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Originally posted by ScottyB:
Hoping I'm not hyjacking this thrd. but after reading about the wood rot in this Barth. I was wondering if because of all there aluminum outter skin & framework if there more susceptible to "sweating" in cooler climates when being used with the heat on? I don't know how they would compare to say a fiberglass coach? After seeing this I am a little "gunshy" of buying an older coach? I have owned & restored a old wooden boat before (a 42ft'er) so I am very leary of dry rot. They can't all be like this could they?

In my experience with all the rot in my Barth I would say that all of it was related to external leaks not condensation from within. I think the problem in a nutshell is that if you have a small leak the moisture accumulates year after year and stays in the walls. By the time you see visible signs that anything is wrong it is too late. This is a problem with all RV,s not just the Barth. If you are buying any old motor home or trailer you will have the same issue except that the frame of the Barth will not rot. The Barth frame will oxidize/rust but that is a much longer process. I think if you buy an older motorhome you have to be ready for the fact that even with due diligence you may discover problems later that will cost a significant amount of time and money to fix.

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I think if you buy an older motorhome you have to be ready for the fact that even with due diligence you may discover problems later that will cost a significant amount of time and money to fix.

You are obviously a wise man. I wish more people looked at it this way before they buy any motorhome. (BTW, I have a friend with a 2013 SOB that has already had the AC replaced, the generator hatch replaced, and a headlight replaced.)

With regular use and proper maintenance, they are pretty reliable once you get past the "break-in" stage.

Another thing to remember is that while tearing out rot is ugly work, it is mercifully quick. Replacing the paneling is kind of fun. Also, now its fixed you will know for sure there is no problem - unlike most people.

Larry, didn't you actually know there was black mold before you bought this coach from me? Where I tore a whole foot long section of wallpaper off in the bedroom cabinet, you saw the black mold on the wall. You squirreled in under the bed with a flashlight while I held up the mattress and the bedboard and reported the news to me about the black mold you found there. You were sniffing away for what seemed like ages. What we didn't know was how nasty it would look. Gross before photos! I want to see the after ones too!

So, credit you with discovering and fixing the mold problem. I just want to make clear to everyone that you discovered it before you bought it.