant and cap sealant.
And no, we're not sponsored by Dicor.
Alexis: Right.
Eric Stark: I get nothing for saying this. It's just that Dicor is a good product.
Alexis: We know it.
Eric Stark: We promote good products if you've been listening to the show. Whether we get paid or not, and they're not paying us, that's for sure. We don't even get discounts on products.
We should get it all for free. In all seriousness, know that Dicor just makes good products.
And if you keep that in mind, and you have a brand that works, Sikaflex or Geocell is your brand, that's fine because it's made for RVs. And, you know, they have different formulas for different things, just like Dicor.
They have cap sealant and lap sealant, and they also have no sag lap sealant. So if you're doing something on your rubber roof, on the side, it wraps around the edge, you can use that, but it's using the right things.
You don't want to use cap sealant on a rubber roof. You want to use it on the side of the RV. You don't want to use lap sealant on the side of the RV. That doesn't work.
You have two different sealants here, plus butyl tape. Dicor also makes a butyl product that comes in a cartridge, similar to silicone.
You can squeeze it out, so you don't have to buy the tape and put it on there.
You can do the cartridge, especially if you know you will use a whole cartridge or a big chunk. It can make it easier to do certain things, like window frames. And it works the same as butyl—regular butyl—it just comes in a cartridge. So, sometimes, it may be easier to use or a little more accurate.
You don't have as much waste as skylights; that's what they typically use on a skylight. So it works on vents, but, you know, butyl cap sealant and lap sealant are what you want.
And the butyl tape—you must go with a good brand even there. You see, you have an investment here. This is not the time to cheap out. So, you need one brand of Dicor to seal your RV from the outside.
That's all you need.
So keep that in mind and go to your RV store if you buy it online from the decor brand. There are tons of others, you know, like, man, the list goes on and on and on. So I want to avoid boring everybody with this and keep rambling on, but keep that in mind.
Dicor is all you need unless you have your favorite brand. Oh, one other thing.
It came to mind, you know. One of my friends came to me, and he had this product that they use on something he makes. He went, "Oh, you got to try this stuff. It works great." He went, "I used it on the oven vent or the range hood vent on my RV, man. I put that thing on there, and it will never come off." So.
Right here's a stopper for me. Why would you want to put something on the side of your RV that you'll never get off? You will, but it's going to take a lot of work.
Alexis: Yeah.
Eric Stark: You know, it's hard enough sometimes to get something old off the side of an RV and clean up the sealant that the manufacturer put on because they sometimes goop it on and use stuff that's almost impossible to get off. You have to use a. A, a battery-powered oscillator multi-tool. You know, you get one of those bits and just grind it downward.
It's not sharp anymore. And that works. It doesn't ruin the side of the RV, but that's what it takes sometimes. So be careful with that, too.
He says it might never leak, but it'll never come off. So you only want to do that if, you know, you're selling the RV and you don't care. But we know you care. You guys are intelligent rivers. Okay?
So now we'll put that to bed, and we'll probably talk about it another year or so because it always comes up, especially roof-related stuff. You have to protect that roof. It's significant, essential, and a big deal. Okay?
Now, if you go to our YouTube channel, you can see the different videos we are. We are constantly coming out with. Every other week, we have a new video one way or the other. And it's always about something to do with either.
It's something we talked about on the show or something we have yet to talk about on the show, so it's not like a repeat. It's not going to be the same boredom.
Discussing something on the podcast usually differs from how we do a video. So even if you have heard it, you have to see it. So go to YouTube.com and type in TheSmartRVer, and you will find us.
Now that takes us to the Next Stop. Today, we will go to Kansas and discover the entire heartland of Kansas. Yeah, we're going to see it all.
Dorothy, Toto, everything.
Alexis: The wicked witch.
Eric Stark: So, Alexis, this is right up your alley.
Alexis: It is. It is. I. I'm excited about this one.
Eric Stark: Aren't you from Kansas?
Alexis: No. You know, I know Kalispellisville—a little bit of a difference there.
Eric Stark: Yeah. Yeah.
Alexis: Yeah. Montana and Kansas. Yeah.
Eric Stark: All right.
Alexis: Anyways.
Eric Stark: Yeah.
Alexis: So people think, okay, Kansas, great, OK. It's flat. It's boring. Well, it's not. There are rolling hills. There's a lot of forests.
There are many beautiful lakes and rivers, so taking advantage of and seeing them is astonishing. I recommend the Flint Hill scenic byway because it's a 47-mile stretch, unlike a vast stretch of road.
But if you take it, it winds through some of Kansas's most beautiful landscapes. There's pretty hiking, too, off of it, wildlife viewing, and a chance for photography.
If you want to see Kansas, go on this byway. It's pretty cool; you'll see much of it you didn't know existed.
Eric Stark: Yeah. Kansas is very nice.
Alexis: It is. Yeah.
Eric Stark: There were a couple of times.
Alexis: Yeah. Very cool.
Eric Stark: Very cool. It's got a relaxing feel to it. Yeah.
Alexis: Yeah.
Eric Stark: Comfortable feel. And there's a lot of history there.
Alexis: Lots of history. Very cool.
Eric Stark: A lot of things took place there. Who was from Kansas? Dorothy? Daniel Boone was. Kentucky, right?
Alexis: Yeah, Kentucky.
Eric Stark: He's a big man. Anyway, so, yeah. You know, there are these states; they've been, well, they've been around for a long time, right? They've been around forever, but yeah.
Became states, you know, 250 years ago, approximately. So there's, there's history there. And Kansas is one of the places. All the rolling hills with agriculture are pretty cool.
Alexis: Oh, yeah, it's beautiful.
Eric Stark: Yeah, very nice. Of course, it's an outdoor area, so if you love the outdoors, which you're an RVer, you probably do. Great place for you. And it's an excellent place to go for a ride.
Alexis: It is. Yeah.
Eric Stark: Easy state to travel around, too.
Alexis: Very easy. Yeah. Very fun.
Eric Stark: Some states are a chore, but this one is easy.
Alexis: Yeah.
Eric Stark: Again, it's one more of these places on our list. You know the list, you know. So there's lots to see in the United States.
Alexis: Yes, there is.
Eric Stark: There's a whole bunch.
Alexis: It's fun.
Eric Stark: So there's more information on our website. So, TheSmarRVer.com is under the Next Stop. And it's discovering the heartland, all about Kansas.
You can check that out when you have a moment or are getting ready to plan your next trip. Now, that brings us to RV Envy. This is the part everybody's been waiting for. We talked about pirates, Blackbeard, right?
Alexis: Woohoo.
Eric Stark: I think he was pretty much a scumbag, but heck, he was a pirate. You know, something about pirates, you know? You probably have yet to hear of Blackbeard fire starters.
Well, if you go to our website, smartrver.com, right on the homepage, there's a logo that says Blackbeard. If you click on that logo, it'll take you to Blackbeard's website. And if you buy a couple of fire starters, we get about two cents each as a commission.
We appreciate that, but we also sell these in our store. Now, Blackbeard, fire starters, so we know what we're talking about here. They're just things for starting a fire. So if you're out camping, probably more tent camping, you could see its use.
But they have many uses depending on where you go RVing and what you need to start fires. But if you're a tent camper hiker, you'd want to have them in your bag.
If you have a go bag, a 72-hour bag, in case of emergency, you want these in there. They're tiny. You can get 50 packs. You can get sticks that you can pull apart. What makes them so unique is that you can light a fire underwater. It can be raining, snowing, or windy. These things will start up, and they get the fire going.
Now, it's not going to be the fire. You still have to have some fuel to put on, like pieces of wood and so forth, to get the fire going. But it starts the fire. Their website has many videos; you'll see it and know exactly what we're discussing. It's a great product, though. And the prices are very affordable, excellent prices. And they have a Ferro rod.
You can hit a striker with it, and it showers sparks on the starter, causing a fire. It's straightforward. Go to our website, TheSmartRVer.com, and click on the logo.
Blackbeard Fire starters take you to the website and do a little shopping.
These things are just a must-have. Even if you don't think you'll use them, you should have some to start a fire in case emergencies happen. The world's on fire. Get it?
Alexis: Yes, I do.
Eric Stark: Joke there, right?
Alexis: That was good.
Eric Stark: We're coming to the show's end here. So, as a reminder, go to our YouTube channel and check on and check out the intelligent RVer there. Check out the videos.
You can also go to our website, sunpro mfg.com, if you need a slide-out awning fabric or are looking for a windshield cover or awning shade, whatever it might be, to keep the sun out of your life while you're RVing. All right, so we had a great show today. I want to thank everybody for coming by and Alexis being awake. Ready to go.
So, this is Eric Stark with TheSmartRVer Podcast. It's been great hanging out with you. If I don't see you on the road, let's connect at TheSmartRVer.com.