looking for effective repairs to get me by.

My family and I got lucky and have come into ownership of a trailer for free earlier this month. Upon initial inspection things didn't look too bad as far as roof repair. After tearing off the asphalt and roofing cement to see what the full problem was and to put a fresh layer of sealant on I realized that things were much worse. Near the center of the roof there is a very rusted spot with four good sized holes. Also I have noticed that much of the metal is no longer laying as it should nor fastened to the wood like it originally was. from this i gather that water was leaking through to under the tar, cement, asphalt and the metal and then running along beneath it to other parts of the roof where other leaks are happening. I purchased two 4.75 gal cans of roof cement, but i honestly do not think this will help at all due to the severity of the problem. I have intentions to save up through winter and from my taxes to completely redo the roof once rain season ends next spring. until then I am looking for a reliable solution to get me through the winter and the worst part of the rain. I currently have about 1/4 of the roof cemented and will most likely finish it before fall fully sets in. after spending a week removing the previous mentioned materials I didn't have the energy to finish sealing before the rain set in for off and on the the last week. i tried to patch the major holes, but obviously there is more to it that that.

my current idea is to finish the sealing on the outside of the roof because there are hundreds of nail holes which go straight through to the interior and (since I have had to tear out nearly all of the ceiling due to mold and other water damage I am thinking of getting lengths of wood cut to size and patching the leaky areas from the inside with this and sealing it there also. I have a limited time to get this accomplished and limited funds from paying rents and security deposits. Any suggestions would be welcome and thank you.

 

I wouldn't patch from the inside. Instead, buy some rolls of water proofing membrane that's used on foundations, from a building supply house. You may only need two. Check the sq footage.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the metal MH roofs are on attached along the perimeter - that's why they are so noisy on a windy day. The holes should be filled with either silicone caulking or a patch installed to cover the damaged area. The patch works best if the tar is applied both under and over the patching material. I've not seen the foundation membrane [like Pulpo mentioned] used on a roof but it sounds like it could be a viable option. Applying a coat of roller grade tar to the roof can be effective but you'd want to paint over it with a fibered aluminum roof paint before summer - the black roof will make the MH a lot hotter.

IMO the best way to fix a MH roof is to frame up and install a new roof over it. If the MH has a flat roof, it allows you to have an attic space to help keep the MH cooler in the summer. The overhang helps to keep running water off of the exterior walls [another area that MHs are prone to leak] If the MH has a 3/12 pitch roof, I'd strap it with 1xs, add stryofoam in between the 1xs and then either install a metal roof or use plywood and shingles. I prefer the metal roof because it is less weight and stress on the MH structure.

 

To get you through the rainy season, why not just throw a few weighted tarps over it? Heavy-duty, of course. Then take your tax refund next spring and build a free-standing, insulated, pitched roof.

 

You can also buy a new metal roof to roll over the old one. A mobile home supply can order you one to size.