Buldging/Bowed Floor underside of RV

**terryannbautz** · 11-10-2019, 01:42 PM

I recently went under our RV, about where I believe the two gray and one black water tanks are. The black cardboard like board is bowed and looks to be ripping away from the screws. I've attached some photos. I am concerned that maybe some support bracket or something has detached and the tanks are weighing down on this covering?

Has anyone else seen this and is it something I need to take to get looked at? I am worried that we will be driving and suddenly our tanks will fall out!!

Thanks for your help.

Terry Ann

**jim1521** · 11-10-2019, 01:53 PM

Take a small drill bit (1/4”) and poke a hole at the lowest point. There’s a very good chance you may have some water up in there. If there is, it’ll drain out through that hole. If not, a small piece of duct tape will cover it and reseal it with no problem.

EDIT: I took a closer look at the photos, and I don’t think it’s water. You may have a support strap that came loose. I’d still try drilling the small hole though.

**Paul & Deb** · 11-10-2019, 03:37 PM

If it were mine I wouldn't be just drilling holes because there are lots of wires and ducts and who knows what up there. I'd remove as many of the screws along the side as I can and just take a flashlight and look. There's no mystery about most of this stuff but, again, I wouldn't drill without checking what your drilling in to.

For the record, that material is called coroplast. Same material they make signs out of.

**WhittleBurner** · 11-10-2019, 05:48 PM

I agree with Poppy about drilling without looking first. If anything, maybe a small shallow cut barely enough to make a hole to see if water comes out. That's a pretty good bow for there not to have been water at one time.

I moved the thread to the general tech topic, follow the redirect.

**jim1521** · 11-10-2019, 06:37 PM

I’m talking about a 1/4” hole/cut/puncture (insert your favorite noun here) in the coroplast- which is in itself only about 1/4” thick - is not going to cut into any wiring or critical components.

**terryannbautz** · 11-11-2019, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by jim1521

Take a small drill bit (1/4”) and poke a hole at the lowest point. There’s a very good chance you may have some water up in there. If there is, it’ll drain out through that hole. If not, a small piece of duct tape will cover it and reseal it with no problem.

EDIT: I took a closer look at the photos, and I don’t think it’s water. You may have a support strap that came loose. I’d still try drilling the small hole though.

Thank you...calling an RV tech today!

**terryannbautz** · 11-11-2019, 03:43 AM

Thank you...calling an RV tech today...I don't want to mess around with trying to remove the screws! I'm also wondering if it has compromised my blank tank as having more sewage odor lately too.

**terryannbautz** · 11-11-2019, 03:45 AM

Thank you...I am not sure I am replying to everyone's helpful info, so I am again posting that I am calling an RV tech about this!

**terryannbautz** · 11-11-2019, 03:46 AM

Good to know that it's called "coroplast" . Thanks!

**jim1521** · 11-11-2019, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by terryannbautz

Thank you...calling an RV tech today...I don't want to mess around with trying to remove the screws! I'm also wondering if it has compromised my blank tank as having more sewage odor lately too.

Neighbor had this EXACT same symptom; bulging coroplast, odor in kitchen, thought it was black tank problem. Turned out that he had flooded the kitchen a few months earlier (toilet apparently didn’t automatically shut off so fresh water ran out onto kitchen floor). He dried it up, but the water had run out and gone down above the coroplast. He popped a hole in it and it drained out. Smell went away as well, as it was stagnant water sitting there for awhile.