Like most parts of a mobile home, either a single wide or a double wide, the roof will not last forever. Weather and time take their toll on the roof and numerous resealing and repairs are necessary to keep the home from leaking and even prevent the roof from caving in. Experts recommend several ways to repair the various types of mobile home roofs. Does this Spark an idea?
Roof Materials
The design of mobile homes has changed over the years and so has the design and materials used on their roofs. They were once made of sheets of aluminum or metal, laid nearly flat with only a slight grade to run off the water. The pieces of metal were fused together at the seams. Now both singlewide and doublewide homes are designed like traditional ranch style homes, having more angled roofs that are often covered in shingles and top quality metal roofing.
Causes for Repairs
The most common cause of roof problems is the weather. The roof materials heat up during the day and cool down at night, causing warping. Wind also causes roof materials to flex and break loose. The smallest holes in the surface of the roof allow water to leak into the home and if the water freezes and then becomes backed up and expands, larger holes develop allowing more water to enter. Leaking roofs create ceiling stains and allow mold and mildew to grow in the home.
Seam Seals
A common quick fix for roof leaks is a sealant product such as Peel & Seal or paint-on roof sealant available at hardware stores. Match the sealant with the roofing type of your mobile home and paint onto the seams or cracks in the roof. This will prevent leaking for a while, but does not repair deeper damage inside the roofing materials and in your mobile home's attic.
Roof Sealants
Entire roof sealants will also work to prevent roof leaks for a while. Asphalt-based products can be applied to an entire roof and will work their way into cracks and expand to fill cracks and seams. Entire roof sealant products work temporarily but will eventually require additionally applications or other roof repair methods.
Major Repairs
Eventually mobile home roofs will either need to be replaced or have a new roof built over it. Placing a new roof over an existing roof is an easy task that will change the appearance of the home and prevent roof leaks for a much longer time than other roof sealing methods.
Tags: mobile home, prevent roof, roof leaks, your mobile home, Entire roof
