Trouble with your mobile home roof can cause big problems. Your dream home can quickly turn into a nightmare when a roof problem strikes. All sorts of damage can quickly occur when water gets into your home because of damaged mobile home roofing. When you see the first signs of any sort of trouble, it is imperative to seek a mobile home roof repair.
Mobile Home Roof
If it is a major fix, or your roof is beyond the point of repair, mobile home roof overs may be just what you need. Today we are going to discuss mobile home roofing with you. We will show you how to assess if your mobile home roof may be rotting and need attention.
Water Damage and Your Mobile Home Roof
Water damage can occur quickly. One must not ignore early warning signs that this is happening. Older mobile home roofs tend to be flat. This tends to predisposes them to leaking issues. Being proactive is your best defense at avoiding costly repairs due to leaking.
This means that you should inspect your mobile home roofing. Be sure to check your roof at least two times annually.
No matter what kind of roof your mobile home has, flat or pitched, shingled, rubber or metal. They all face wear and tear from the elements of mother nature. Heavy or blowing rains can flood gutter systems. It can work up shingles causing damage. Even more challenging for mobile home roofs is snow and ice. Frozen water tends to sit on flatter roofs and can peel up shingles. This can cause material breakdown due to the freeze/thaw cycle.
In addition to the elements, debris can also be an enemy. Debris on your roof can require mobile home roof repair. Debris that is tossed around in storms or even falling branches can cause damage. This can require mobile home roof overs if the damage is too significant.
Take the time to do all you can to eliminate sources of debris around your home. Keep tree branches cut back. Just make sure everything is properly secured in stormy weather. Letting debris get stacked up on your roof (as pictured below) can cause more damage than you might first realize.
Ventilation is important to mobile homes roofs
One area that homeowners often neglect that can cause roofing wear and tear is moisture due to poor ventilation. This is especially prevalent in older mobile home models. They may not have ventilation to allow air circulation and heat to escape.
Recent building codes have been updated for mobile homes. However, if your mobile home is vintage, you will want to assess this area for ventilation.
Finally, roofs can rot prematurely due to poor craftsmanship or installation. This could result in a factory manufacturing defect or from previous mobile home roof overs. This is why it is important to do those bi-annual roof inspections to catch issues early.
Knowing Your Mobile Home Roof
So, now that you know the reasons mobile home roofing may fail, let us look at the physical signs to look for during roof inspections. First you will want to observe any signs of material decay. When shingles reach the end of their useful life, they will become brittle and crack. The tar paper under shingles can also begin to degrade and lift. All those cracks mean one thing…water gets in.
If your mobile home is a coated rubber roof, a similar breakdown to shingles can occur. Rubber is a durable material, but weathering and the ensuing breakdown from scorching hot summer temperatures and sub-zero winter chill causes even this material to eventually stretch and fail. Keeping an eye on the condition your rubber roof is in is vital.
Metal roofs are extremely tough and stand up to temperature and elements for many years, however, rust can eventually begin to cause a metal mobile home roof to fail. Also, metal roofs can be damaged from debris and get holes or gaps if dented. Keep an eye on your metal mobile home roof for these issues.
Water Leaks and Damage
Keeping a keen eye out inside your home for signs of water leakage can sometimes be your first red flag that your mobile home roof is rotting and in early stages of failure. If you begin to notice dark spots or water marking on your ceiling panels or in corners around your roof line, you should go inspect your roof near these areas.
Another sign that water or condensation is getting in somewhere is sudden peeling of paneling, paint or wallpaper.
Water stains on ceilings or around your mobile home skylight are a clear indication that you have a problem with water. Before you run and grab the paint materials you will have to dig into the root of this problems and fix where the water is coming in. If you don’t you will just be fixing a spot that will come back.
Finally, if you ever see daylight coming through an area it should not be entering, investigate, find it, and seal it immediately. If light can enter, so can moisture, and that is a recipe for disaster.
If a leak isn’t super obvious, and you are trying to locate the source, it is important to remember that water follows the path of least resistance. Therefore, a leak may not always be directly above where the water is dripping. It may be several feet over and above it, so look in areas all around the leak to make sure you have pinpointed the correct point of origination.
If you have a area leaking around your skylight it is possible to remove them all together and roof right over the area. It is better to get rid of the problem rather than try to maintain a skylight that keeps leaking.
Water coming through your roof or even laying under your mobile home foundation can cause major problems for your mobile home. Crawl space vapor barrier is another great thing to keep your mobile home dry.
Mobile Home Roof Maintenance
Not all roof damage will require a complete roof replacement. Some will only require a mobile home roof repair. If any shingles are lifted, you may be able to simply replace those shingles, making sure that all nails are hammered in flush and that the paper underneath is intact.
During a roof inspection, you should also ensure that your gutters and spouting is in good working order. If it is clogged, rusted, or falling off, it will need to be replaced. Lack of correct drainage away from your roofing and gutter or spouting failure is a big sign that your roof may be rotting away and need addressed.
One final roof rot concern area is cracked flashing or boots around your ventilation pipes. If you see this kind of wear in these areas, find a quality roofer to inspect and repair these issues ASAP.
If you find that you have green moss on your shingles read our article titled Mold Roof.
Mobile Home Roof Repair
If you decide the job of repairing your mobile home roof is too big be careful who you hire to do the job. Be sure to hire someone that you trust. Check with neighbors or your local building office for a list of possible contractors to fix the job. Be sure to hire someone that is insured. You do not want to hire someone that may slip off the roof and sue you for medical injuries.
When it comes to hiring someone make sure you do not exchange any money until they have started the job and never pay them in full until the job is complete. There are stories after stories of repair people taking funds and not completing the work.
Cost To Fix A Mobile Home Roof
When getting quotes to fix your mobile home roof make sure to check with a few different contractors. By gathering different quotes you can easily put together an average of what it will cost to fix your mobile home roof.
Example:
Joes Roofing has estimated the job at $8000
C & S Roofing has estimated the job at $7200
Browns Roofing has estimated the cost at $7500
Now combine all 3 totals: 8000+7200+7500 = $22,700
Now divide by 3 (3 companies) to get the average repair cost = $7500 roughly.
Another option to figure out your repair cost would be to measure your mobile home.
Once you know the square footage of your mobile home you can call your local hardware store and have them figure out how much the materials would be for the job.
Mobile Home Roof :Conclusion
I hope that this guide provides you with some helpful hints to keep your roof in tip top shape. We also hope that it helps you to decipher if your roof is rotting and in need of repair or replacement. Keep the roof over your head in the best shape you can today, so that you can rest easy tonight.