Leaky 2008 Trillium Outback

[miki]

We are the proud (I think) new owners of a 2008 Trillium Outback (made in Calgary). Yesterday we purchased the trailer and when we went to get it we noticed a weird smell and began searching for its cause; the floor was soaked. The fantastic fan was leaking water along the seams like crazy. We still bought it because I called Trillium Outback and they said that we could easily fix that ourselves. And that the insulation was marine grade and would not have mold issues, we could just dry it out and it would be fine. I am hoping he is right because this trailer has been stored outside for its lifespan. We have it parked in our garage now and fans and heaters running galore in an attempt to dry it out.

Okay so now we have it home and we look under the front storage areas both sides are soaking from the downpour on the drive home, and the horrible smell has been located. A weird vinegary, musty gross smell is coming from this area above the wheels, under the front bed/dining area. I look under the fridge and stove with a flashlight and there is water even pooling there. SOOOOO What do we do? It doesnt look like we will be winter camping as soon as we thought we would, considering it rains all winter here. I have seen posts about rivets and bellybands and I am just not entirely sure to know how you determine which area it is. It kind of seems to be leaking from everywhere there is an attachment: the fan, the awning attachments, the hole where the power cord is, lots of the rivets, lots and lots of rusty screws...... so uttely confused. would love any advice.

Thanks!

[Cam A]

Hmm, well, I'd start by drying it out. Do you have a covered space? Mop up what you can, and get fans and/or a dehumidifier going. Start with the known problem, fixing the roof leak with the fan opening. Others will be along soon with specifics. Take a deep breath and dive in.

[Pam Garlow]

Welcome to the group, Michelle. We're glad you're here

Finding all that water must have been a real shock !!!! You're definitely on the right track by running the heater and fans. I'm sure that some forum members will speak up soon, and give you advise on how to correct your problems.

And don't panic, because these little eggs are awfully hard to destroy.

[Carol H]

Michelle sorry to hear of your leaks. The good news is though that Trilliums dont have nearly as many rivets as a Scamp!! Also bellyband leaks are not as common as you might think.

As Cam suggest remove the Fan and clean the area all up and reseat it - but use Butyl tape under it to redo it. Search this list to find lots of info on doing that - dont use silicone caulking on any of the leak areas as thats only a temp fix and you will hate trying to get it off when you go to fix the problem properly.

Keep in mind that the water leaks can be hard to figure out where they are coming from so it may be that the water you see is all coming from the roof vent - the water will run under the wall covering in all directions.

Windows are usually higher on the suspect list of leak points than the other items you mentioned, I would take a look to see if the weep holes/drainage holes are clogged - that will cause the water to back up into the trailer so you may not need to reseal the windows just unclog the drains. I am not overly familiar with the window frames on the newer Trilliums but there should be small weep holes or a piece of plastic on the bottom outside of the frame that can be popped off to reveal the drain holes. Use the plastic weed eater type thread to push through the holes to clean them out. Then use a hose on the trailer one window at a time and have someone inside take look to see if they can detect any water coming in. You may have to leave it running for awhile before you actually see water inside.

Attachment points for awnings can be a problem area - especially if someone but excessive weight or force on the awning or left it flapping in the wind for long periods. which can loosen the attachment points. Again once you have proven it to be a problem using the hose technique its pretty easy to remove and reset using butyl tape.

Yes the wall covering is marine grade so it should dry out nicely without an longterm issue. Not sure what the strange smell you have might be. Has the fridge door been left closed - those can get a bit funky if not left slightly open when the trailer isnt in use.

As Cam says take a deep breath the nice thing about our little trailers is that they are actually pretty easy to fix.

[David O.]

Originally Posted by miki

We are the proud (I think) new owners of a 2008 Trillium Outback (made in Calgary). Yesterday we purchased the trailer and when we went to get it we noticed a weird smell and began searching for its cause; the floor was soaked. The fantastic fan was leaking water along the seams like crazy. We still bought it because I called Trillium Outback and they said that we could easily fix that ourselves. And that the insulation was marine grade and would not have mold issues, we could just dry it out and it would be fine. I am hoping he is right because this trailer has been stored outside for its lifespan. We have it parked in our garage now and fans and heaters running galore in an attempt to dry it out.

Okay so now we have it home and we look under the front storage areas both sides are soaking from the downpour on the drive home, and the horrible smell has been located. A weird vinegary, musty gross smell is coming from this area above the wheels, under the front bed/dining area. I look under the fridge and stove with a flashlight and there is water even pooling there. SOOOOO What do we do? It doesnt look like we will be winter camping as soon as we thought we would, considering it rains all winter here. I have seen posts about rivets and bellybands and I am just not entirely sure to know how you determine which area it is. It kind of seems to be leaking from everywhere there is an attachment: the fan, the awning attachments, the hole where the power cord is, lots of the rivets, lots and lots of rusty screws...... so uttely confused. would love any advice.

Thanks!

Did you ever figure out your leak problem?
We just bought a 2008 but it hasn't gotten we yet since we have had it. thinking we should do a water test.