Many homeowners love their metal roofs, but some do complain of problems like oil canning, leaks, and the appearance of scratches in the finish. Occasional problems are inevitable, especially as the roof ages, but actually, proper installation can prevent a lot of these common problems in most cases. Here's a closer look at three common metal roof issues and how installers can address them preemptively.
Oil Canning
Oil canning is when the metal in the roof panels starts to look bubbled, wrinkled, and warped — similar to the look of an oil can. While this is sometimes just a cosmetic issue, it can lead to raised seams. Raised seams are more likely to allow leaks. Also, wind can work its way under them and pry the metal panels off the roof surface.
There are a few things metal roof installers can do to prevent oil canning. First off, they can recommend a thicker metal for your roof; the thicker the metal, the less likely it is to oil can. Installers should also make sure that the roof deck that they secure the metal panels to is completely flat. This may mean they need to spend a little more time securing and planing the roof deck before actually securing the metal in place.
Leaks
Oil canning is just one contributor to leaks. Metal roofs can also start leaking if the panels are not secured to the roof deck as well as they could be or if the fasteners are not driven all the way down.
An installer can minimize the possibility of leaks by making sure the fasteners are all fully and completely driven straight down and not at an angle. This keeps the metal panels from lifting. Installers can also apply leak guard sheeting along the edges of the roof as an extra layer of protection in case some seams do eventually lift.
Scratches
There's not much a roofer can do to prevent a roof from getting scratched by tree branches or things that blow up onto it. But installers can avoid scratching a roof during the installation process. To do so, they need to wear rubber shoes or boots whenever working on the roof. They must be careful not to drop tools; wearing a tool belt can help with this.
If your installer does their due diligence, then you should be able to enjoy a metal roof without oil canning, scratches, or leaks.
For more information, contact a metal roofing service today.
