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Leaking Metal Roof

T

Tim in New York

Member
Discovered the 20 yr old roof on my wood/tractor shed has a leak. It appears to be near the joint in the ridge cap which is also near a seam of two sheets of tin. I have no idea what to do. Was thinking of opening the seams in that area and running caulk underneath and then re screwing the seams shut. But I would sure appreciate input from someone who may have had this problem before.

Thanks,
Tim
 
More than likely the leak is coming from one of the fasteners. If it's the kind with rubber seal washers the rubber rots in 20 years. No telling how many of those I've taken out and replaced with longer screws. If it is really at the seams remove the fasteners if you can and lift the sheet enough to put new tacky tape under it. If that isn't an option then try to get some gutter and flashing caulk under it.
 


Unless it is the "standing seam" type which is good for a hundred years, twenty years is pretty much all they are good for. As Stephen posted the O-rings under the screw heads go bad, and the screw holes get elongated by the daily expansion and contraction from the solar heat. You could probably get a few more years out of it by caulking but you need to do every screw. It is not likely to be where they overlap.
 
I agree more with wind blowing under the ridge cap, carrying water up and under. Especially if it doesn't always leak.

Bad screw gaskets typically cause leaks midway down and closer to the bottom where there is more volume of water sheeting over them. Up top it's basically what happens to fall directly on the defective screw.

A close inspection of the inside during a rain would help locate the leak.
 
Thanks for the ideas. I did install the gaskets under the ridge cap. I will have to get up there and look things over this weekend. I never seem to think to go out there while it is raining and look from the inside - just notice the wet floor afterwards.

Tim
 
When you get up on the roof, take a can of plastic roof cement and a putty knife with you. It is good stuff.
 
I have a tin roof on my barn that leaked. What I found was one of the screws that had a plastic/rubber seal was broken....seal missing. I just sealed it with some caulking.
 
I had a roof vent on a hose that leaked if a strong wind was out of the east and it was raining. I caulked everything. I put a tote under the vent to collect the little water that was dripping. Couldn't stop the vent leak..
 
There is a product called through the roof that can be bought in a container and applied with a brush or putty knife, or in a caulking tube. This stuff is great and is CLEAR so you don't even see it when applied.
 
I just pull the screw put a small piece of steel from roofing with a bit of silicone under it and a new screw all will be fine. We have steel roofs with some of them over 50 years with no leaks in them. We put the screws on the top of the rib or hump if corrugated never in the bottom or on the flat.
 
Another thought, if your roof accumulates leaves they can cause the roof to leak. The leaves dam up the channel allowing water to get to the seams and if the seam isn't perfect will cause a leak.
 
Turn the lights on at night and get on the roof. The hole often becomes quite obvious with the light shining through it. I dont use clear caulk , because it is harder to tell what you have already patched.
 
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