Metal roofing isn’t only found in the mountains of Appalachia. Many people throughout the South and West love having metal roofs. They last a very long time–up to 100 years– and the sound of rain on a metal roof is wonderfully soothing. Although metal roofs can last a long time, replacing them can be prohibitively expensive. What if you find a hole in your metal roof? Here are some ways you can repair a hole in your metal roof.

How Do Metal Roofs Get a Hole?

Even though metal roofs are very strong, they are not indestructible. If you have a leak in your metal roof, there are several reasons why that happens. Most often, holes in metal roofs occur because of improperly installed nails or dents from storms that rust over time to create holes.

Before You Begin a Repair

It is important to check your metal roof thoroughly before you begin any repair. You may find other small holes, mold or mildew growth, or other problems with your roof. You can get up on your roof to visually inspect it, or you can hire a roofing contractor to check your roof for you. Today’s roofing companies use drones and other equipment to make roof inspections easier and safer, so you don’t have to climb on top of your house.

Repairing a Hole in Your Metal Roof

First, you need to understand that repairing a metal roof is much more difficult than repairing an asphalt roof. The biggest problem with repairing a hole in your metal roof is that you need to take into consideration that roofing metal expands and contracts with the temperatures in the air. Unless you know what you are doing, repairing a metal roof may best be left to an expert roofing contractor because an incorrect repair may damage your roof further and cause your roof to leak.

Steps to a Roof Repair

First, you will want to clean your roof thoroughly because any roof repair you make will not stay long on a dirty, corroded, or rusty roof. If you are patching a hole on your roof that is due to rust, you will need to sand the rust off before cleaning the roof. Be sure that any growth–such as algae–on your roof has been cleaned off as well. After the area of your roof you need to repair has been cleaned, you’ll need to be sure it is completely dry before beginning your repair.

Next, you need to scuff or lightly sand the area you need to repair. You need to scuff or sand the area so that the products you will use to repair the patch will adhere well. Metal roofs may be extremely smooth, and without scuffing, there’s a chance your repair will not last.

Your next step will be to cut a piece of metal for a patch to repair your roof. Be sure not to cut the patch too small. A good rule of thumb is to cut a patch two inches larger than you need for the patch job. You want to make sure that the edges of the patch are rounded so that it won’t catch debris.

Apply the patch to the hole with a sealant. You will want to select a sealant that is strictly for metal roofs. Press the patch to the hole firmly so that sealant leaks out from behind the patch. After the patch has completely dried, you will want to use sheet metal screws to make sure the patch won’t go anywhere.

I Don’t Want to Patch My Roof. What Should I Do?

If you don’t want to try and repair your roof yourself, there are roofing contractors you can call. Be sure that any roofing contractor you contact has a lot of metal roofing experience because not all roofing contractors have experience with metal roofs.

Not sure who to call? Ask around. Ask your friends and neighbors, as well as your family members who have metal roofs, for the name of a good roofing contractor. That way, you can research the contractor on review sites. Once you have a good contractor in mind, let them come out and inspect your roof to make sure there isn’t more than one area of your roof that needs repairing. When you’re not sure who to call, let us help. Roof Fix has been in business in the San Antonio area for years, and we have metal roofing experts that can diagnose and fix any roofing problem you have. Why not reach out to us today?