# Metal carport roof leaking



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

A picture sure would be nice.
Is the metal roofing rusted?
Have the old fastners been over tightened and now the washers are cracked or crushed?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

silicon caulk won't last long before it comes off, I would use butyl caulk, it will not harden completely and is sticky as the dickens but it will hold up and last.


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## Redding (Oct 1, 2012)

*Pictures of carport roof & screws*

Here's a few pictures of the carport roof. The washers under the screws are in bad shape. Would a complete sealing of the roof be a good fix for the leaks in this roof. I think that I would prefer to individually seal each screw head.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Simply replacing all those screws with new screws and this time not over torquing them so it crushes the washers will go a long way to keeping it from leaking. Any topacal caulking is going to fail within a year.
Someone messed up 2, things when building that roof. the panels should have been one piece instead of two, and the panels should have been installed with clips and a seam crimper so there was 0 screws exposed.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...talling+standing+seam+metal+roofing&FORM=VDRE


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

+1

A good washing, let it dry, replace the screws/washers, and proper sealing of those lap joints should be fine.


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## Redding (Oct 1, 2012)

*Sealant for sealing lap joints?*

What do you recommend for sealing the lap joints? Do you recommend a Butyl sealant? Do they make the screws that I need in a stainless steel?
Thanks for the help.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

A good roofing sealant (Vulkem, Geocel, etc) will work just fine.

I am sure you can find that screw in stainless but they may not be available with the washers attached already.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Why, the screws sold in Home Depot or Lowes in the metal roofing area will out last that roof and cost at least 1/2 as much.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

joecaption said:


> Why, the screws sold in Home Depot or Lowes in the metal roofing area will out last that roof and cost at least 1/2 as much.


I agree....I was just answering the original question.

+1 on getting the new screws that are coated and come with the washer.


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## Redding (Oct 1, 2012)

*Leaking metal carport; Thanks*

I'd like to thank everyone who offered help with stopping the metal carport roof from leaking. :thumbsup:
After a couple of days of raining there is one small leak that I need to find and eliminate.
I replaced about a third of the screws/washers on the roof. Some of them that I replaced had a burr that had been kicked up by the self-tapping screws and had cut the rubber washer in a spiral cut. I flattened the burrs down with flat punch before installing a new screw and trying not to tighten it down too much.
I sealed all of the screw heads with Vulkem 116 polyurethane sealant.
I tried to clean out the edge of the seam where the panels overlap. I then put a bead of Vulkem 116 in the gap. I tried to keep too much caulking from protruding out of the joint. Most of the gaps at the panel joints were about an eighth of an inch thick due to the large amounts of silicon sealant between the panels that I assume was applied when the roof was installed. The silicon generally was only stuck to one side of the metal and I removed what I could clean out to make room for the polyurethane sealant.
Time will tell how well I sealed the roof.
Thanks again for the help.


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## JWilliams (Sep 22, 2010)

that is the style of metal roofiing joe. its designed to be put down with screws not clips and a seamer. but i agree the panels shouldnt have been two pieced and if they were forced to two piece the panels they should have been overlapped a significant length.


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