Best product to repair small roof leak in winter?

[luckydog25]

I have a small leak that looks to be around the vent for the bathroom at my cabin. I was wondering what product will adhere best in cold conditions. Also there is quite a bit of snow that will melt sometime hopefully. I shoveled the roof in mid february, but there is a good foot up there again. Any suggestions?

[skee0025]

Flex seal. It's that stuff you see advertised on tv with the guy in the boat that has a screen door for a floor. My wife's car had a side window broken, a rock tossed by a passing semi, punched a small Hole in it. The rest of the window spider webbed as safety glass is designed to do. She got home with the window intact, minus the small hole. It was getting ready to rain, so I grabbed the can and sprayed that on the window inside and out. It's held up all winter, no leaks. The new window goes in next week.

[amateurfishing]

+1

[K_Josh87]

There is a caulk type product made for this. Several actually. I have had good luck with a couple of the clear type roof sealants, and they are also cleaner to work with than black jack... any of them that are worth the few bucks will work.

[luckydog25]

I used a clear paint on style last summer after that huge rain storm and it worked until now. I still have it in the garage up there, but wasn't sure if it would work when it's cold. I was hoping to pick something up here before I leave. I have gotten some bad advice in the past at the big box stores. Do you remember a certain brand or type?

The roof is only 10 years old and has leaked in 2 spots now...fustrating. I just bought the place last june and figured we would be good for 10 years, not going to worry about this all winter next year. Steel roof will be going on in the spring...if spring ever gets here.

[K_Josh87]

I believe the clear stuff I use from the lumber yard is called "through the Roof" and comes in a caulk tube. Otherwise, OSI brand Roof Cement (black jack type of stuff) works well... i think a paint on style would be to thin, and crack after it dried out a bit.

[luckydog25]

Thanks Josh, thats the stuff I picked up. I talked to a guy at the store and he agreed that this would be the best stuff for my situation. I bought a tube for the caulk gun and a quart to paint on over the top. The container says I can apply it to a wet surface also, I had visions of myself on the roof with a hair dryer if need be

[K_Josh87]

yeah, I think I have used it when its wet, I do not recall for sure. I know I have never had an issue with it, and we have don't plenty of roofing it wet conditions over the years...

[crothmeier]

Through the Roof is one of the best tube-style sealants out there. Its the only thing I sell with new roofs in place of messy blackjack.

[luckydog25]

Well I finally got up last week and cleared the rest of the snow off and got rid of the ice dam, and of course patched the leak. That stuff really goes on nice. So far so good! Thanks again!.

So here is another question, steel roof vs asphault shingles. Pros and cons? I am planning on going with steel, any negatives?

[K_Josh87]

Standing seam or pole barn steel? Or steel shingles? Steel... durable... as long as its installed correctly will last a very long time, and even if the paint/finish is gone, it will still have a lot of life left. If you do not tear off old roof, make sure you build it up with 3/4 or 2x material "pulins" either way I recommend putting sythetic felt underneath the steel, and using a non tar type ice and water barrier...

Cons to steel... Cost, and if you don't have the right tools, it can be a pain to work with... but, it can be worked with with minimal tools purchased, just takes a little longer.

Good luck

[luckydog25]

We are looking at the post frame brand from menards, the lifetime stuff.

[K_Josh87]

I would price check metal sales or fabral steel through a yard as well. Not that the menards stuff is bad, but I have seen it dent up in hail easier.... and also chalk/fade faster... I think you would be surprised if you hit the right yard how little price difference there can be.

We do a lot of post frame building, and the fabral steel we use through cleary buildings seems to be the best. But Metal sales also has a good product... They also have some products with backing that might be of interest to help reduce noise, and protect the rear side of the sheet from rubbing if applied directly over old roof...

[luckydog25]

Ok, thanks Josh. I am heading up north for the weekend this afternoon. I will check with some local places to check the difference in price. I found a guy to install the roof that has a done some roofs for people I have met up there. What should I expect to pay per square just for them to install not including materials? The preliminary numbers look to be around $175 per square...

[K_Josh87]

A lot of factors to consider on labor... A simple, flat walk on roof, without any major things to cut around or chimneys or such, with removing shingles and what not I would probably be 100-125/sq plus disposal etc. and the price would only go up from there as the challenges increased such as pitch, multiple layers of old roofing material... obsticels... etc...

[luckydog25]

There is one layer of shingles that he says will be fine to leave on. Not sure of the pitch, but it is easily walkable. I shoveled the roof off 2 times and walked around with no problems even when it's slippery. There is the furnace chimney, and the stink pipe. The only valley is on the front side, there is a 4 season porch that was added on that is as long as the cabin. He is including all the trim... eve and gable I believe. Seems a bit high to me as well. Know anyone in the Hackensack area?

[chad austin]

Just an FYI, Menards gets all their metal roofing from metal sales in WI