How to fix small holes in a steel roof?

Question

We bought a house with a barn which has a steel roof. The roof is about 13 years old. The roof has some small leaks, which I am having trouble finding because of sheets of a material installed between the roof and the roof truss. How can I repair these leaks? Do I get some kind of liquid to spread on the roof? Or use a caulk gun?

How can I isolate the leaks without pulling down the materials on the underside ofthe roof?

Answer 1

If your roof is screwed down get up there and check all the screws some may have loosened or pulled out.If any are, tighten or put in longer ones.Also look at the laps and make sure none are riding up out of place.

Answer 2

To isolate leaks you can try a water hose. Start at a little below where you see water coming in, and run water gently, and very, very slowly work your way up. Do it on one panel at a time. This can be a very long process, it can take several minutes for water to work its way thru. There is the possibility that you can make it leak somwhere that it wasn't leaking before, or that you miss the leak completely, because a hose isn't rain. Be careful. Wet metal is slicker than goose s**t.



DO NOT attempt to seal the seams with tar. Get your bucket of tar and throw it as far away down the alley as you can, along with any kind of roll over paint c**p. (Assuming you have a s***w down type roof, as opposed to standing seam.)

5-v crimp roof panels are designed with a channel in the seams to allow whatever water blows in between to run out at the bottom, so putting goop between or on seams usually only damns water up and causes a leak farther up. Anyway, caulk is much easier and cleaner. If you do seal a seam, you have to go all the way to the ridge to keep water out the whole way. Be sure to caulk in between the two panel edges, not just on top.

But before you do all that...get up there and inspect.

Most likely the screws or nails have worked loose. You can re-tighten, and/or seal with some good caulk (silver gutter seam sealer, not plain latex, not silicone, and definitely not NP1, ), and or remove the old screws and replace with slightly larger so that they tighten up.

Other likely leaky spots could be anything coming through the roof, vent pipes etc.

Answer 3

Kool seal goes on with a roller and will not only fix the leaks but keep the barn cooler. It is an absolutely fabulous product.Check out the link:

Answer 4

Well if you know where they are I'd get a small piece of sheet metal, caulk around the rim of the hole, put some jb weld on the sheet metal (not touching the caulk) and press it firmly against the roof to cover the hole. Then take the caulk and run a small beed around the sheet metal to kepp the moisture form getting in between and rusting. Only use a piece of sheet metal big enough to overlap the hole by an inch at the most to keep from having to use alot of caulk.

Answer 5

If you tar the seams take the time to put down a mesh fiberglass tar cloth with it.    I think it helps to stop it from cracking.

I have the same problem and have tons of tar on the roof and its near imposable to figure out where the water gets through it.  Good luck.