Nancy asks…
We are looking to buy a mobile home, possible roof problem?
It is a single 14×70 home with a shingled roof. The shingles look fine but there is a spot that looks like it caves in just a little, maybe less than inch. What is a possible problem we are facing? There are no signs of leaks from the ceilings.
Please only serious answers, THANKS!
It’s a 1990 mobile home, original shingled roof
admin answers:
I’ve done a lot of repairs to mobile home roofing – the first thing you need to verify is that you actually have only a dip.
You also need to verify the location of the roof trusses under the sheathing.
Both can be done by getting up on the roof… The trusses will be easy to find, because the roofing will sag between them when you step on it — it will feel ‘soft’ when you step between the trusses (try to step on the trusses, to prevent damage.) Some manufacturers only use 1 1/2″ square lumber to make their trusses, others use full 2×4 studs. IF that soft spot is where a truss should be – then there is a damaged truss, and the roof will have to be opened up to repair it. I would not be surprised to find a damaged truss (or one with a warped member) if this is an older home, made with the 1 1/2″ lumber.
I mentioned you have to verify that you have only a dip – the other possibility is that the roof sheathing is bowed up off of the trusses at one or more locations. I’ve seen cases where the sheathing was bowed up off of alternating trusses, which would also create the look of a dip, between them. Or – the trusses again, are warped, but this time, bowed upwards.
You can take a piece of string, and stretch it from side to side, and measure the depth of the depression in the roofing. If the sunken spot is at a truss location, run the string from the peak down to the eave, to get an idea how much it is out. If the problem is a truss bowed upwards, or the sheathing bowed upwards, you can use a straight 2×4 to see how badly it is bowed.
IF — big IF — the problem is just bowed sheathing, it can probably be screwed back down to the roof truss. I’d lift a shingle here and there along the truss to run the screws in, and then squeeze a little roofing tar over the screw head, and a bit more to reseal the shingle back down. (Roof tar can be purchased in caulk tubes.) I’d be willing to lay odds though, that you’re going to have to open up the roof to either replace some damaged sheathing, or repair some trusses. I need to add too – the most common reason for sheathing to bow upwards off of a truss, is because the moisture content inside the attic space got too high. This can literally ‘cook’ the roofing materials, shortening their life span. I’ve seen one or two occasions where someone just missed the truss with the nailer, but more often, the problem is a lack of ventilation, causing the moisture build-up.
I would seriously suggest that you have someone experienced with working on mobile homes, or a roofing contractor, come out to inspect the home – if you’re going to have to have it repaired, you want to know about it now – so you can use the estimate to get the price lowered.
By the way – just because you didn’t see any signs of leaks, doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any leaks yet, it just means it hasn’t gotten through the ceiling drywall yet, or someone has done a decent job of hiding the discoloration.
One more tip – If this is a home from a lower quality manufacturer, those shingles are probably only warranted for 15 years. While up on the roof, look for curled edges, broken tabs, hail damage, or any other signs of damage. Also check the flanges on anything protruding through the roof, such as plumbing vent pipes, furnace/water heater exhaust stacks, or fire place chimneys (also look closely at any skylights, if this home has them)
Good Luck
Betty asks…
What’s the best coating for extending the life of composition, asphalt shingles?
I live in the American Southwest, southern Arizona desert and though the house I bought has a relatively recent roof, the singles are a lower grade, thinner asphalt shingle. They are still flat, but are beginning to show signs of starting to “cup” soon, and I am getting a lot of the sand granules coming off when it rains. Rather than allow the roof to deteriorate, I am wanting to coat the roof to ward off cupping and further deterioration. What would be the best preserving, long lasting coating for asphalt shingles? I know they may still make an oil based, aluminized roof paint, and there are also water based, acrylic, thick elastomeric coatings, which can be tinted. The water-based coatings vary in quality quite a bit, but I have found that Dunn Edwards Paints makes a good one. I was just wondering if anyone out there has any experience coating asphalt singles and can give me some feedback. Thank you!
admin answers:
Birdinha: the shingles are cupping because they are cooking from the inside out. You don’t have enough ventilation for the attic. Install proper ventilation make sure the vents in the eves are open and not obstructed with attic insulation. Venting the roof better will not fix what’s already been done but it will stop / slow the process that’s already started.
Helen asks…
My Dr said its Shingles???
I have had this sentive tender feeling go down the back side of my entire left arm, sometimes it will ache… but majority of the time it just feels like a sunburn. Its been in this state for about 5 days now….everywhere i read about shingles, it says you will get a breakout/rash/blisters around 3-5 days later…..i show no signs of a rash or redness,or swelling….Should i just take the medication for shingles or should i get a second opinion? Is it possible to not even have a “breakout”
admin answers:
When i had shingles, i had these red bumps on my back and they all blended together to make this really big red splotch that was not very comfortable- i think you should get a second opinion because you dont want to have to spend money on medication that you wont need to use
*good luck 🙂
Robert asks…
A few questions on SHINGLES:?
-Can a person have the virus without the visible sign of a rash; in other words, can shingles exist with all other symptoms, excluding the rash – is it still true shingles?
-Could it possibly be mis-diagnosed for some form of neuralgia, possibly postherpetic neuralgia?
admin answers:
Yup, and it there are greater chances of flare ups when ur immune system is compromised………my friend didnt have much as in a rash but she had the neuropathy kinda pain that scared her………up her arm…….
Carol asks…
Signed-off walk-through done before wind storm. Replace shingles now or wait and see if we even have to?
Closing date: 3/19/08
Buyer and her agent did a walk-through yesterday. Buyer’s agent said she doesn’t have time to do a walk-through the weekend before closing. Everything was fine.
That night massive wind blew off some shingles. This happened also to houses in the neighborhood.
Do we need to repair the shingles or does the new owner take over this new maintenance/responsibility? Or do we wait until they say something (or if they even notice prior to closing)? I doubt the buyer would be driving by our house this week to look at it and possibly notice the shingles missing, but you never know. Pretty much the home inspection and walk-thru are done and all of this was signed prior to the wind. Advice?
admin answers:
If they see it and delay the close will u be upset?
That’s what insurance is for so I would get on it right away and fix it.
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