Corrugated Metal Roof - Leaking Skylight Repair

[Meshnasty]

What is the proper way to fix my leaking skylights?

I went up and replaced all the screws with new screws which have an EDMP washer with the clutch on my drill low. It was getting dark so I'm sure some got slightly overtightened but it reduced the amount of skylights leaking from six to three. The ones that are still leaking were leaking at the same spot prior to the screw swap out.

I'm very tempted to just pull the screws on the ones that still leak, shoot silicone into the existing holes, put a screw back in and goop silicone on the top but that's just going to leak again eventually. Two of them are over the insulated side of our shop as so I'd like to have a real solution. I'm not opposed to removing the sky lights if they are going to keep leaking but they are nice during the day.

I will add that many of the existing screw holes did not appear to be predrilled so that could have been tearing the washer. My only thing to discredit that is then I would expect there to be more leaks throughout.

Short story long I just want to get it taken care the right away opposed to everything else we find from the previous owner. Thanks in advance.

 

[SCHUNTER73]

Have any pics from the roof?

 

[Beendare]

That corrugated material is bad news.....so is the silicone. Both can fail in 3-5 years on a roof.

There are specially designed sealants for roofing that are much better than Silicone. Dicor and Sikaflex makes some that might work for you but I would consider replacing that corrugated material with a curb, flashing and tempered glass Velux setup.

 

[IDVortex]

I wouldnt be surprised if the translucent panels have cracks around the screw holes, which would be why they leak. Did you replace with a bigger screw/cone washer, or the same size? Id try a bigger gasget first. If that doesnt work, get a tube of roof sealant for plastics/metal and try that. Id personally would just replace the panels. They do tend to get brittle with age.

 

[IDVortex]

Silicon may not even last a year. The plastic, rubber seal all move at different times, so you'll rip the Silicon sooner.

 

[grfox92]

I wouldn't shoot silicone in the existing screw holes and drive screws back in them. I would pull the screws and fill those holes with Through The Roof sealant. Then I would drill new holes 1.5 to 2 inches from the old holes and install brand new 1/4 EPDM washer screws. The smaller surface area of a 1/4 screw will seal better in the u shape of that corregated roof panel.

This is just a bandaid approach to temporarily fix your current issue, but its better than shooting silicone into the wxisting holes. That corregated stuff is always a problem long term.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[Rich M]

I put a metal roof on and have a sky light. Due to expand/vontract it ultimately started to leak. Buddy told me to use metal backed roof repair tape 10-15 yrs ago. Leak has not come back.

 

[sargent]

If the skylite panels are fiberglass (it looks like they are), the panels themselves can develop hairline cracks around the screws in about 10 years. You could replace the panels with newer plastic panels which are not that inexpensive.

 

[TaperPin]

Screws in the valleys or ridges? If in the valleys nothing will keep them from leaking long term.

 

[IDVortex]

Screws in the valleys or ridges? If in the valleys nothing will keep them from leaking long term.

Most suppliers want screws in valleys. Ive never installed a screw in the ridge unless I was installing ridge.

 

[TaperPin]

Most suppliers want screws in valleys. Ive never installed a screw in the ridge unless I was installing ridge.

You must have different suppliers than I do, or it’s for installations that don’t need to be water tight. I could take 5 minutes and come up with 5 installation manuals that all show screws through the tops of the ridges.

Here’s the very first one I pulled up:

 

[TaperPin]

Here’s the second one I pulled up:


I could keep wasting time pulling more up, but it shouldn’t take long for anyone to google the installation manual for the brand of their choice, which will definitely show where to put the screws and seal things to be water tight.

 

[TaperPin]

Here’s a better than average technical guide from Amerilux:

https://ameriluxinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/pdf-downloads/install-guides/amerilux-corrugated-install-guide.pdf

 

[IDVortex]

You must have different suppliers than I do, or it’s for installations that don’t need to be water tight. I could take 5 minutes and come up with 5 installation manuals that all show screws through the tops of the ridges.

Here’s the very first one I pulled up:
View attachment 950049View attachment 950050

Dont get a hernia researching this now
My quick response was to corrugated. Though im quite certain the poly panels ive installed the manufacturer required things in the valley. Ill have to see if I can pull up that order and see.

 

[TaperPin]

Dont get a hernia researching this now
My quick response was to corrugated. Though im quite certain the poly panels ive installed the manufacturer required things in the valley. Ill have to see if I can pull up that order and see.

Everything in construction has an installation manual.

 

[IDVortex]

Everything in construction has an installation manual.

When did I say they didnt?

 

[TaperPin]

Here’s another:

https://valtoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2715.pdf

 

[TaperPin]

Here’s another

https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/77c9e134-6e76-43e5-8d32-25e8c18111c2/65153998.pdf