My Trailer Redo - Days 95-102 - Letting Water Out

 
Project 2 on my list of 3 is perhaps done. That was to create a way for excess water to get out of the trailer.

I can not take credit for this idea. People who own and try to keep old fiberglass trailers running and functioning have several ways they band together. A man from Iowa, Gary, is in two of the online groups I also belong to. This is his solution to the fact that water will get into the trailer from time to time.

I thought I had mentioned, but can't seem to find it, that after I put in my wonderful vinyl floor, I had to take it all back out because water got underneath it and it got moldy. It was a very discouraging day when I discovered that. So that all had to be cleaned. I wasn't willing to put it back in and have that happen all over again for the trip last fall, not to mention that I would have to put holes in it that weren't going to be the permanent holes. So we used the trailer last year with the old filthy, stinky carpet put back down on the floor.

Time to put holes in the floor! (Yeah, I know... I had recently patched all the holes in the floor.)

First, I had to decide where to put the new holes. Since the inside of the trailer is basically a fiberglass sealed bathtub (there is a fiberglass skin over the 3/4 plywood floor), I leveled the trailer up, sloshed in an inch of water and then swept most of it out until I determined 5 low spots where water pooled. I dried the trailer out and marked those spots. Thought about drilling the holes.

Not so fast! Had to think about whether any of my choices were going to be located beneath bunk walls, or above frame pieces underneath the trailer. Yikes. And nothing is simple. Spent ???, something short of forever, looking for my hole saw set that hasn't been seen in 30 years. Nada. So I had to give in and buy one. (Aside- If there is one thing on my forever wish list, it's an actual place where my tools could be kept and organized. Think I'll ever get that before I die?)

Next public service announcement. If you want to drill holes in anything significant, like 3/4 inch plywood, skip the cheaper hole saw with interchangeable blades, and just get the better saws the first time.



Anyway. As you can see by the circles marked on the floor, I had to adjust the placing of this hole a bit. Then you drill the larger outer hole, just enough to countersink the edge of the drain cover. And what am I using for a drain cover? At Gary's suggestion, I bought a package of 2.5" soffit drains. They seem perfect. They will let water out and keep mice, etc. out from underneath. Then you drill the 2.25" hole all the way through.



Again, I am using Gary's recommendation for how to hold the drains in place. This is the product I could get locally. It's an automotive adhesive for windshields. Product #8690 is pretty much the same thing, but half the price. Of course, I would have had to order that, and there isn't time to wait for that to arrive. This stuff will really stick! But I now have utmost respect for anyone who can use it and not make a mess.




Well, these won't show anyway. They'll be under the flooring. I'll show you the neatest one. I coated the sides of the holes with the adhesive to waterproof them, and then put a bead around the edge and glued the covers in.



I did think up the next part of this solution myself, but as Gary and I were discussing things, it turns out he did the same thing but with a heavier product. I'm putting a ventilated mat under the vinyl. This is a rug mat, and I'm hopeful it will keep the vinyl lifted just enough that any water can travel to the drains. We'll see, right?



I cut it to match the vinyl. I'm not quite ready to put it down on the trailer floor yet. I still have that third project to finish- which is to stop the known leaks. I'm working on them! There are several other things I'd like to get done before Sunny goes on this year's trip, but stopping the leaks has to be accomplished.



Today was very productive. It was just as hot, but the humidity wasn't as bad, and I got outside and got a lot done before it got blazing hot. No yard work done, but I did do a load of laundry.

See Project 1 - Finishing the Structural Walls See Index to Trailer Refurbish