A majority of Australian home owners have put a metal roof on their houses because they want to build a roof that can last long while providing maximum protection from harsh weather elements. Despite their impressive reputation on the construction market, metal roofs are not entirely indestructible. As with any other type of roofing, metal roofing is also vulnerable to a number of problems.
Here are a few issues you may encounter with your metal roof and what can be done to prevent them:
Stress wrinkling
Also known as metal roof oil canning, stress wrinkling is a perceived wavy appearance in the flat areas of any metal roof panel. It is particularly common with flat sheet metal surfaces. Stress wrinkling can occur while at the mill, during fabrication and/or during metal roof installation.
Most of the times when oil canning occurs on metal roofs, it's usually due to the roof installer using standing seam panels that do not meet the required thickness. This is likely to cause uneven stresses along the fastening points. Metal roofing installations that are not handled properly may cause a visible waviness of the metal panels, bringing about aesthetic issues.
For you to avoid oil canning, you should think about your panel layout carefully and make sure the installation work is carried out properly.
Condensation problems
Many times, people confuse the condensation that occurs on the underside of metal roofs with roof leakage. In essence, this is water vapour that rises up and cools down into water during low temperatures. Before installing metal roof products, it is important to install roof felt underlayment. The underlayment is installed between the deck of the roof and the roofing products to provide a layer of protection against the vapour.
Blow-offs
Roof blow-off is a common problem with any poorly installed roofing. Roof blow-offs are caused by strong, forceful winds and extreme storms. When your metal roof flashing is poorly attached, loose seams and laps may cause a blow-off. Avoiding this is quite straightforward: make sure your roof installation is carried out by a pro. Professional installation will ensure your metal roof can hold out against high winds pretty well.
The key to avoiding the above metal roof problems is to let a professional roofer handle the installation job. As some problems can arise down the road, it is also important to have your roof inspected periodically by a metal roof maintenance specialist.
Hello! My name is Ralph and this is my roofing blog. I first became fascinated with roofing when I was a boy. When my dad was angry at me. I would climb up onto the roof of our house and hide. One afternoon, when I was hiding on the roof, I found myself looking at the tiles and wondering how they fitted together and stayed in place. I decided to spend a couple of months hanging around the local roofing contractors office so I could learn a thing or two. And I did. Although I never became a professional roofer myself, I still remember all of the tips and advice.