Fixing roofs for new replacement is often made difficult by their overlapping arrangement. Roof sheets are overlapped at the ends by 6 inches, and two waves or corrugations at the sides. But there is a way to simplify this if one knows how to repair a roof with basic procedures.
Start with the Top End
An installed roof sheet has tow ends: the top and the tail ends. The top end points to the roof apex or the top most part of the entire roof. The tail points to the roof gutter or the lowest part of the entire roof. The basic on how to repair a roof is to start with the top end always.
Umbrella Nail Fastened Sheets
A roofing sheet’s top end is fastened under the tail end of a sheet before it. If it is the first sheet from the apex, the top end is fastened under the roof ridge. The roof ridge is the plain GI sheet shaped with a small pointed gable at the center often of gauge 24. Fixing roofs by replacing it with a new one means detaching it from the sheet before it. Thus, with a crow bar and a half circle lever, pull off the umbrella nails and washers at the tail end of the sheet preceding it. Place the half-circle lever on the recessed part of the corrugation. Supported by this lever, use the crow bar to pull out the nails. Do the same with the fastenings at the sides. Then slowly pull out the damaged roof and replace with a new one. This is the basic procedure on how to repair a roof fastened with umbrella nails.
Rivet-Fastened Sheets
If the roofs are fastened with rivets attached with cables inside the ceiling, use an electric sander to rub off the heads of the rivets visible on the roof. When the rivet heads are worn off, it will be easy to dismantle the sheets. Replace with new ones by fastening them with umbrella nails with washers. This is the best option on replacing worn out riveted roofs or how to repair a roof fastened with a rivet.
Simple Repairs without Replacing Sheets
For fixing roofs that do not require replacement, mere patch up work would suffice. Just make ready a quality sealant for applying on damaged portions of the metal roof sheets. For brick or tile roofs, the same procedure applies. Underneath the tiles or bricks are plain roof sheets that serve as double protection. Apply sealant on the damaged metal sheet.
