So you have an aging metal roof on your building and it’s developed some persistent leaks. You know sooner rather than later it will need to be repaired but where do you start? What are your options and most importantly, do they fit into your budget?
Let me introduce you to three strategies that could help you cut cost without cutting corners on your next metal roof repair project.
Sometimes the best place to start is to begin with what NOT to do especially if you are looking to cut or control cost.
Tearing off the old metal roof and insulation only to replace it with new insulation and new metal roof will not only be the most expensive route you could take but it will also be the most messy and disruptive approach to your metal roof repair. More than likely it will shut down entire sections of your facility and expose the machines, inventory, personal or your customers to the elements and possibly falling debris. If you didn’t enjoy the idea of your business going through a messy shut down and just thought to yourself “There must be a better way than that” you would be correct. Let’s take a closer look at three possible solutions to your metal roof repair dilemma.
- A PVC Membrane Metal Roof Recovery system
- A Metal over Metal Recover System
- Targeted use of Sealants and metal roof coatings
PVC Metal Roof Recovery System
A proven, cost effective method to eliminate metal roof leaks and keep a building dry for up to 20 years, recovering your existing metal roof with a PVC membrane might just be the answer for your facility. Not only can this metal roof repair option be installed over top of your existing roof which saves the mess and expense of a tear off, it goes down quickly and cleanly without harmful chemicals, open flames or loud equipment. Metal roofs that have many stack flashing and HVAC curb that currently leak will be especially glad to know about the customer sized flashings that compliment the metal roof recover keeping water of your building even around the toughest roof penetrations. Finally, no other metal roof repair option on the market matches the PVC metal roof recover’s value. The metal roof recover offers an affordable, long term solution to roof leaks at a fraction of the cost of removing and replacing the old metal roof.
Metal Over Metal Recovery system
Next on the list of cost saving Metal roof repair options is a Metal over metal overlay. The idea is similar to the PVC metal roof recover but instead of using a white membrane to cover over the existing metal roofing it uses new metal roofing panels to cover the existing metal. In both cases large savings happen because no tear off is required and the building is only minimally exposed to the elements if any so the roofing contractor liability is greatly reduced.
New metal roofing can be used to recover existing metal in three basic ways:
1) certain metal roofing profiles can be laid directly on top of existing metal and screwed down,
2) High clips can be used to install new standing seam metal over the existing roof,
3) Roof huggers can be used to support new metal roofing panel which are usually standing seam style and have no exposed screws. The variety of metal over metal recover applications ensure that a “good fit “ can be found for just about every type of existing metal roof panel out there.
Targeted use of sealants and Metal Roof Sealants
Often times budget constraints and persistent metal roof leaks meet head on in an all out battle with either a facility manger or building owner caught in the middle. Damaging leaks will cost more in the long run if not repaired but the budget just isn't there to do either a PVC or Metal over metal recovery. Try a targeted approached using metal roof sealants and or metal roof coatings to get control of the leaks especially the “high priority" leaks. Slowing or stopping the worst of you leaks will give you some breathing room and prep time so you can prepare for the larger up coming metal roof repair. It will also give you a chance to do smaller repairs with a roofing company giving you a chance to build a working relationship with them before you award them a large metal roof repair project. One more benefit of starting the repair process by doing isolated and targeted repairs on your metal roof is that many times these repair cost can be paid for out of the maintenance budget where as larger metal roof repair project can be paid for out of the general fund. Doing targeted repair now many not necessarily postpone the larger more expensive repair if you can pull from different funds but stopping the leaks now may save you big in the future.
