If the roof of your house is covered with a folded roof, then there is no point in talking about its advantages: ease of installation, high tightness and laconic aesthetics. But what if such a roof served faithfully for many years, and now it suddenly malfunctioned?
If you cannot find a crack or a hole, and the problem persists? Or have you already found the damage but don't know where to start? It is for this purpose that we disclose to you the repair of seam roofing in detail!
So, what are roofing problems such as scratches, cracks and through holes fraught with? Leaks, of course! After all, the main task of any roof is to protect the house from moisture and dampness, in fact, from any precipitation. After all, even the smallest leaks can cause a lot of trouble:
Quite often, the cause of leaks is an inconspicuous gap between the most different elements of the roof. This usually happens as a result of improper roof installation, or the use of cheap Chinese materials.
A sure sign of new mechanical damage is a sudden leak after a violent storm or rainstorm. After all, any roof can be damaged even by the wind - if it has carried a large branch or a sharp object. But such damage, which is good, is easy to see with the naked eye.
Another reason for roof leaks is poor-quality waterproofing. Here we are talking about both a violation of waterproofing technology, when the wrong material is used and is not attached as required, as required by the manufacturer's instructions, and about the limited service life of any material.
Sometimes the drainage system becomes the cause of leaks. Namely, its unprofessional installation, low-quality elements and snow sharpening inside in winter.
And finally, even careless walking on the roof can create problems with the roofing!
You need to check the metal roof for defects together with a partner. One person is on the roof, and the other is in the attic, where he discovers gaps and knocks about it to his partner. He already marks the problem area with chalk. Indeed, in a dark space, it is easier to notice a small gap through which light penetrates than to find such a crack on the roof from the outside.
If you cannot visually determine the presence of a defect, start from the type of leak. So, among professional roofers, it is customary to divide roofing problems into the following categories.
But even then, when everything was done according to technology, problems may arise. So, a roof made of profiled sheet does not like scratches terribly - and they are easy to make with the usual cleaning of snow. A scratch is bad not because it deprives such a roof of aesthetics, but because it opens the way for moisture to the unprotected metal (after all, the coating is on top). The metal immediately rusts and becomes ugly streaks. And these drips, in turn, continue to destroy other parts of the roof. A couple more months - and the roof will look like a sieve!
And the problems begin when the snow melts - during the thaw period. It is then that the rafters get wet, the attic damp, and even the ceiling of the living quarters "floats".Usually the reason is that the roof was not properly insulated and the bottom layer of snow is constantly melting on a warm roof. And, unlike ordinary rain, which quickly flows down, the melt water is, as it were, "locked" under the snow cover, it does not move down, and therefore it is much easier for it to penetrate even the most imperceptible cracks and cracks in the roof. It's like bees and a beekeeper: the longer the insects circle around the hermetically sealed suit of the honey worker, the more chances they still have to find out how to get under the clothes of the "intruder" and bite. The same is with melt water, although even in a heavy downpour, such a roof can be completely dry.
So, in this case, you will have to look for almost microscopic cracks, loose screws and insufficiently tight junctions. You will have to sweat, and in the future either it is good to insulate the attic so that it does not transfer heat from the living rooms to the roof, or install a heating cable on the roof so that the snow immediately falls down and does not linger.
The situation here is simpler: leaks happen every time it rains. Those. we are talking about already more noticeable defects in the roof, which are not difficult to detect with the same light in the attic.
There are many solutions to this problem: the installation of more reliable waterproofing, and additional sealing of the roof with bitumen, tapes and modern sealants, and even changing the angle of the roof slope. It is clear that the longer (as in the case of snow) water stays on the roof area, the more it will seep through small defects. Therefore, sometimes the owners of private houses in especially rainy areas decide to disconnect the pitched roof in the area of the ridge and install additional slopes, making a broken attic roof from the gable roof.
But these problems with the roof are usually surprising: a perfectly sealed roof, no cracks or gaps, all screws are perfectly screwed in and even covered with sealant - and it still drips from the roof.
In fact, condensation is to blame for this, which forms on the inside of the roof as being colder. Poor ventilation and improper construction of the roof itself are to blame for the condensation. In this case, you no longer need to look for a ray of light in the attic - here we work only with the under-roof space.
This is really a real headache even for professional roofers: there are leaks, then they are not, and it is not even possible to establish any connection with a certain weather. But we will teach you to understand this aspect as well!
Please note: valleys are usually the weakest points of roofs.
VIDEO
If it is not easy to find the cause of the leak, and the inspection of the attic did not help, you have two options:
For insulated roofs. Climb onto the roof and scrupulously check the condition of all abutments, fasteners and aprons. Just be sure to completely clear the roof of leaves and other debris in advance.For cold roofs. Raise a hose with water on the roof, leave a friend in the attic, turn on the pressure and make a "Charcot shower" for the roof. Under such water pressure (as from a good shower), leaks will immediately be found in the attic, which the second person will fix.Water all the screws and joints in turn, go around everything, and do not rely on the fact that some element looks perfectly sealed. Remember how small is a drop of water that easily penetrates even through fabric.In this situation, it is important to find at least an approximate place of damage - where exactly the wet spot appeared. And keep in mind that the crack on the roof may be in one place, and the stain on the ceiling in another. For example, if water from a hole flowed down an inclined rafter. Therefore, for an accurate study, be sure to look into the attic, where, in addition to the lumen, you will also find damp, moldy areas.
Found the reason? Congratulations! Now you can start repairing with relief.
The modern construction market pleases with many valuable innovations in this regard: tapes, cords and sealants.
Butyl rubber tape is especially convenient to use. So far, many homeowners do not risk using this tool to fix a metal roof, imagining ordinary scotch tape on a crack, which quickly weathers and peels off in the first week. In fact, everything is not so - butyl rubber tape is covered not with simple office glue, but with a rather dense viscous substance that has: high resistance to any chemical attack, elasticity, moisture resistance, airtightness, temperature resistance.
Butyl rubber cord comes in both solid and liquid state. It is much easier to work with the first one: they inserted it into the joint between the sheets, which needs to be sealed, removed the protective film - and that's it. But cracks and seams usually do not have ideal geometry, and therefore it is most often more convenient to use just a butyl rubber sealant. Its main advantages are:
Easy to use.
Resistance to various kinds of influences.
High adhesion to repaired surfaces.
Elasticity.
UV resistant.
Fast hardening.
Absolute moisture resistance.
But any rubber sealant begins to deteriorate at a temperature of + 90 ° C. Therefore, if you live enough in a hot region, it is more advisable to use a high temperature sealant.
If the seam roof simply began to wear out, update it with modern liquid rubber:
And working with this material is as easy as shelling pears:
Here are the most popular and proven ways to repair standing seam roofs, each of which solves a specific problem.
We open and re-clamp the standing folds. We press the lying ones harder, cover with linseed oil and coat well with red lead putty from two parts of white, one part of powdered red lead and four parts of chalk.
Still seam roofing from old age is capable of sagging:
If you find that all the problems are precisely in the waterproofing, then just change it to a new one. Of course, in this case, you need to disassemble the roofing pie from the side of the attic, and even, if necessary, change the heat-insulating material - but this is also necessary, since it also has its own lifespan.
You also have to periodically update the insulation of the seam roof to the wall:
If the gutters are leaky, first we remove all damaged areas, and then we install new sheets, connecting the seams with a double recumbent fold. We coat the joints with the same red lead putty.
The seam roof eaves are also rapidly aging:
Small cracks up to 3 mm can be repaired with red lead putty:
We clog the middle cracks with burlap or tow, which we pre-saturate with thickened oil paint.
If the cracks on your roof have reached 14 cm, proceed as follows: carefully clean the hole from dust and dirt, process it with linseed oil and apply a patch on the bitumen mastic. The patch should overlap the damage by 10 cm around the entire perimeter.
Seal the same holes that exceed 14 cm with steel sheets.It is important to make sure that the junction of the patch with the old roofing sheet is on the batten, and not "in the air".
If you notice rust on the loft side, then brush it off with a stiff bristled brush and cover with two coats of paint. But do not leave it to chance: rust is an insidious thing, and spreads quickly.
And, in order to protect the seam roofing from the formation of rust in the future (since such a problem has arisen), before painting, the entire surface must be treated with a spray gun with a special composition - "Rusas", "Antikor" and "Rust converter". When rust touches, they will create a protective phosphate layer.
Each roof has the weakest points - valleys and skylights:
Sometimes, of course, you have to completely change the entire sheet. Everything is simple here: we connect the new one with the old ones in the same way as the previous one, only we additionally coat the seam with red lead putty. Moreover, the seam roof can be repaired with both old and new metal sheets. It is only important to thoroughly clean both of dirt and dust, if necessary, wipe off the factory grease and well lubricate the entire surface.
It also happens that all the sheets of the roof are damaged. In this case, the coating must be changed, and in small sections, step by step - so that moisture cannot get into the under-roof space. To do this, prepare whole new sheets, fold the edges at them and combine them into pictures. Secure the newly laid sheets with clamps along the crate and T-shaped crutches along the cornice.
The roof is not only a decorative element of the house structure, but also the protection of the interior space from cold, wind, snow and rain. With a high-quality installation of a folded roof, the need for its repair will not arise for a rather long time, since this metal roof covering is considered one of the most durable and reliable. However, there are times when the repair of the folded roof is required a couple of years after the installation.
This type of roof got its name from joining metal sheets using a special type of seam - a seam.
The most stable and airtight are the standing double seams.
Seam roofing has good tightness, resistance to external influences (low temperatures, precipitation, wind, etc.). It can be made of aluminum, copper, zinc and titanium alloy, polymer coated steel, as well as sheet or galvanized steel coil.
Seamed roofs can be damaged as a result of mechanical stress, for example, when cleaning the roof from snow obstructions or ice. Careless movements often result in holes, scratches, and fastening clips and nails popping out. Moisture begins to penetrate into the holes formed, and the temperature regime is disturbed in the attic. As a result of this, corrosion appears on the steel sheets, and since the thickness of the sheets is small, after a year or two they become unusable.
The integrity of the coating may also be compromised for the following reasons:
cracks along fold lines of folds;
opening folds (with a single seam instead of a double seam or with poor compression);
violation of the joining of the roofing to the chimney;
roof sagging due to the old age of the rafter system;
too large a step of the crate;
poor installation quality.
Any leaks, if not eliminated in a timely manner, can lead to rather sad consequences: the rafter system will start to rot, there will be a need to repair ceilings and renew wall coverings, and as a result - additional costs, and not small ones.
Before renovation, you must carefully examine the attic space. It is very easy to find a leak in a non-residential attic - water leaves visible traces on the rafter system. It is also necessary to inspect the abutment of paintings to chimneys, walls and other connections.
If it leaks at the joints of the paintings, then for the repair you will need a special folding tool, with which you need to re-roll the problematic seams. For better sealing, silicone or bitumen sealants can be used.
When the rafter system decays, of course, partial repairs will not be enough. In this case, it will need to be dismantled and completely replaced. It is not recommended to use old roofing material for re-coating, it is much more profitable, easier and safer to buy a new one.
In case of holes and other mechanical damage, a complete replacement of the painting is required, that is, the damaged paintings are dismantled, and new ones are installed. With a special tool, they unbend the seams, remove the fasteners, make a new picture, put it in the place of the old one and re-roll the seams.
If a copper roof is being repaired, the hole or hole can be repaired with a patch made of a similar material. The connection is made by soldering or tinning. And so that the patch does not stand out against the general background, you can treat it with a special tool that simulates the aging of the metal.
When repairing an aluminum roof, the patch is applied using a different technology. A patch is cut out (its size should exceed the size of the damage by 8-10 cm) and reinforced with aluminum self-tapping screws. Roofing glue is applied along the very edge of the patch, and after the first layer has dried, after a day, the glue is applied again.
Important ! All metal elements of the roof (bolts, nails, clamps) must be made of the same material as the roof. Otherwise, the lifespan of the entire coating will be limited by the lifespan of, for example, an iron nail.
A seam roof can bend either as a result of damage, decay, or due to a gross violation of the installation rules, for example, the lathing was installed with a very large step. These defects are considered the most serious, because their elimination requires complex and expensive repairs, including the complete dismantling of the roofing material and the restructuring of the rafter system with the replacement of the battens, and sometimes rafters and beams.
To protect the roofing material from the harmful effects of condensation that accumulates from the attic side, several layers of paint are applied to the inside of the paintings and dried. Planks and bars going to the crate also require good drying, since the roof often begins to collapse from the inside. The sheets are attached to the crate with clamps, the cornice edge is nailed with T-shaped crutches.
If the repair is done due to the deterioration of the appearance of the folded roof, but it itself is in good condition, it is quite possible to do without removing the old material. It will be enough to bend the standing folds with a hammer and make a crate right on the old roof, and then lay a new roof.
If you need to completely replace the roof, you should take care of the choice of material. Galvanized steel has recently been used less and less. This is due to the relatively short service life (up to 20 years) and not very attractive appearance.
Copper plating occupies the leading position in the list of materials. The service life of such a material can reach a hundred years, and it looks very elegant. You can also use titanium zinc roofing, which is a very durable and ductile material.
Seam roofing is able to protect your home from external influences, without the need for frequent and complex repairs, for many decades. But this is possible only if the installation work was carried out in compliance with all the established rules. If you cannot solve such a problem on your own, then it is better to call a team of specialists for help. Remember that any roofing job requires certain skills.
Seam roofing is a roof made of galvanized steel or non-ferrous metal sheets.Roof layers, or so-called "pictures" are always made with the expectation of a seam joint. When a seam roof is being repaired, a seam is a connection that is obtained when two sheets of roofing are superimposed.
Joining of layers between themselves can be either single or double. The lateral edges of the steel layers along the slope are connected with double seams, and the transverse ones - with single seams.
To get a single recumbent fold, you need to take a sheet with bent corners, lay it on a workbench, bend the edge at a right angle and dump it onto a plane. After that, the layers of the roof are connected, compacted and the seam is cut.
Double folds connect the roofing sheets, which are intended for overhangs, gutters and gutters. It is very important here to pay increased attention to the quality of work. To make the fold even and smooth, it is necessary to first bend the edge of the layers along the edges. These folds will later be used as a kind of beacons that will help keep the sheet from shifting.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to obtain corner seam connections. This happens when covering hoods, umbrellas or when finishing parapets. In these cases, it is necessary to make accurate calculations and demonstrate the highest level of skill. Otherwise, the roof will leak.
The folds can be connected to each other, both with the help of seaming devices, and with the help of special latches. In the latter case, the roof covering process does not require the use of additional electromechanical devices.
The main advantages of standing seam roofing over other coatings are as follows:
the smooth and even surface of such a roof provides a quick drain of rainwater
seam layers have a small mass, so the supporting structures are very light
flexibility and plasticity of layers, allow covering roofs of even the most non-standard shapes and sizes
seam layers are non-flammable and non-flammable roofing material
Such a roof has good indicators of wear resistance and, with proper installation, can serve faithfully for more than a dozen years. However, in order for the roof to be reliable and to please its owners, it is necessary to carry out minor repairs every year. It consists in replacing individual sections of the roof. The area of such "patches" usually does not exceed 10 percent of the total coverage. Plus, repairs include repairing cracks, replacing damaged areas and painting the roof. Particular attention should be paid to wall gutters and gutters, which, due to the smallest slope, are most susceptible to corrosion.
Important! Before starting repair work, the roof must be thoroughly cleaned and prepared. The result of the repair will depend on how responsibly you approach this process!
First, the seam roof is cleaned of dirt, dust and rust stains with a stiff brush. Small litter is swept away with a broom or soft brush. After cleaning, rusty spots must be painted over immediately. Also, it is necessary to carefully check the roof for small breaks and cracks. For such work to be more effective, it is necessary that the street is dry and light, and the inspection is carried out by two people. One person checks the integrity of the roof from the attic side. Having found a hole or a crack, he knocks on his partner, who is at that moment on the roof, with the help of a long stick. The second person traces the place where the blow was made using ordinary chalk. Having completely finished the inspection of the roof, thus, you can begin to eliminate all the shortcomings.
When repairing a metal roof, two types of patches are used. By the width of the picture and in between. The former are suitable for those cases where it is necessary to repair flat roof parts, the latter are used for the restoration of ridges or their bevels.
The size of the patch should be slightly larger than the area to be repaired. Allowances must be left for the connections.
The order of applying the patch is as follows: The worn-out place is opened, and a patch is put in its place. Two layers (old and new) are connected with recumbent and standing folds. If the slope is very shallow, then soldering of the seams is also necessary.
To prevent the appearance of corrosion, the patches must be well primed before use. After the repair work is completed, the joints of the patches and the sheets themselves must be treated with weather-resistant compounds and painted over.
If the patches are small and cover holes from 0.3 to 20 cm, then they are made of dense fabric, such as burlap or tarpaulin. Smaller holes are not covered with patches, they are simply treated with hot bitumen, red lead putty or mastic. It must be remembered that the area around the hole is thoroughly cleaned and rust and dirt spots are removed.
Before using a fabric patch, it must be pre-treated. For this, a solution is prepared from red lead (lead or iron) based on drying oil. The patches are kept in this paint for 10-15 minutes.
The burlap must be absolutely dry when dipped into the solution. After impregnation, the patch is wrung out, dried a little and put on the worn out place. The patch is firmly pressed against the hole with your hand or with help. Hard brush. Pay special attention to the edges. Painting work can only be carried out a week after the repair. Moreover, only dry and sunny weather is suitable for this procedure.
Roofing elements such as gutters and overhangs will have to be repaired even more often. The fact is that they are subject to increased stress during ice chipping or snow dropping.
However, do not be upset about the material consumption. Well-preserved roof layers can be reused. The sheets are cleaned, trimmed, coated with linseed oil and painted. They can be used for renovation work on the south side. But they are not suitable for covering valleys and plumb lines.
Also, in order to save the budget, you can repair the old roof with roll materials. And the repair of drain pipes is carried out in part, with the replacement of individual links or funnels.
When replacing individual elements of a pipe or bends, it is necessary to lower the bottom of the pipe barrel by 10 mm, first freeing it from the tightening and stirring. The part to be replaced is removed, and the new one is attached to the upper end in the stirrup. After that, the bottom of the pipe rises and articulates with the new element. If it is necessary to replace the entire pipe as a whole, then installation must start from the bottom.
After the repair of the seam roof is completed, the surface must be painted. This will prevent the roof from collapsing and wearing out quickly. Coloring is carried out with flying brushes, after drying and cleaning the roof. Staining is carried out in 2-3 layers. Competent staining will protect the folded roof from the formation of bubbles and cracks on its surface. The painted surface should be smooth and even and not retain dust and dirt on the surface.
In order for the painting to be of high quality, you should only follow the correct procedure for applying the paint.
First, the roof descent is painted. Work starts from the skate to the slopes.
The paint should be taken on a brush so that it lays down on the surface in an even thin layer. If there are smudges or layers, the paint will dry unevenly and crack quickly.
Thus, seam roofing can be attributed to one of the most optimal coatings. Installation is quick and easy, and the roof remains secure for a long time.
The folded roof is usually not blamed for poor tightness, unaestheticness and complexity of installation work.But despite all the advantages, after years of unprecedented service, a roof made of securely bonded metal sheets can suddenly become vulnerable to rainfall. There is nothing wrong with that, the problem is easily fixable.
It is necessary to find out why the seam roofing began to perform its tasks poorly, together with an assistant. One person should assess the condition of the roof while standing in the attic, while the other should be outside the house. From inside the building, sound signals are given about where exactly the coating has leaked. And from the side of the roofing, they react to knocking, circling the defective area with chalk.
From the side of the attic floor, it is easier to detect damage to the roof, since in the dark you can better see the holes through which light seeps. And it is not always possible to find flaws right on the surface of the roof, especially small ones.
A hole in the roof can only be easily spotted from the outside of the roof if it is large.
If visual inspection did not help to identify what led to problems with the roof, then attention is turned to the type of leak that accompanies any damage to the folded roof. Problems with the roof are conventionally divided into 4 groups: snow, storm, dry and flickering. They appear for specific reasons.
You can determine where the roof needs to be repaired by finding places in it where melt or rain water seeps.
To put the seam roof in order, you may need certain tools:
broom;
metal brush;
roofing scissors;
hammer;
seamer or pliers (for roof seams);
Pliers are used to clamp the fold
Roof repairs made of securely connected metal sheets can be performed in different ways. But these works always begin in the same way - with surface preparation.
To make a seam roof ready for repair, you need to do the following:
Sweep debris off the roof surface.
Scrub the coating first with a hard and then soft metal brush. Especially thoroughly clean areas that are particularly susceptible to rusting.
Treat the surface with an anti-corrosion liquid that creates a protective phosphate film.
Cover minor defects of the metal coating with a sealant - a layer of red lead or mastic up to 3 mm thick. Apply the composition so that it covers not only the defect itself, but also the area around it.
Fill holes up to 10 cm in diameter with a piece of burlap soaked in paint or tow. You can use metal plates installed on bitumen mastic. Dismantle and replace the sheet with even larger holes, since its repair will not guarantee the absence of leaks.
Minor defects are covered with sealant, capturing the area directly next to the damage
After the described operations, they begin to solve larger-scale problems.
It happens that the roofing does not yet look worn out, and the seam seams have parted, letting moisture inside the roofing cake.
Depressurization of the folds is most often a consequence of the use of one-fold technology, which implies the creation of a weak fastening, which becomes unusable literally after a few years.
If you find the split folds, you do not need to undertake a complete dismantling of the roof. It will be possible to correct the situation with a sealant capable of adhering well to metal, being flexible, vibration-resistant, impervious to ultraviolet radiation and adverse weather conditions. The best way to restore the tightness of the folds is mastic with the addition of polyurethane or bitumen.
The folds are sealed as follows:
If the seams were previously sealed with a sealant, then remove the remnants of the product.
The defective area is cleaned of dirt and corrosive stains.
The seam roof is cleaned first with hard brushes and then with soft brushes.
It is more convenient to squeeze the sealant out of a special pistol
Tightening the folds is not a way out.You can not count on the durability of such a seal, since the folds will soon open again due to the expansion of the metal under the influence of heat.
If you want to fix the problem without using a sealant, which is opaque and because of this stands out against the background of the metal, violating the aesthetics of the roof, then it is wiser to solder the folds with copper. Over time, patches or seams will oxidize and their color will become identical to the color of other parts of the roof.
They begin to repair the seam roof with roll materials, seeing that the coating is worn out thoroughly. Most often, roofing material is used for this purpose, since it is cheap and well protects the roof from dampness.
In addition to roofing felt, innovative roll coatings such as risolin are suitable for repairing seam roofs, in the structure of which there is a reinforcing fabric and foil made of copper or aluminum. This material itself adheres to the roof surface, perfectly protects against water, functions well regardless of the air temperature and effectively blocks external noise.
Rizolin can be called a good substitute for roofing material, since it has a more perfect structure
Restoration of a seam roof using a roll covering includes the following steps:
Garbage removal.
Dismantling sheets with cracks and replacing those elements of the crate under them that have rotted.
Assessment of the condition and repair of gutters, valleys, abutments of roofing to vertical structures passing through the attic, and overhangs.
Fixing loose or swollen panels with nails.
Removal of traces of corrosion.
Fastening along standing seams of triangular strips, the height of which corresponds to the size of the roof (in order to cover the seams and simplify the installation of roll material).
Roof treatment with heated bitumen and gluing strips of roll coating to it with an overlap of 8–10 cm. When using self-adhesive materials, it is enough to lay them down and roll them with a roller.
If a material on a self-adhesive base is used, it is fixed by passing it along the rolled strips with a roller.
If it is decided to glue the material not perpendicularly, but parallel to the ridge, then it is recommended to press the folds to the roof with a hammer before installing the roll covering.
A soft covering, laid according to the rules, will look like a folded one and will provide the roofing cake with double protection, because the new material in this case is laid directly on the old roof. And provided that insulating materials were replaced in the roof structure, the new flooring will be made especially durable in relation to the merciless time.
VIDEO
A good sealant for seam roofing can be a self-adhesive tape - butyl rubber, aluminum or polyurethane. It is used as follows:
Parted roof folds are folded.
The joints of the sheets are sealed with tape, which is pressed with a roller and smoothed, moving from the center to the edges.
The tape is glued to the folds using a roller
After sealing, the seams of the seam roof can be painted if the applied tape is opaque or its color does not match the tone of the roof covering. This is unacceptable only in the case of roofing from copper or titanium-zinc sheets.
Repaired seams of seam roofing can be painted to make it look more aesthetically pleasing
Construction firms set their own minimum prices for seam roof repairs. They increase with the complexity of the roof configuration and the increase in labor intensity.
How to fix the faults of the old folded roof with your own hands: sealing leaks and updating the protective coating - recommendations of portal users.
People who have had time to appreciate the advantages of standing seam roofing, even during large-scale repairs, are in no hurry to part with this strong and durable coating.But, unfortunately, during operation, the tightness of the seam seams is often violated, and the appearance of the metal coating inevitably loses its attractiveness.
Today we will talk about how to repair a seam roof and restore its aesthetics.
In the article we will talk about such moments:
The main faults of seam roofing and how to fix them.
How to restore aesthetics and extend the service life of a seam covering.
What compounds are used for the protection and restoration of the galvanized fold.
The main faults of seam roofing, which can be eliminated without resorting to large-scale reconstruction, are:
local leaks arising from a breach of the tightness of individual sections of the roof;
wear of the protective coating and the appearance of foci of corrosion on the surface of the metal roof.
To eliminate such defects, you do not need to dismantle the old roofing, and all repairs can be done by one or two people.
If the wear of the roofing has become serious: widespread corrosion has penetrated deeply into the metal surface and already threatens it with complete destruction, and with an external examination of the roof, deformations of its rafter system are noticeable - only a complete replacement of the roof and a comprehensive repair of its base will help to correct the situation.
We will talk about repairs that do not require large investments.
Imagine that after heavy precipitation, the seam covering of your house began to leak. Moisture most often penetrates through the defects formed during the operation of the roofing, and through the joints of its various elements: cracks in seam seams, divergences of joints between roof slopes and valleys, etc.
The main places of leaks: a pad that does not have a normal (folded) docking with the roof, plus several holes formed after unsuccessfully screwed in self-tapping screws.
The place of the leak, shown in the photo, is not difficult to find, but this is not always the case: even if a spot from leaked moisture appears on the ceiling, this does not mean that the hole has formed exactly above this spot. Perhaps the water simply flows down the elements of the rafter system, and the defect in the roof is located much higher.
If the crack is not visible from the outside (and in the case of standing seam roofing this happens very often), the owner of the house will have to visit the attic to find the exact location of its location. Light entering from the street through a small crevice will reveal the exact location of the defect that has arisen. It is better to carry out such a diagnosis with a partner who can immediately outline the damaged area with chalk while on the outer surface of the roof.
If access to the roofing from below is limited by insulation or a layer of waterproofing, then the place of leakage can be detected by directing a stream of water from a water hose to the roof. At the outlet, the hose should be slightly squeezed to get a kind of "Charcot shower". Water jets hitting the roof under pressure, like a heavy downpour, will help locate the leak. The joints and fasteners, as well as the rest of the roofing area, should be spilled (even if an element looks flawless, this does not mean that it is completely sealed).
After such a procedure, the place of leakage can be detected by the wet layers of insulation and elements of the rafter system.
After diagnostics, you can begin to eliminate the leaks. If the roof is not severely damaged, the problem can be solved with a polyurethane roofing sealant. A soft sealant (with a hardness of 15 Shore A) is placed between the metal surfaces, after which the mating parts of the roof are pulled together with rivets or self-tapping screws.
It is necessary to lay a sealant under the sheet (I advise polyurethane). It should be coated with a strip (about 3 cm wide and 3 ... 4 mm thick).For more reliable "gluing" of sheets, you can use pulling rivets with a diameter of 3 mm and a length of 6 ... 8 mm.
The surfaces to be sealed must first be cleaned of paint and rust, and then degreased with a compound recommended by the sealant manufacturers.
The widest operating temperature range is demonstrated by two-component sealants. These compounds have a relatively high cost, but they are reliable and durable.
If it was not possible to identify the exact place of the leak during the preliminary inspection, the sealant is applied along all the seams where a defect could occur. A mounting gun or spatula will help to place the composition deeper into the cracks formed.
Roofing tape sealant is another proven material that allows you to permanently protect a folded roof from leaks at joints and abutments. You cannot do without it, if the polyurethane composition literally has nothing to catch on to (while it falls under the roof, and does not have time to dry out).
Non-professionals often use this material for sealing roof joints. Moreover, they do it for a good reason, because adhesive roofing tape has a number of advantages:
good adhesion (adhesion of two surfaces) with almost all roofing materials;
sealant tape is operated in a wide temperature range (from –60 ° C to + 80 ° C);
UV resistance;
variety of colors, etc.
If a suitable color is not found, the tape can be painted in the same tone along with the rest of the roof.
Before repairs, the roof surface should be cleaned and degreased. In order for the tape to better adhere to the surface, the metal must be treated with a roofing primer. The rest of the work is carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
If water constantly drips from the roof to the ceiling (even if there has been no precipitation for a whole month), then the cause of the trouble is not at all a leak, but in the formation of condensation. The appearance of condensation can cause insufficient ventilation of the attic (or its complete absence), as well as improper arrangement of the roofing layers.
If the attic space is well ventilated, then condensation on the roof, as a rule, will not form.
In my father's garden house, the sheets in the attic lie right on top of the sheathing. The house is 14 years old, has stove heating. Condensation traces, as well as traces of water leaks were not noticed. The boards look like new (only turned yellow).
Otherwise, a "pie" of insulation and waterproofing material must be organized under the metal roof.
So, if waterproofing and insulation are not included in the roof structure, and condensate has become a permanent problem, the roof needs a large-scale reconstruction. It involves dismantling the roofing and creating a standard roofing pie.
This is a laborious process that we will cover in one of the following articles.
If leaks are not yet poisoning your life, but the roof covering has managed to wear out in order (there are large-scale foci of rust on the surface, and the old protective coating has completely peeled off), special paints and varnishes and compositions for steel processing will help you to restore the metal elements.
Among the abundance of materials designed to protect the old roof from corrosion, it is difficult to choose the most suitable one. Someone prefers liquid rubber or special paint, some use liquid zinc or less popular compounds for restoration. What exactly to apply in this or that case? The answer to this question depends on the specific conditions and on the preferences of the owner. In order for you to have a general understanding of the issue, we will list the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular materials, as well as the features of working with them.
Liquid rubber (LR) should be understood as special bitumen-polymer compositions that have high adhesion to most building materials. According to most manufacturers, a monolithic seamless membrane that forms after applying the presented composition can retain its qualities for the next 20 years. The composition is applied on surfaces with different slopes (even on vertical planes).
Before applying the liquid solution, the surface should be carefully prepared in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements. The preparation of a metal roof is usually carried out in 2 stages:
Cleaning the entire surface with an angle grinder (complete with a metal brush);
Complete removal of debris and dust that remained on the roof after cleaning, followed by degreasing the surface.
The use of liquid rubber is relevant for any surface - concrete, wood, metal. The composition fits perfectly on any clean surface (dry and dust-free).
To achieve the best result, the surface is primed with compositions recommended by the manufacturers of iron ore, and also subjected to anti-corrosion treatment. If the roofing will be done by hand, then for restoration it is better to purchase a one-component composition of the liquid medium.
Two-component liquid lubricant is applied with special equipment (for airless spraying of paintwork materials), and one-component liquid can be applied with a brush or spatula. If you want to make repairs on your own, it is better to use a one-component liquid lubricant.
Currently, liquid rubber is produced in various colors. At the same time, the buyer will always be able to repaint the roofing covered with liquid metal in his preferred color.
The disadvantages of liquid rubber include its high cost.
Roofing paint has many opponents who consider such coatings to be extremely unreliable and short-lived. But since they are invented, then there is a certain sense in their use.
The photo shows a roof that has been painted for 4 years. The paint was applied to galvanized iron, which had already been painted several times.
The key to success when painting a standing seam roof is a thorough surface preparation and adherence to the paint manufacturer's recommendations.
In the photo, we see a seam roof before preparing for painting.
Intermediate processing: cleaning with a metal brush (attachment for angle grinders), removing a thin layer of oxidized paint and exfoliated flakes. Cleaning of places of corrosion is carried out to a layer of pure metal.
Before painting, the surface was degreased with White Spirit. The result is in the photo.
User belmax used a slightly different sequence of surface preparation:
Removing rust with a metal brush.
Anti-corrosion treatment.
Washing the roof with plain water (the author of the technology waited for heavy rainfall, but for this purpose, you can use an ordinary car mini-wash).
The painting was carried out with an anti-rust paint.
The house defended the end of summer, autumn, winter 2012, as well as spring and summer 2013. The result, in principle, suits. If it will stand for 5 years without global damage to the paint, then it turned out exactly what I wanted.
Cold galvanizing is a method of long-term protection of steel surfaces from corrosion, which consists in the use of special paints and varnishes. They are also called "liquid zinc" (LC). Liquid zinc contains pigments based on highly dispersed zinc powder.
Liquid zinc is applied to a previously prepared metal surface in several ways: pneumatic and airless spraying. You can also use traditional painting supplies (brushes and rollers) to apply the composition.
Liquid zinc is also called a corrosion protector, because a coating with a high zinc content is an anode in relation to the steel roofing sheet.This quality of the composition allows the roofing to be provided with additional protection against electrochemical corrosion, making cold galvanizing a rather attractive way to restore metal roofs.
Check: if the beams and lathing are not rotten, then remove the rust with a wire brush and polish the zinc. Then degrease and use cold-galvanized paint.
Low mechanical strength of the coating is the main disadvantage of cold galvanizing (the coating is easy to scratch). Also, the technology for applying lifecycle is distinguished by certain difficulties:
it is better to clean the roofing surface no earlier than 4 hours before the intended painting;
the optimum degree of surface roughness after mechanical preparation should be within 20 ... 40 microns;
the surface temperature when applying liquid zinc should be at least 3 ° C above the dew point temperature, etc.
To determine the dew point, psychrometers are used, the readings of which are compared with special tables.
In accordance with the requirements of the liquid zinc manufacturers, liquid zinc is applied in several layers. More detailed recommendations regarding the conditions for applying liquid zinc and preliminary surface preparation are given by the manufacturers of a particular composition.
We have listed restoration methods that do not require a complete replacement of the roof covering. If a global repair is inevitable, then before starting it, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the technology of installing a seam covering. We will talk about it in one of our next articles. This material will be of interest to those whose roofing needs a comprehensive repair, as well as to those who have decided to lay a folded roof instead of another coating.
You can share your experience and considerations regarding the restoration of standing seam roofs in a special section of our portal. You can read about how to create a cozy attic space under a reliable and insulated roof, while simultaneously expanding the useful living space of your own home, in one of our articles. A short thematic video will tell you how the most complex roofing units should be arranged.
Video (click to play).
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