Economical How-To Guide For Metal Roof Repair

Metal roofs are getting harder and harder to come by as rubber becomes the material of choice for RV manufacturers. With that said though, there's nothing wrong with having a good, sturdy metal roof--but to keep it good and sturdy it helps to know a thing or two about metal roof repair.

A lot of people spend a pretty penny to have their roofs sealed, but really there is no reason you cannot seal your own roof. The correct process to repairing your RV's roof is not difficult, but doing it correctly is very important to preventing a leak.

One thing about metal roofs is the older they get, the more difficult they are to seal. But if you follow the instructions below you'll be able to reseal your roof regardless of age.

And always remember, preventative maintenance on your roof is the key to preventing costly leaks and frequent repair jobs in the future.

Getting Started & Materials

While you cannot remove the old sealer on a rubber roof without risking damage, you certainly can and want to on a metal roof. So first things first, you need to remove all the bad looking parts on the old seal to insure that the new roof sealer can do its job.

Look for and remove any loose, curled, or flakey old sealer from your roof using a hand scraper. The hand scraper is a common tool that you can buy at your local hardware store. There's no need to remove the seal where it is still intact and looking good; you'll just apply the new sealer over these good areas.

You will also need to purchase a can of roof sealer that comes in a quart or gallon sized can, along with a two inch wide brush to apply it with. These cans can also be found at an RV parts store and are very affordable. It is recommended that you talk to your RV service center for the proper specific materials to purchase.

On To The Repair!

Once you have all the proper materials and your old sealer is scraped off, you can now start your metal roof repair.

The metal roof will be very hot in the sun so if you can find shade or a cloudy day it will make the process much easier (no burns are definitely a good thing!).

If you can't get your RV out of the sun you can use a towel or piece of cardboard to protect yourself from the hot roof as you move around on your knees, but it makes the process a little more difficult.

You will need to thoroughly clean all areas you intend to apply the sealer to insure the best possible bond. You can start to do this by sweeping the seams down with household broom, but before you seal anything you will need to further clean the seal using a rag with a mild detergent and water.

To apply the sealer dip the brush in the can and brush it onto the damaged area. You need to make sure that the sealer covers the entire area or you will be wasting your time. You should put down a strip of sealer a half inch to an inch wide, or possibly wider if necessary.

You should make it wider and pay more attention to areas that have screws because these are the areas most likely to cause leaks (even after your metal roof repair if not done properly).

Continue this process over all areas that look questionable to you and you should prevent leaks, if it wasn't already too late. The sealant will dry completely in a day or so and provide a strong bond that will most likely last 5-10 years. There is no guarantee that it will last a full 5 years or more, but from my experience 5-10 years is normal.

Remember to continue to maintenance your metal roof by continuously checking for cracks in the seal. It is also much easier to reseal the entire roof every 5-10 years than to continue to repair every problem area as they appear. This will help you avoid missing a small crack that could lead to a large leak after one hard rain.

Congratulations! Your RV metal roof repair is finished, and you didn't even have to spend much to do it!

---

Enjoy this page? Please help us pay it forward to others who would find it valuable by Liking, Sharing, Tweeting, Stumbling, and/or Voting below.

Have a question about this topic?

Have a question about your RV? Chat with an expert one-on-one now.*

*Chat provided by JustAnswer.com, a third party not affiliated with MSRVR