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The screws on my vertical panel metal roof are popping out. They came with the installation and have a CF on their painted, hex heads. The roof is six years old.
They are screwed into the plywood rather than the rafters, I suspect. I will take up a piece of roofing to check. Each screw has a grommet and a rubber washer below it. They are either two-inch, or 1.7-inch screws. I live in the Arizona desert where it gets terribly hot.
Questions:
1. I suspect they were screwed in too tight. Some are screwed onto the valleys, and some at the tops of the ribs. Should I try larger screws or just coat the same ones with clear silicone caulk to keep them fastened?
2. How tight to tighten? A soft push with a ratchet wrench?
3. How to I plug any holes that I abandon? A dab of caulk?
4. I want dark-red screw heads, but don't want to buy 500 screws, which is the only way locally. Spray paint on them?
5. I don't want to have to do this each year, or is this something that comes with the territory?
Thanks!
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Tom,
My expertise does not lie within the type of roofing you have. However, this problem does sound unusual to me. I suspect that trying to fasten into the rafters will help. (By the way, I won't make any comments about having a screw loose ... haha.)
This might sound odd but I almost wonder if the installer didn't pre-drill holes into the plywood and perhaps even used too big of a pilot hole. That is just a guess.
The screws should go into either the high spots on the V-ribs or into the flat areas of the panel. They should not go into the little V-Valleys formed by the adjacent ribs.
I would just tighten them until they are snug. I would suggest filling any abandoned holes with larger screws. If you do just try to seal them, squirt sealant down into the hole to seal the underlayment as well if possible.
I would suggest contacting any of the fastener manufacturers who are members of MRA, or any of the manufacturers of these types of panels. They should be able to answer your questions better than I can and I also think they will help you get the screws you need.
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Tom,
The other thing to think about is the material that your roof structure is constructed from. If it is wood, given your very hot and dry climate, it may have dried further and shrunk a bit in the six years. Perhaps enough to make it appear that the screws are coming out. If this is the case, you may only need to retighten the existing screws- just enough so that the washer is compressed a little. Do not over tighten as this will pin the roof down too tight, and also deform the washer too much.
In any event, as with the last answer it is best to check with the manufacturers on fastening and expansion issues, or even ask your installer if this is common in your area.
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Steel based metal roofs have a specific expansion factor that without looking it up I believe is 3/4" over 100 feet in length in about 80-100 degrees F in temperature change which you can experience in your climate and would be made worse with darke colours. If your roof sheets are only 10 feet long this expansion would create minimal movement however if you have longer vlengths it could be the root of the problem.
Like Todd says it sounds like the contractor may have overfastened the screws and the rubber washer is overtightened and not allowing the metal to move freely and pulling on the fasteners.
It is generally acceptable to fa=sten into the plywood only however you should use a #10 or #12 size screw (diameter)and be sure not to spin the screw and overtighten. This screw put in properly should provide about 250# of pull out strength.
I suspect that you may have a #9 screw that is way too long and overtightened and they can not then be reused. Never pull a screw out and just caulk the hole as it will never outlive the roof and will eventually leak.
I recommend buying a screw at least one size bigger to replace the damaged ones and the bigger the better. They do make a #14 with good threads specific for this purpose. Good luck.
3/25/2002
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
3/25/2002
4/17/2002
Dura-Loc Roofing Systems, Inc.
4/17/2002