Quality mobile home roof repairs are vital to prevent water from causing expensive damage. Water leaking through a mobile home roof isn’t just an annoying occurrence. Failing to repair leaks in a mobile home roof can lead to even costlier repairs like fixing mold growth or replacing the entire roofing system.
Mobile home roof repairs in Florida are relatively common due to the unique climate. Roofs of mobile homes in the Sunshine State are subject to year-round sunlight and high humidity. As a result, factors like moisture and UV radiation can damage waterproof seals and components. In addition, roof repairs on mobile homes are often necessary after high winds, tropical storms, or torrential rain.
Suppose you hear the constant drip, drip, drip of water leaking. Or, you step in puddles on the floor or notice water stains in the ceiling. In that case, it’s time to seriously consider arranging for quality mobile home roof repairs in Tampa.
Types of Roofs on Mobile Homes
Typically, mobile homes roofs have two basic shapes and use various roofing materials to protect the units from harsh climatic elements. Usually, materials used to construct mobile home roofs include sheet metal aluminum, rubber, and asphalt.
Flat Roof
Many older manufactured homes and mobile homes have flat roofs. This type of roof is prone to leaking because there are no slopes for water to run off the top. These roofs are generally made from sheet metal or use an asphalt coating.
Pitched roof
Newer mobile homes have a gabled or pitched roof. These sloped roofs resemble traditional house roofs and use metal roofing panels or asphalt shingles to weatherproof the mobile home. Usually, the pitch is relatively shallow, but it’s effective and doesn’t leak as much.
The Challenge of Mobile Home Roof Repairs
Any mobile home owner knows that fixing a leaky roof can be challenging.
First, accessing a mobile home roof to repair it isn’t easy. The roof isn’t designed to be walked on, and walking on it can result in damage, leading to even more leaks.
Second, leaks can come from all different directions. You might think the leak is coming from one place, and when you fix it, the leak moves to another spot.
4 Types of Mobile Home Roof Repairs
1. Repair and seal
Standard and cost-effective mobile home roofing maintenance requires resealing the roof every few years. To do this, it’s necessary to prepare the surface by removing seals and cleaning them with steel wool. Then you should use an appropriate polyurethane or neoprene flashing sealant to reseal the seams.
After the sealant has cured, you should recoat the area to prevent any leaks.
2. Asphalt-based mobile home roof repairs
If you have noticed water leaking in the mobile home, you must repair the leak as soon as possible. Using an asphalt sealant to repair a mobile home roof is common because it’s cheap, and the material sticks to any surface.
An asphalt-based coating can come in a caulking tube for minor repairs or large containers for more extensive repairs. Usually, it’s necessary to use a putty blade or trowel to fix the roof leak.
3. Use roof repair tape
An easy way to repair a mobile home roof is to use a specially designed peel and stick tape. This typically has a sticky asphalt or tar backing that forms a weatherproof seal. The upper side is usually aluminum foil to reflect the sun’s rays and prevent damage to the seal.
4. Elastomeric coatings for a mobile home roof fix
Another way of repairing a mobile home roof is to coat the seams with an elastic or elastomeric coating. This reliable roof repair material is easy to brush on and will cure to form a hard yet pliable covering. Usually, this type of roof repair fix is long-lasting but requires some expertise to apply.
Permanent Solutions for a Mobile Home Roof Repair
In some cases, it makes sense to call professional mobile home roof repair experts.
Suppose your mobile home roof starts to leak regularly. In that case, usually best to roof over the unit. This roofing solution involves applying a new roofing layer over the existing roof. Using this method creates a seamless covering and a leak-free roof. However, it typically requires completely removing the existing surface and replacing it with a new one.
Here are three common options to roof over a mobile home roof.
Seamless rubber roof: A DIY option
A DIY solution to repair a leaky mobile home roof is to apply a rubber coating. This involves fixing all the seams and vent flashings first with a neoprene product. Then you have to use a thick liquid rubber coating over the roof’s surface. This way, you can extend the life of your roof by several years.
Membrane roof: Installed by professionals
Replacing the roof coating with a PVC, thermoplastic polyolefin, or rubber membrane is a permanent roof repair that professionals use. This is usually longer lasting than a DIY solution because a roofing specialist uses their knowledge and experience to perform quality roof repairs.
Here are three types of membrane roof repairs:
- PVC — PVC roofs are made by bonding thin sheets of PVC together and installing them over the existing roof. This mobile home roof repair method is very durable and cost-effective.
- Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) — EPDM rubber roofing sheets are installed over the roof. An adhesive is used to seal along the seams and around vents. This type of roof repair is typically the best option for flat roofs.
- Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) — An ideal type of mobile home roof repair in Florida is to install a cool roof. A specially designed TPO reflective mat is installed directly on the existing roofing surface. The white membrane helps to reflect the heat off the roof and makes the home more energy-efficient.
Corrugated metal roof
Corrugated roofing is one of the most permanent mobile home roof repairs. This involves installing sheets of corrugated metal over the old roof. Usually, it’s necessary to fix wooden battens to the existing roof and then fitting the metal sheets. After that, vents are sealed with an appropriate sealant.
Do you need to fix a leaky mobile home roof? If so, call us at 813-373-9088. Or Click Here to fill out our online form.
