Do Roofers Offer Remote Or Virtual Services
To find out the degree to which a roofing service can operate remotely, its best to contact local roofers and roofing repair specialists near you.
See if they will schedule a video call so that you can show them the project and get an idea of the cost. This will also allow them to give you recommendations on the type of roofing material, and the best time of year to do the project. You might also be able to book a roof installation or repair service far out in advance.
What Should I Look For
When you are inspecting your mobile home roof, it is important to look for any potential damage or areas of weakness. Check for any signs of wear or tear around roof protrusions, such as vents, exhausts, and air conditioners. Be sure to check for any missing or damaged shingles, and look for areas of discoloration or rot.
Check the flashing around the chimney, skylights, and other roof penetrations for any signs of corrosion or rust. Look for any leaks around the roofline, such as in the corners or where two planes of the roof meet. If you notice any of these signs, take immediate action to repair the damage, as any ignored damage could lead to further damage if left untreated.
How To Find A Roof Leak
Learning how to find a roof leak is easy but accomplishing the task can be frustrating. And fixing a leaky roof can be less time-consuming than locating where the water is coming in.
Water frequently enters the house near things that go through the roof. Projections or penetrations such as vents, dormers and chimneys are frequent places for leaks. Locating the exact source can be tricky because visible signs of a leak on the inside might be several feet away from either to the left, right or below the actual source.
To find the source of a roof leak:
- Look in the attic with a flashlight for evidence like water stains, trhen trace them up the roof and rafters to the entry point.
- If the leak isnt obvious, have a helper watch in the attic while you get on the roof with a garden hose.
- Begin soaking low on the roof, just above where the leak is visible inside the house.
- Use enough water to mimic heavy rains.
- Run water over the low side of the penetration for several minutes while the helper watches for any water droplets.
- If none appear, move to the right or left side of the penetration and let the water run over the area for several minutes before moving to the other side.
- Work your way up the roof, isolating areas around each penetration until the helper yells that a drip is visible.
- That will be the vicinity of the leak.
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Are There Ways To Be Safe If I Hire A Roofer When Social Distancing
If you decide to hire a roofer, choose virtual platforms like video chats instead of face-to-face consultations. When the roofer is working on your roof, avoid any physical contact, sanitize all involved spaces and surfaces, and use digital payments instead of cash or a check.
You never pay to use Thumbtack: Get cost estimates, contact pros, and even book the joball for no cost.
How To Apply A Mobile Home Roof Coating
Different materials for your mobile home roof may have different features. You will have to choose by looking at its application method, maintenance requirements, and the area your mobile home is in.
You should know the ins and outs of applying roof coating materials. This might save you a few bucks for the installation. Even if you get some help with the project, it helps to know just what to expect. Let us now have a look at how to apply different kinds of roof coating to your mobile home:
For most manufacturers, this type of coating will fully form around 24 hours after application. This will get you a cost-effective, heat-diverting, and durable roof coating.
When you purchase this coating, make sure to mention that it is for a mobile home. The coating for regular house roofs is different.
Silicone provides insulation, which is best for colder climates. Its smooth surface will also reflect sunlight, so it is suitable for the warmer weather as well. In a nutshell, it wont crack in the cold nor melt in the heat.
Silicone coating requires no specific surface preparation like metal primers. It will fill up the cracks and dents, therefore you can just start by following the instructions from the manufacturer.
This kind of coating will usually apply in a similar way to repair paint. You will have to give the roof a few layers so that the coating remains durable and effective.
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What Do I Do With My Pitched Or Peaked Roof
Ok, weve covered the lions share of mobile home roof repair in talking about flat or bowed roofs, which are more prevalent on older homes.
So what if you have a pitched roof? This is where some different materials come in, and, in many cases, will be the point where a homeowner might call a contractor to perform the work.
Synthetic membranes can be applied to a pitched roof, and perform very well. But, the look is less than pleasing for most. On a flat or slightly bowed mobile home roof, most of the time theres no vantage point to see the rooftop or consider how good or bad it looks. With pitched and peaked roofs, theyre always looking back at you, so many homeowners prefer more traditional roof materials with added aesthetic appeal.
How Difficult Are These Repairs To Do
This type of roof repair can be quite inexpensive compared to getting a contractor to do the repairs. The kits, depending on what size you need, can cost at the most 3 thousand dollars but you wont have to pay any of the labor costs that you would run into with a contractor.
First, you will need an extension ladder to get up on the roof. The roof must be swept completely clean first in order to find the leaks. Once you see where the leaks are, take the repair cement and fill these cracks and holes. This acts as a paste to fill the damaged spots. But if the cracks are very large then fiberglass filler is called for. This not only fills the damaged areas but reinforces it as well. Allow at least one day for this material to dry.
Next, you will need to apply some sort of roof coating. There are many types of this coating but the one that works best is white elastomeric coating. This will help to insulate your roof and will cool off the inside of the mobile home as well.
Allow a couple of days for the coating to dry. Always pick a time to do these repairs when there is no inclement weather in the forecast. You dont want it to start raining before you get everything done. If you dont get these repairs done as quickly as possible, it can ruin the entire interior of the mobile home. Mildew and mold will start to form and that causes dangerous health problems. These fungi can destroy curtains, furniture, carpeting, and clothing.
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How To Find A Roof Repair Specialist
Finding the perfect roof repair specialist can be a difficult process. Most people quickly consider asking a local realtor for recommendations. While realtors can often be resourceful, they are sometimes the worst when you want the best contractor. This is because they establish working relationships with the contractors who will charge them the lowest price for repairs.
And if you have done enough repairs you would know that the cheapest contractor is not always the best. In fact, it is often the other way around. You would also be better off staying away from handymen. These jacks of all trades often do shoddy work when it comes to mobile home roof repair. If your interest is in finding the best contractor at an affordable rate, consider doing the following:
Beyond Mobile Home Roof Repair
If the damage to the roof is unsalvageable, then you may have to install a new roof. While there are many roofing options for mobile homes, the following are three common roof replacement options:
- Corrugated metal roofs are easy to install and affordable. Additionally, they are durable and resistant to many harsh weather conditions.
- A seamless rubber roof is made of a single piece of rubber membrane and has no seams. Its the ideal roof for anyone who loves Do It Yourself projects.
- A seamed rubber roof requires a professional to install and can be challenging for a person with only basic roofing installation experience. However, this roof has a thicker membrane than other types which adds durability and more protection.
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Types Of Mobile Home Roof Materials
When it comes to mobile home roofing, there are several mobile home roofing options that have emerged as viable options.
Asphalt Shingles You may be surprised to learn that while asphalt shingles are arguably the most popular type of roofing material for single-family homes, theyre often not the best option for mobile homes. Thats because, in order to help form a quality roof, some two or three layers of shingles need to be laid. This can create a lot of excess weight, which isnt typically a problem for a traditional home with a basement or slab foundation. However, when it comes to mobile homes, the extra weight can be very damaging. Hence, its recommended that mobile homes with asphalt shingle roofs only consist of one layer of shingles. This, in turn, can become problematic as asphalt shingle mobile home roofs are more prone to leaking. The good news about asphalt shingles is that theyre among the most affordable of all roofing options and come in a wide range of colors and styles. A great video here on how the replacement process looks.
The Common Causes Of Rv Roof Leaks
Inorder to better deal with RV roof leaks, you need to be able to identify thecommon culprits of mobile home RV roof leaks.
Rainand snow are two of the primary reasons that roofs begin to leak. Mobile homeroofs are typically flat, so the snow is especially an issue because it justsits atop the roof and melts. Melted snow can begin to seep through the roof,especially if the roof is damaged.
Debrisand low-hanging tree branches commonly create rips, holes, or loosened seals inyour mobile homes roof, which then allows rain and snow to leak through.Keeping the trees trimmed around your home can help a lot with reducing roofleak issues caused by branches. However, flying debris cant really be avoided.
Ifyour roof is ever hit by flying debris, immediately inspect it to identify anydamage that needs repairing.
Also,many older RVs and mobile homes start to present moisture issues caused bycondensation or improper ventilation. If you own an older mobile home, itsbest to get an expert to check the ventilation of the home and to heed theiradvice.
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Signs That You Need To Repair Your Door
Its fairly easy to tell if your door needs some love. If it doesnt fit into the door jamb like it used to, then something has probably shifted. Often this means the hinges are not holding the door at the proper angle anymore. It may be a simple matter of tightening hinge screws that have started to pull away from the wall or the door itself. Alternately, you may need to replace your hinges.
If you adjust and/or replace your hinges, and the door still doesnt fit, you may have a more serious problem with your wall shifting. In that case, no amount of door repair is going to help.
If your knob is getting stuck, or if youre having trouble unlocking and locking your door, try lubricating it first. Usually, a squirt of WD-40 is enough to bring an old lock back to life. If you try that and still encounter problems, it may be time to replace the knob and lock assembly.
Take a look at your weather stripping, too. This gets so much wear, its often the first thing to go on a mobile home door. Luckily, its easy to replace.
The Cost Of A Mobile Home Roof Repair
Instead of having to strategically place buckets to collect the leaking water from your roof, you can solve the problem once and for all. Most leaks can be solved at a relatively low cost compared to having to replace the entire roof once it comes down after years of neglect. Here are some common roof leaks and how you can solve them yourself:
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Is It Worth It To Hire A Roofer
There are several reasons why its worth it to hire a professional roofer instead of attempting it yourself. The first is safety. Roofing is inherently dangerous, as a fall from a roof could seriously injure or kill you. Roofers have specialized equipment and training to help prevent accidents.
Next is experience. Roofers know how to spot problems in your roof that could potentially save you from costly repairs down the road.
And finally, roofers save you time by getting the job done quickly and with a high degree of quality.
Dark Spots Or Water Spots On Your Mobile Homes Exterior Walls
These spots indicate loose, damaged or rusted flashing. You should plan an intervention if these spots get darker after it rains since missing or rusted flashing often lead to leaking roofs. When the flashing around vent pipes and skylights becomes rusted, it is only a matter of time before the rusted areas start sipping in water.
Sometimes, the metal can be blown away or loosened by strong winds, giving rain water a way into your home. Flashing can be difficult to replace given that the replacement must be a perfect fit if you are to avoid a leak in the future. Do not hesitate to call a roofing specialist if you are not confident in your ability to do a proper flashing replacement.
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How To Find Leaks On Mobile Home Roofing
If you do have one of the signs above, or already have buckets catching water, you will need to find and repair leaks on mobile home roofs.
Finding the leak is usually the most difficult part of any type of roof.
Since shingled roofs are most common on modern manufactured homes and flat roofs are most common on older mobile homes, well divide the two types of roofs for both finding and repairing leaks.
Related: Investigate That Drip! A Homeowners Guide to Finding Roof Leaks
What Is A Mobile Home Roof Over
A roof over is the process of adding a new roof or layer of roofing material over your existing roof system. This can be anything from a vapor barrier spread evenly across an existing roof to the independent carpentry of a new roof.
So what is the right solution for you? Chances are, a variety of roof overs will meet your needs.
This is particularly true if youre looking for something thats easy to install, cost-efficient and will provide the protection you want.
Bill Burnside is the general manager for RoofWrap, a Seattle-based company that markets a product of the same name nationwide.
RoofWrap is a EPDM rubber that comes off a roll that is wide enough to cover an entire single-section home. Its like inner-tube rubber in a vehicle tire, but thicker. And it stretches to several inches beyond the roofline, where it can be anchored with an included hardware kit.
EPDM has been around since the mid-60s and is widely used in low slope roofing all around the United States, Burnside said. Its easy to install for homeowners with maybe some friends or family lending a hand. We keep the manufacturing costs low and provide as much support as possible for people to be able to do the work themselves.
With a single section, there is little prep work beyond clearing debris.
RoofWrap comes in black and white. Often the white surface is preferred because it reflects sunlight. This keeps away heat that otherwise would strain an AC.
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Getting Rid Of Old Sealant
In order to apply better seals, you need to remove the old sealant first. A lot of people skip this crucial step. But depending on how much compound is on the roof, it might take a while to remove them. Most leaks happen around the plumbing vents and chimney fittings. So, pay special attention to them.
You can use a neoprene caulking compound to seal the vents. Repair any small holes before applying the seal. Before applying sealant, add a bead of neoprene to the seams. This will preserve the longevity of your roof.
How Do I Make The Repairs
Making repairs to a mobile home roof is a task that should not be taken lightly. To begin your repair project, you need to thoroughly inspect the roof for any signs of damage. Common areas to inspect include the shingles, flashing, and vent pipes.
If any damage is found, it should be addressed immediately. To repair the roof, you will need to gather the necessary materials, such as nails, screws, shingles, and sealant.
Once you have the materials, you should follow the manufacturers instructions or contact a professional to help you with the repair. To ensure the repair is done correctly, you should use caution and wear protective glasses, gloves, and clothing. It is important to take the time to make sure the repair is done properly, as it will help ensure your roof is good as new.
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