Problems with Old Metal Roof
By Mr. Mohammed Ashfaq, Director BLD Technology, UK.
A roof protects the biggest establishments of your life. Despite its importance, most building owners neglect its maintenance. Unfortunately, improper care leads to expensive repairs that can emotionally and financially burden the owners. Over time, forces of nature and lack of maintenance leads metal roof to degenerate in quality. It’s best to understand the problems that comes along with old metal roof as it will help owners to repair and fix preventing further damage.
- End Lap Joint: Over time, joints are prone to separate. Once separated, it creates an opening that allows water to seep in.
- Missing Sealants: Poor installation causes an endless cycle of damages. If the wrong solution was used during installation, joints cannot survive long and develop leaks quickly.
- Flashing: Flashing details at joints or additions on a roof are complex procedures that require professionals. If the installed rivets are missing or are coming out, there is a risk of the flashing opening further and water leaks.
- Incompatible Materials: Specific materials must be used on metal roofs to ensure durability and sustainability. Mismatched materials will cause problems in the long run.
- Corrosion: Steel metal roofs are not immune to rust and corrosion. Water and water-borne pollutants are often the catalysts of such damages. So, any exposed sheet or water ponding area will start rusting quickly.
- Thermal Movement: Metals expand and contract significantly to changing temperature. Therefore, it’s crucial to design the joints and fastening systems to accommodate this movement. Otherwise, fasteners can loosen and cause leaks.
- Gutter: Gutters are commonly made of steel. And as mentioned earlier, steel has low resistance towards rust. Continuous ponding of water erodes the gutter bed, which can then lead to leaks
- Sheet Sagging: Regular roof access results in sheets sagging. This results in water ponding and damages to roof sheet. A walkway with permanent lifeline can give more life to your roof.
