Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrsrogers
Wondering what people are doing to maintain or repair their older style aluminum roofs? Ours does not leak, we just added maxair vents, and my husband noticed the roof is really wavey..
We're thinking about rubber coating it just the way it is, but would like some of your valued opinions! Thanks!
|
A wavy metal roof is nothing to be concerned about unless there is suspicision that a collapse of some kiind has occurred or other apparent damage. It is how they age.
There are two primary concerns: An actual puncture of the metal and the condition of the seams.
Punctures are rare but they do happen, usually caused by a falling tree branch or other object. Inspect the roof reguarly.
I am not a fan of rubber coatings over metal roofs. With an older trailer, it is almost impossible to get the surface clean enough for the compound to permanently adhere. And it is pricey.
The seams on metal roofs are the big concern. Where the individual sheets are joined, they may have used a double fold-over. Around the edges and around anything that protrudes from the roof, they likely used the putty tape to seal the seam, and maybe a coat a caulking over that.
The heat/cold cycle of the seasons and the movement of the trailer when it is being towed will eventually cause these seams to move a tiny, tiny bit. Direct sunlight breaks down even the best of caulking materials. So the seams are critical because it is pretty much a flat roof.
On our rubber roofs, for maintenance and repairs we use a combination of self-leveling Dicor caulk, and occasionally, some of the special rubber coating material.
Your metal roof has a much simpler and way less expensive solution. Most any hardware store or home improvement store sells "mobile home roof paint" which is an oil-based paint that contains a lot of fibers and aluminum particles. It is about the consistency of driveway sealer. I always suggest that you buy a "throw-away" brush for applying this. Last I knew, the paint ran under $30 a gallon.
Wash the roof real well, and make sure any loose stuff is removed. If you find any obvious places where there is missing sealant, mostly the putty tape, you may have to do a repair before coating the roof. Then give all the seams a coat of the paint, let it dry, and then do the whole roof.
I used to do my old 19' Prowler with less than one gallon of paint. A larger trailer would likely require more. The nice thing about this is that prep is not as critical as for a rubber coating, and if you find a spot that has lifted, you can just scrape,clean it, and recoat it with left over paint.
I live in a region where most homes have metal roofs due to heavy snowfall and long periods of really cold weather. The house I live in has a metal roof that is at least 75 years old. We maintain it exactly as I have explained here.