Replacement Of The Roof And Its Elements, Including Without Complete Dismantling

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Roof replacement - partial or complete: recommendations for work

The durability of the roof rests on three pillars: competent design, adherence to technology during construction, proper operation and maintenance. If at any of these stages a mistake was made or an unprecedented natural disaster took place, some of the elements of this structural unit may be damaged. How to replace them correctly - read about this below.

Content

• 1 Signs of the need to replace the roof roof

• 2 Dismantling

  2.1 Video: dismantling the seam roof

• 3 How to change the roof on the house

  • 3.1 Replacing the waterproofing membrane without dismantling the roof
  • 3.2 How to replace metal on the roof

  • 3.3 How to change beams without dismantling the roof

    3.3.1 Video: replacing rafters without dismantling the roof

  • 3.4 Replacing the resin on the roof

• 4 Complete roof replacement

  4.1 Video: roof restoration

• 5 Repair of slate roof

  5.1 Video: repair of asbestos-cement slate roof

Signs of the need to replace the roof roof

Of all the elements of the roof, the most intense impact from the external environment is the roof covering. Therefore, it is necessary to change or repair it most often. The signal for action is the following:

1. Leaks. If water is still leaking in small quantities, indirect signs may be observed: putrid, musty odor, mold, etc. An important circumstance should be taken into account: the place on the ceiling where water appeared may be at some distance from the crack in the roofing, especially if slopes have large slope.

   

   Depressurization of the roofing leads to rotting of the wooden elements of the rafter system

2. Damage. May occur when a branch of a tree or stone falls, careless cleaning or snow melting. In order to identify them in a timely manner, that is, before leaks appear, the roof must be periodically inspected. Also, the presence of damage can be reported by fragments of the roof covering, which fell to the ground.

   

   Mechanical damage to the roofing will lead to leaks

3. Color change. If the roof is covered with ondulin, corrugated board or metal tile, then the color change indicates only the fading of the colored coating. There is no need to change the material unless the homeowner is aesthetically sensitive. Another thing is a soft roof. Some of its parts change color if stone powder has been washed off from them. And this is a very important element that protects fragile bitumen-polymer material from solar radiation and mechanical stress. Without powder, bitumen-based roll roofing materials soon begin to crack. It is useful to take a closer look at the drainage system: the washed off powder first of all accumulates here.

4. Deformations. If a dent appears in a sheet of corrugated board or metal tile, it means that the protective polymer coating in this place is most likely damaged and allows water to pass through. Because of this, the steel will gradually deteriorate with rust. On soft roofs, water can linger in the dents and in this case, over time, it will surely seep into the roofing cake. Deformations here can be imperceptible and to reveal them, water is poured over the roof.

   

   Poor quality of asbestos-cement sheets led to their deformation

5. An error when choosing a roofing material. The type of roofing must match the slope of the roof. It would be wrong to lay a thin corrugated board with a low wave on a gentle slope - it is unlikely to withstand the load from snow, which is quite high on such roofs. It is also a mistake to install a soft roofing based on bitumen with a large roof slope: in the heat, such material will soften and slide.
6. Also, the amount of overlap between sheets or panels depends on the slope: it should be the larger, the more gentle the slope is. If any discrepancy is found, the roof should be replaced before it starts to leak. It is also recommended to do the same if poor quality materials were used.
7. Violation of the technology of fastening the roof covering. In this case, replacement is not required, but it is necessary to re-roof the roof. Otherwise, after a strong wind or snowfall, you will have to make expensive repairs.

The location of the spot on the ceiling and the place of damage to the roofing are not always on the same straight line: for this reason, it is possible to detect the place of damage to the roof only after careful examination

Dismantling

It is necessary to remove the old roofing carefully and according to all the rules. Heavy sheets located at a height pose a danger to people and objects below, and the installer himself runs the risk of falling off. Usually dismantling is carried out in the following order:

1. A fence with warning signs is installed near the building from the side of the work.
2. They remove utility lines, antennas, etc. that interfere with dismantling.
3. Removing roof windows.
4. Install a device for lowering the roofing material
5. They remove all kinds of flashing, roofs and penetrations around pipes and aeration vents, strips of galvanized steel in the places where the roof joins walls or shafts, and other similar elements.
6. Proceed directly to dismantling. They start with removing the skate and then move from top to bottom.
7. If the roof is covered with a hard material, unscrew the screws or pull out the nails with a nailer and alternately lower the sheets to the ground. To prevent the sheet from sliding off spontaneously, it must be hooked with a wire with a bent end while removing the fastener.

8. The soft roof is cut with an ax with a long handle or cut with a chasing cutter into square sections, which are then peeled off from the base and thrown down. So that you do not have to spend energy later on cleaning the local area, you can lay a tarp or an old thick plastic wrap along the building.

   

   Dismantling work to remove the soft roof should be performed at a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees Celsius

It is advisable to dismantle the soft roof at temperatures below +20 ⁰ С - at higher temperatures the bitumen softens and it is more difficult to work with it.

The seam seams, if it is necessary to reuse the sheets, are disassembled carefully, using a cuff hammer or two roofing hammers. If the roof is badly worn out and it is planned to be disposed of, the standing seams are broken open with a lapel hammer and crowbar, the recumbent ones - with a roofing chisel.

In conclusion, eaves overhangs, gutters and various additional elements are unfastened and lowered.

A roof drainage device can be assembled, for example, in this way:

• one block must be screwed to a thick board at the end and in the middle;
• the board is mounted on the roof so that its end with a block attached to it hangs about 1 m;
• - a platform 50x50 cm in size is hammered from the boards - the removed fragments of the coating will be laid on it;

• the platform is suspended from a cable, and then it is passed through the blocks and fixed somewhere on the roof.

  

  With the help of a simple design, you can significantly speed up the process of dismantling the roofing

Video: dismantling the standing seam roof

How to change the roof on a house

The snow and wind loads on the roof are quite high. If the installation is carried out without observing the technology, the case may end not only with leaks, but also with the breakdown of the roofing. Therefore, it is better to entrust the replacement of roof elements to conscientious and experienced professionals. But minor repairs, for example, installing a patch or replacing fasteners, can be done on your own.

Replacing the waterproofing film without dismantling the roof

According to the technology, the waterproofing film is laid over the rafters and fixed with a counter lattice, on which the crate is then stuffed. It may be necessary to replace this material, for example, for one of the following reasons:

1. The resource is exhausted. That is, the film ceased to fulfill its functions due to natural aging.
2. Gaps appeared. This happens if a low-quality film was used or that has insufficient strength, as well as if it is laid without sagging.
3. Material selection error. It implies the use of a conventional airtight film instead of a vapor-permeable waterproofing membrane. If it is laid close to the insulation, as is done with membranes, it will soon get wet due to steam condensation. Ordinary vapor-proof films can be used as waterproofing only if there is a ventilated gap between them and the insulation, the same as between this film and the roofing.
4. The membrane was placed on the wrong side. We are talking about waterproofing membranes that allow water to pass in one direction. Actually, this material is intended for laying on walls, but in principle, nothing prevents it from being used in roof structures. And it so happens that the film is laid on the wrong side, so it lets water into the insulation. In this case, of course, the waterproofing must be replaced immediately.

Ideally, the roof covering, battens and counter battens must be removed to replace the waterproofing film. But this is burdensome for the homeowner, especially if, due to lack of experience, he cannot do these works on his own and is forced to hire third-party contractors.

1, 4 - counter lattice; 2 - rafter leg; 3 - film to be replaced; 5 - heat-insulating material; 6 - vapor barrier film; 7 - plasterboard sheets; 8 - drywall frame nailed to the beams; 9 - new waterproofing vapor-permeable membrane

There is a simplified way to replace the roofing film, which does not require dismantling the roof and lathing:

1. The roofing cake is disassembled from the inside, removing one by one: wall cladding, lathing fixed on top of the vapor barrier, vapor barrier, insulation. As a result, access to the old waterproofing film will be gained.
2. The old film is cut out.

3. Lay a new film under the rafters so that it fits them and comes close to the crate, but does not press against it closely. There must be a ventilated gap, otherwise steam will condense on the underside of the roof covering in winter.

   

   New film is shot to the rafters

4. In order for the film to be fixed in this position, it is shot with a stapler to the side surfaces of the rafters.
5. The roll is rolled horizontally starting from the bottom. The overlap between the rows is 10-15 cm wide and is glued with double-sided tape

Next, the roofing cake is collected in the reverse order:

1. First, insulation is laid between the rafters. If the new waterproofing film is a vapor-permeable membrane (they are also called diffusion or superdiffusion), the heat insulator can be laid close to it. If there is no vapor permeability, a gap of 20 mm should be left between the film and the insulation. A prerequisite is that it must be ventilated, that is, there must be air vents from the side of the cornice and under the ridge.

   

   Heat-insulating mats are laid close to vapor-permeable membranes and with a gap - to the waterproofing film, if it is not vapor-permeable

2. If mineral wool is used as insulation, even glass or basalt, you need to work with it in a respirator, glasses, gloves and a work suit, which you will not mind throwing away later.
3. The heat insulator is covered with a vapor barrier film. There can also be confusion here: instead of an airtight film, a vapor-permeable membrane is sometimes laid.
4. It is extremely important to carefully glue the overlap between the vapor barrier strips with double-sided tape, and the most reliable varieties should be used. Such, for example, is butyl rubber tape. Regular with a high probability can come off, resulting in cracks, and the effect of vapor permeability will be lost.
5. Further, on top of the vapor barrier, a crate is attached, to which the wall cladding is then screwed. It is impossible to screw the casing close to the vapor barrier, that is, without the crate, since moisture can condense on the film.

With this method of replacing the film, less critical elements are dismantled than the roofing and lathing. But here too, accuracy is required: all the necessary gaps must be observed, and the vapor barrier should be made absolutely tight. The disadvantage of this method is that the new waterproofing film will not protect the rafters from moisture.

If there is no suitable roofing material at hand, a temporary patch can be applied to the place of damage, consisting of several layers of any fabric impregnated with nitro paint

How to replace metal on the roof

If the roof has a metal covering, the following abnormal situations are possible:

• when laying the technology was violated;
• used low quality fasteners;
• a hole has formed in the sheet due to rust or a blow from a heavy object.

The first case requires re-laying the coating, for which it is necessary to involve specialists. In the other two, the homeowner can make repairs himself.

Replacement of fastening hardware is carried out as follows:

1. The fastening of sheets adjacent to the one being repaired is slightly weakened.
2. The neighboring sheets are lifted and wooden wedges are driven under their edges - they will press the repaired sheet to the crate. To avoid damage to the protective coating on the sheet, roofing material, rubemast, glassine or other similar material must be placed under the wedges.
3. Unscrew the fastening hardware to be replaced. If the seals have lost their elasticity, they must also be removed.
4. Screw in new self-tapping screws with elastic sealing washers.

5. Remove the wedges and tighten the fasteners of adjacent sheets.

   

   If the damage covers a wide area, it is advisable to completely replace the damaged sheet

If the sheet is punctured, it must be replaced with a whole sheet with the same dimensions. In this case, proceed in the same order as just described. A small hole can be patched:

1. The areas surrounding the hole are cleaned with a metal brush.
2. A patch is cut out of a sheet of roofing iron, which exceeds the size of the hole by 7-10 cm in each direction.
3. After the sheet and patch are treated with flux, the latter is placed on the hole and soldered along the edge.
4. The solder is processed with a file, cutting off the excess.

5. The patched area of the coating is painted.

   

   If a violation of the coating is found on most of the folded roof, it is necessary to paint not only the place where the patch is installed, but the entire surface

How to change beams without parsing the roof

The support for the rafters is a beam laid on top of the walls - Mauerlat. The end of the rafters is cut so that it rests on the Mauerlat with the entire area, as a result of which it can withstand the load without deformation. But if rotting processes develop in the support bar, the rafters gradually push through the weakened wood and the geometry of the slope is violated. The roof looks skewed and may leak.

You can repair a beam without parsing the roof like this:

1. The filing of the cornice and the roof covering over the repaired section of the Mauerlat are removed. If the coating is nailed (bituminous tiles, slate), they must be pulled out with a nailer, placing a board with a section of 40x150 mm under it. To guarantee to avoid damage to the roofing material, you can cut off the nail heads with a grinder.
2. To the lateral sides of the rafters resting on the rotted section at a distance of 50–100 cm from the end, lining from a board with a section of 50x150 mm is nailed.
3. From both sides, struts are nailed to the rafters at the locations of the overlays. With the sole, they should rest on the intact areas of the Mauerlat. If those are too far away, you need to lay a bar of the same section next to the Mauerlat on the wall or floor beams to support the struts. The beam should be fixed, the struts should be nailed to the rafters and support.

4. The unloaded section of the Mauerlat is being repaired. The decayed wood is cut out and in its place, after careful treatment with an antiseptic, an insert from a board or bar is installed.

   

   Rotted areas of the Mauerlats are removed and replaced with new inserts

The reasons that caused the decay of the Mauerlat are identified and eliminated. It can be:

• damage to waterproofing over the wall or its absence. A piece of new roofing material or similar material should be laid under the Mauerlat;
• insufficient treatment of the entire Mauerlat with an antiseptic;
• leaks in the roofing;
• disturbances in the operation of roof ventilation. Check for blockages of air vents under the eaves and under the ridge, roofing aerators. It must be ensured that no elements interfere with the movement of air;
• leaking vapor barrier.

Upon completion of the repair, the struts are removed, the roof covering and cornice are installed in place.

Video: replacing rafters without disassembling the roof

Replacing the resin on the roof

Over time, bituminous roofing materials lose their elasticity and crack. The waterproofing properties of the coating can be restored by replacing the resin. Here's how it's done:

1. Lumps of bitumen are melted in a container installed above a fire or blowtorch.
2. After the bitumen is completely melted, used engine oil is poured into it with constant stirring. Its volume is 1 liter for every 10 kg of bitumen.
3. Next, chalk is added to the mixture in an amount of 1 kg for every 10 kg of bitumen. Mix the mastic again until smooth.

4. After removing the old resin and debris from the roof, apply a new composition to it with a roller or with a brush (special brush). If it is supposed to stick a sheet of roofing material, bikrost or something similar from above, the resin is applied in 1 layer, if it itself acts as an outer coating - in 3 layers.

   

   The resin is placed in a container mounted on a tripod and heated from below with a blowtorch

Complete roof replacement

If the roof covering is badly worn out, it must be replaced entirely. They act like this:

1. The old coating is dismantled as described above.
2. A new roof covering is selected. If a new crate is laid, it can be anything, as long as it matches the slope of the roof. If the replacement of the crate is not expected, it is better to use metal tiles or corrugated board: with such a coating, the flaws of the old frame will not be so noticeable.
3. Tidy up the rafter system. Rotten or moldy areas are cut out and thoroughly treated with an antiseptic.
4. If the resource of the waterproofing film is exhausted, it is removed and a new one is laid, nailing or stapling to the rafters
5. If the roof was covered with slate and it was decided to replace it with metal sheets, a counter-lattice must be added to the rafter system. It does not fit under the slate, but it must be mandatory under the metal tile or corrugated board. Otherwise, cold metal will fog up from below in winter. Counter battens are 25 mm thick boards that are stuffed along the rafters from above. Thanks to them, a blown gap will be obtained between the waterproofing film and the crate, from which the steam approaching the metal sheets will be carried out by a draft.
6. Starting from the bottom, a new roof covering is laid row by row. The row should start from the side opposite to the prevailing wind direction. That is, if the wind blows predominantly from the right in relation to the slope, then the laying of the row should be started from the left.

The row is usually laid in the following sequence:

• screw the first sheet with one self-tapping screw in the corner;
• two or three more sheets are screwed to the first sheet;
• the resulting chain is aligned horizontally;
• finally screw all the sheets to the crate.

At the final stage, a ridge bar is installed. It is assembled from several parts, which, like the roofing sheets, must be laid with an overlap. It is also necessary to start laying from the side opposite to the prevailing wind direction.

Video: roof restoration

Slate roof repair

Slate has a very low cost and at the same time its service life is quite long. Therefore, this material is still used quite often, especially in country houses or farm buildings. But slate is fragile and therefore a crack or a hole may appear in it with a high probability. If the damage is small, it can be repaired in one of the following ways:

1. The area covered with small cracks is painted, then covered with a cloth and painted again.
2. You can carry out repairs using the same technology, but using silicone sealant instead of paint.
3. Another option: apply bitumen-polymer mastic to the damaged area, lay a fiberglass mesh on top and apply mastic again.
4. Large cracks are sealed with asbestos-cement mortar.
5. When filling a crack, the solution is applied in several layers until the thickness of the putty reaches 2 mm. If the edges of the crack have parted, a bandage soaked in the solution should be laid on top of it.
6. Holes can be closed with aluminum foil patches. The patch is attached to the back of the slate using a universal glue.
7. A convenient material for pasting cracks is butyl rubber tape.

8. If the sheet is cracked, it can be glued with epoxy. First, on the reverse side, the sheet is glued with a fiberglass mesh, then epoxy is poured into the crack on the front side.

   

   An asbestos-cement mortar is prepared for sealing large cracks.

The preparation of asbestos-cement mortar is carried out in the following order:

• knead the cement mortar by adding water and the same amount of PVA glue to the cement;
• little by little the solution is introduced into asbestos, taken in a volume 3 times larger than the volume of the solution;
• stir the mixture until smooth (it is important to knead all the lumps).

It is necessary to exclude the ingress of asbestos dust into the lungs, so the solution is prepared in a respirator

Video: roof repair made of asbestos-cement slate

As you can see, many types of roof repair work can be done by the homeowner himself. But whatever they may be, even the most insignificant, you always need to remember about safety. Do not climb onto the roof in wet weather when the surface is slippery; make sure the ridge hook on the roof ladder is firmly in place; use non-slip shoes.