Okay, I tore into it today. The news was not good. In fact, I have decided to totally rebuild it again. But, this time I'm going to do away with much of the possible leak sources. I'm going to take out the front and side windows and replace them with solid pieces of Filon siding (Filon is what the siding is made from). We are still wrestling with the cost involved, but this is probably the best way to go since we don't want/need the front or side windows.
It was amazing how much damage had been done in just a few months. The bottom plywood layer of the bed was totally saturated and falling apart. The moisture had wicked up and saturated the top layer of the bed enough to cause mold and mildew.
I'm still trying to determine where the leak was. I'm pretty sure it occurred way back in April when we went to Kentucky to meet the kids. It rained all day every day on the way there and stormed really hard on the way home. Since then, we didn't get enough rain to cause the kind of problem we've hard. Since the left side blew off during our last trip, I suspect the was penetration in that area. However, there does appear to be a possible leak around the front window.
It was Joyce's idea, and I like it, to make the top layer of the bed removable so if it ever leaks again, the top layer could come off and allow the area to be dried out, hopefully averting another mold and mildew condition.
Tomorrow I'm pulling off the "wrap around" - the top and front section that contains the front window. I'll get an accurate measurement of the size then I can order the new Filon (shipping cost is so great, I don't dare risk not buying enough to start with).
Beginning here through March 12 of 2012, the posts are consolidated in the "Special Page" listed as "Pumpkin Patch Part Deux".
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