Roof Truss Damage And Repairs
Roof trusses are engineered components. When damaged or altered this can effect structural integrity of the roof system. Localized damage to one or two trusses will typically not result in structural failure of the roof system, but could cause the roof or ceiling to sag. In residential construction this can also be a problem when selling a house because home inspectors often find damaged or roof trusses.
Because trusses are engineered components, typical building codes specify that repairs or alterations must be designed by a registered design professional. In most cases that would be a Licensed Professional Engineer with experience in designing repairs or alterations to trusses.
We have designed repairs for many roof trusses. We also have the capability to perform truss repairs. Sometimes it is more cost effective or expedient for BCI to design, perform, and certify the repairs instead of designing the repairs, producing the necessary documentation to provide to a contractor, and then inspect the repairs. It is not uncommon for contractors to overlook necessary requirements. It is also sometimes difficult to correct improperly performed repairs.
Due to changes in wood moisture content or improper handing of trusses metal connector plates sometimes separate from the wood members.
Metal connector plates can sometimes be pressed back when the teeth are still in alignment with the original holes. However, this is often not a simple process.
The Condition Of A Mobile Homes Roof
An important factor that plays into whether it is safe to walk on a mobile homes roof is the roofs condition. This is less likely to be an issue with a newer mobile home but can be a safety hazard with older ones.
If youre unsure, take a look at your roof and ceiling. Any indications that there may be rot underneath the roofing are a good indicator that you shouldnt walk on the roof. Inside, any sagging or leaking may indicate structural issues that can result in injury.
If you test your weight on a truss and it doesnt feel sturdy, dont put your full weight on it. There is always the possibility that a serious issue may not be visually apparent. Stepping onto a truss that is rotting or buckling can bring you crashing through the roof!
Whats The Cost Of Opting For A Roof Over
If you compare to the other option replacing the whole roof the roof over option is the cheapest of the two.
Of course, the overall cost will be determined by your location, the kind of material you choose to use, and whether you need an additional layer of insulation or not among other factors.
Labor costs can vary from place to place as well.
Three often used roof over materials are:
- PTO Rubber
- Metal/Aluminum
- Asphalt
Flat roofs are no longer as popular as they used to be. Thats because of the burdensome maintenance and the recoating process that must be done once in a while. Lack of an overhang and gutter system makes flat roofs exceptionally susceptible to damage from water, debris, and snow accumulation.
Converting the flat roof into a pitched roof by adding a slanting overhang is one of the popular manufactured home improvement projects .
Rubber PTO, and metal roof overs are preferable options for projects involving the conversion of flat roofs.
Also Check: What Is A Roofing Square Equal To
How Much Weight Can A Mobile Homes Roof Hold
In general, a mobile home roof can support a live load of 20 pounds per square foot. A live load is a temporary addition to the weight already supported by the roof. A well-built roof may be able to support up to 30 pounds per square foot.
This weight varies based on the type of roof and the condition of the roof. A pitched roof can hold more weight than a flat roof. The same rule applies to new and old roofs. This is a difficult measurement to calculate, though. Unless you have access to the building codes for your area, its always better to be cautious when walking on the roof.
Shingled Mobile Home Roof Overs
A real shingle roof for mobile homes is absolutely possible for most models. They can have a higher pitch or gables too. Shingle roof overs are also installed right over your existing roof, as long as you have not already had a roof over previously.
The subject of whether its a good idea to add a second layer of shingles is much debated in the roofing industry. Be sure to get an experts opinion on your home before you make a decision. There seems to be a split in opinion on layering the new shingles over the old. Some roofing experts say you can do on manufactured homes that have 2×4 studs 12-16 OC and roof trusses that are 16 OC or less. Others roofing experts have told me they wont do it on any manufactured home.
If youre set on a shingle roof you come in a few different options and styles for roof overs, as well as several different colors and textures.
The main benefit of a shingle roof is the appearance. Shingles can dramatically improve the curb appeal of your property. Installing shingles is typically more costly than a TPO or metal roof but can improve the value a little more so you may recoup the costs.
Its not unusual to see asphalt shingles on a mobile home, particularly on homes with pitched roofs. Because asphalt is frequently used on site-built homes, many people are drawn to their appearance. Asphalt has a class A fire-rating and its available in a wide array of styles and colors.
Also Check: Why Is My Roof Leaking
Modernizing A Mobile Homeroof Truss Question
- Are you passionate about Tractors? Would you like to write about topics that interest you and get paid for it? Read all about it here!
Just keep in mind the extra weight of trusses,sheeting and roofing will be put on the outriggers that extend from the I-beam frame out to support the walls. They’re designed for the load the factory put on them and not much more.
New members with 0 posts, please do not ask me ?’s via p.m. Post on the open board so that all can benefit.1977 Murray Built Sears ST 10 Yard and Garden Tractor1984 Murray 39004 Garden Tractor1999 Murray 46500 Lawn Tractor2007 Husqvarna Built Craftsman YS4500
mla2ofus said:Just keep in mind the extra weight of trusses,sheeting and roofing will be put on the outriggers that extend from the I-beam frame out to support the walls. They’re designed for the load the factory put on them and not much more.Mike
Mike Milburn said:Same thoughts here. I think you might have some structural issues going on also. If you look at athe pics around each opening, and to the right of the door the siding looks as if it’s buckled. Either that or the trailer is settling and needs to be leved up again…..Mike
Types Of Mobile Home Roof Trusses: Bowstring Slope Half Slope And Flat
Before we continue, we need to cover a few basics about mobile home roof overs. First, there are three common types of mobile home roof or truss designs: flat, standard slope, half truss, and bowstring trusses.
Bowstring trusses are a dome shape. Most mobile homes will have bowstring trusses made with 2×2 or 2x3s. Structurally, they cannot withstand a lot of weight.
A flat mobile home roof comes from flat rafters or trusses. Flat or bowstring roof designs were often used in manufactured home construction until the mid-1980s.
A half truss is used on double wides and means what it says, its only half a truss. When a double wide is married together it forms a full truss that slopes down each side.
Standard slope trusses are the pitched roofs we see on modern single wides. They have a high mid-point and slope down each side.
For over 3 decades, pitched roofs have been the most common manufactured home roof design. All of the truss designs are usually placed every 16 or 24 on center.
More expensive manufactured home will have better framing and a shorter distance between the roof trusses.
Related: See Common Questions about Mobile Home Roofs Here
Recommended Reading: How Much Is A New Roof Per Square Foot
Fire Codes Of Your Area
What do your local areas codes say about the kind of materials you add on your roof? The codes may restrict the use of flammable materials on any part of your home. Some areas have codes that stipulate the procedures and conditions for adding materials on every part of the home, from the deck to the roof. Familiarize yourself with local code before embarking on your roof over the project.
How Can I Boost My Cell Phone Signal With A Metal Roof
If you have a metal roof and have noticed problems with your cell service, you may need to consider creative solutions. One way to boost your service is to install a repeater system, or signal booster. It includes an antenna placed outside, a signal amplifier and an inside antenna. A cable connects all of the parts.
Also Check: How To Get Roofing Leads Without Door Knocking
Types Of Mobile Home Roof Materials
Mobile homes can have roofs of many different kinds of materials. For mobile homes built before 1976, this material is almost always aluminum or an asphalt coating. These can be difficult to repair. In addition, aluminum roofs are prone to denting. They are also installed with screws. Both of these can cause water to accumulate on the roof, making leaks more likely.
Pitched roofs, which are more common, can be made out of metal or asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles are easy to replace. However, they are prone to coming out of place when stepped on. This makes walking on them risky.
Is The Mobile Home Roof Worth Fixing
Do you spot fix the repair or completely replace the roof? This is certainly on a case by case basis. Does it make financial sense to spend the money to completely replace the roof or only fix what is needed? These questions can only be answered by knowing the repair costs, time involved, ideal exit strategy, time of the year, your future buyers, the homes location, and more.
Get multiple estimates: Aim to secure quotes from 3 mobile home experienced roofers and 3 mobile home handymen, 6 in total. Know what questions to ask before calling any handyman or roofer. These questions include, but are not limited to: mobile home experience, cost, turn-around time, licenses, permits, references, estimates, outsourcing, contracts, next steps.
Remember that the insulation and ceiling must be fixed as well. Your future buyers typically want a safe, dry, and mold free home to live in.
Pro Tip: Older model mobile homes may have 4×14 ceiling panels that do not exist any longer or are not easy to find. As a quick fix for these older mobile home ceiling panels, you may use 1/4 inch drywall or interior mobile home wall panels flipped over and painted white. Add trim or plastic strips between ceiling panels to finish. These can both be found at nationwide hardware stores near the lumber departments.
Related video: 50 Tips while working with mobile home handymen
Don’t Miss: Does Insurance Cover Storm Damage To Roof
What Is The Best Roof For A Mobile Home
Why TPO Is the Best Option Asphalt is a good insulator but it can leak very easily on a mobile home can lead to leaks too easily on mobile homes. TPO Membrane roof overs are energy efficient in all weather and when it comes to cost, TPO wins out. It is low in cost to install, cheap to repair, and long-lasting.
Building A Self Supporting Mobile Home Roof Over
The following shows the building process of a self-supporting mobile home roof over.
This build was found in a forum for Chevrolet fans, the poster owns a single wide mobile home on Lake Eufaula in eastern Oklahoma with large decks on the front.
Summers were too hot to sit on the decks since there was no shade and if it rained there was nowhere to sit outside. He wanted to cover both decks but did not want to attach them to the mobile home in any way. He used Google SketchUp to develop the plan for the roof over:
Phase 1: Planning the Mobile Home Roof Over
Once the plan was created he ordered $3000 worth of 6x6s and 5×5 posts and began installing the posts around the home and the decks.
Don’t Miss: What’s The Average Cost Of A New Roof
How To Repair A Broken Roof Truss
Although one of the strongest roofing methods to date uses trusses, a broken roof truss can cause great damage to a building and could result in a collapsed roof. This is why regular truss maintenance and repair is pertinent to the health of your roof. Roof trusses are triangular timber frames which are nailed, pegged or bolted together in order to create a supporting structure for your actual roof, and although they are generally bought pre-fabricated you can still easily fix them once they are installed.
Step 1 – Get Ready
The first thing you need to do is to assess the damage. If the roof truss has a small crack you will be using the two wooden boards to patch it up, but if the crack is much more severe you should use the steel plates because they offer much stronger support to the damaged truss. Once you have assessed the damage you will be using either the wooden boards or the steel plates accordingly to envelope the broken truss.
Step 2 – Repair the Damage
Step 3 – Finish Up
Once you have safely secured the supports you should check out their resistance. To do this, you should apply some pressure onto the truss to see if it holds and resists the pressure. This is especially important if the truss was severely damaged. You have now finished the repair job and can get off the ladder and clean any dust which may have fallen on the floor.
Walking On A Mobile Home With A Roof Over
If your mobile home has had a roof over, the additional weight of someone walking on it can be dangerous. This is a factor to consider when deciding if you can walk on your roof. Roof overs can make repairing later damage to the first roof difficult or impossible. They also add a significant amount of weight to the mobile home. This can be an issue for older homes and ones that may not have solid foundations.
Roof overs are often a cheaper alternative to a complete roof replacement. This is why they are sometimes the better option. Adding a pitch can increase drainage and potentially lower heating and cooling costs.
Don’t Miss: How To Install Thatch Roofing
Questions About Mobile Home Roofs: Moisture And Leaks
I bought my home in 2009. In 2013 we noticed when it rains we get moisture at the bottom of our living room, dining room, and master bath walls. The insurance adjuster said that we had flashing issues along the front of the home and said its the manufacturers issue and to call the insurance company. Unfortunately, the insurance company said this type of damage is not covered. Does anyone know how I can have this issue fixed? When it rains a heavy downpour we have moisture. Although not every time, we have had the problem a few times. Please help!
Im sorry you are experiencing this but its absolutely fixable. An experienced roofer can probably find the issue in no time.
Its probably going to be a shingle, gutter, or flashing issue that is allowing the water to travel the path of least resistance down to your floor. It could also be a window issue . I cant help much without seeing the issue.
It absolutely needs to be repaired ASAP. Otherwise, you risk some even greater damage to your home. Its one of those situations where you pay $1000 to fix it today or $5000 or more to fix it next year.
If you dont have gutters on the home you may want to consider installing them after you have this issue repaired as it helps carry water away from the side of the house.
Related: 8 Great Mobile Home Roofing Tips Find and Repair Leaks
Identify The Roofing Material
Metal: Many singlewide and doublewide mobile homes from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are metal roofs.
Rubber/Tar: You will notice some mobile home roofs seems to be made of tar paper or a black rubber membrane coating the surface of the mobile home roof. This is a covering of liquid tar, liquid rubber, or some other material that has been layered over the metal roof for the past few decades. If you remove enough layers youll eventually find the original metal roof.
Shingle: Many newer mobile homes come from the factory with single roofs. These mobile homes can closer resemble traditional site-built homes with their shingles and pitched angle. Be aware it may be wise to only have 2 layers of shingles on a mobile home at once. More than 1 or 2 layers of shingles may cause the roof trusses to fail under the weight. With that said this author has seen a mobile home roof with 5 layers of shingles and still holding strong, this however is obviously not ideal.
TPO: Also known as thermoplastic polyolefin. This is a single-ply reflective roofing product that stretches and fully adheres to the mobile home roof, gutters, and vents.
Roof-Over: This is a general term used to describe an complete new roof installed over an existing mobile home roof. These new roofs can mimic the same slope as the original roof or form extreme slopes based on the owners preferences. See picture below.
Other: Did we miss a mobile home roof type? If so please let us know in the comments below.
You May Like: How To Get Roofing Jobs
