Metal roofs are durable and can be a great asset to a new or old house. Even though they last a long time, there may come a day when that roof develops a leak. Also, if a metal roof is damaged by a falling limb or by a storm you will need to know how to repair it or hire someone else to do it.




Since metal roofs are more likely to allow a leak to "travel" you will need to do some inspection before you start your repair of a leak. Check everything. Check the gutter also if you have gutters higher than the lowest point of the roof. If you have areas of metal that are rusting or flaking, be sure to check around these areas for tiny holes. Clean up the whole roof if you have a roof that is very old. After locating the exact area of the leak you can begin working to repair it.




Some tools you will need are a piece of metal of the same type that is already on your roof. If you use a dissimilar metal, it will cause corrosion. Galvanized metal is the best. Other equipment is sheet metal screws, drill motor and drill bits to make a hole matching the sheet metal screws, safety glasses, work gloves, metal shears, ( some call these "tin snips" ) putty knife, caulking gun with caulk, roof coating, and butyl tape.




1.) Use the the butyl tape to section off the area of the roof that needs repairing. Use a maximum of a two inch strip of tape. With the metal shears, cut a piece of metal that is two to three inches larger than the area needing the repair. Make sure it overlaps the area and no leaking "old" areas are showing.




2.) Now, you have the butyl tape one to two inches larger than the area to be repaired, and the piece of metal to cover by an extra two to three inches. Put the repair metal over the area to be repaired and seal off the edges with more butyl tape.




3.) Get the drill motor and bits out and drill some holes that go through the metal "patch" and and old leaking area. The holes should be about two inches apart. Install the screws into these holes, making sure the screws go all the way through both pieces of metal. If you find the patch is loose after you install the screws, install a few more for stability.





4.) The last thing to do is to apply the caulk around the edges with the caulking gun. Make it thick enough to cover any space between the patch and the old leaking area. If you can get some under the edges, so much the better. Let the caulk dry. When it is dry, apply the roof coating over the whole area you just repaired. If you want to do one other thing, you can use the garden hose to "test" your work. If it still leaks you know you need to do more work. If you followed the steps above you more than likely will have a secure roof again and not have to worry about the next shower.