If you have a metal roof, you may not need to worry about too much damage over the years. However, even though metal is tough, a puncture can happen if something is hurled against the metal panel by strong wind. A puncture in the roof is a serious matter since rain will leak through it. You'll want to call a roofing contractor to patch the roof as soon as possible. Here's a look at how this roofing repair is done.
The Metal Has To Be Cleaned First
Metal roofs can get dirty from blowing dust, pollution, and pollen. All this has to be cleaned off so the patch will stick. Plus, the roofer has to be careful about leaving soapy residue behind or that could interfere with the patch job. Cleaning the patch may not seem like a big deal, but it's an important step in this type of roofing repair.
Cut The Patch To The Right Size
The roofer can cut a metal patch from sheet metal. This allows the roofer to get a custom size. The patch needs to be a little bigger than the hole so there is plenty of space around the hole where the patch can adhere. Once the patch is cut, the roofer can apply the appropriate adhesive to the roof. They'll apply it all around the hole and make a wide border of adhesive.
Apply The Patch
The patch is then pressed into the adhesive. The roofer may put pressure on it so adhesive oozes out all around the patch. As long as the roofer can see adhesive oozing out from all the edges, they know there is enough adhesive to hold the patch tight. Even so, they'll probably apply several screws to the patch to make sure it stays tight against the roof.
Paint The Patch
Since sheet metal is a natural silver color, the repairs will be noticeable on your roof, especially if you have red, green, or other colorful metal for your roof. The roofer fixes this problem by painting the patch to match the roof with paint made for metal. When the roofer is finished, the patch should blend in so the roof repair won't be noticeable from the street.
Patching a hole is an important roofing repair to have done, and it's much more convenient and affordable than tearing off the entire roofing panel just to repair a small hole. Patching a hole in a metal roof panel is much like patching a hole in a rubber roof membrane. The goal is to plug the hole and make sure the patch is secure so it will last a long time.
