Metal roofs are a popular choice for homeowners because they offer an attractive and durable option.
But, if you live in a humid part of the country and use your metal roof to cool down your home by using it as an air conditioner, then you may be dealing with some serious problems. In this blog post we tell you How To Stop A Metal Roof From Sweating!
One such problem is that moisture will start to build up on the underside of the panels and eventually drip onto whatever is below. This can cause water damage or mold growth in places like basements or crawl spaces.
The good news is that there are ways for homeowners to stop their metal roof from sweating so they don’t have these issues!
What is a Metal Roof sweating?
Sweating is the accumulation of water on metal roof panels. A metal roof sweats when it gets too hot outside and causes condensation to form on the underside of its panels.
How To Stop A Metal Roof From Sweating?
There are a number of ways for metal roofs to avoid sweating. Here are three strategies to consider:
One is to install a dew point sensor on their AC unit or furnace so it will shut off when the air inside gets too humid and starts causing condensation.
Another way they can prevent metal roof sweat is by installing insulation between each of its panels which helps insulate your home, keeping the cold outside where it belongs!
A third option is to replace older metal roofs with new ones that are insulated. A newer roof will most likely have a higher R-value, which helps prevent heat transfer between indoors and outdoors.
What Causes Metal Roofs to Sweat?
- One reason metal roofs might start to sweat is because it’s too hot outside.
- If you live in an area with high humidity and use your roof as an air conditioner, then this can cause water damage or even mold growth!
- Although it’s not a common reason for metal roofs to start sweating, if the panels get damaged then that can also cause moisture build up.
- If you have a flat roof and your insulation is on top of your rafters instead of between them, this might be another factor in why your roof starts to sweat.
- If there isn’t any ventilation between the insulation and your roof, then it can get too hot for this to be a comfortable place to live.
- If you have enough ventilation under your metal panels but there isn’t any airflow through them once they are installed, then that also might cause sweating on top of your roof.
- The reason is because heat transfer will happen between areas with a difference in temperature.
- In this case, the hot air from inside your home will transfer to the colder area of the metal roof and cause water build up.
Taking these keypoints into consideration, you will likely to avoid sweating of metal roof.
How to Install an Anti-sweating Layer on a Metal Roof?
To install a anti sweating layer on a metal roof you will need:
- White Aluminum foil tape. This is best because it helps reflect heat away from the panels and reduces condensation build up.
- It also comes in handy when trying to seal around penetrations through the insulation, such as electrical boxes or heating vents.
- Caulk. A good caulking job will keep the moisture from leaking down behind your insulation and causing damage to what’s underneath it as well as mold growth.
- Staples or nails for attaching the foil tape, caulk, and plastic sheeting to your metal roof panels so they don’t blow off in high winds!
Now You’re Ready to Get Started!
- First, you should remove all nails or other sharp objects that may puncture your foil tape.
- Next, use the caulk to seal around penetrations through your insulation like electrical boxes and heating vents so water doesn’t seep inside once it starts condensing on top of the roof.
- If there are any gaps or holes in your insulation, then you should cover them up with foil tape.
- After that, use the staples to attach your plastic sheeting around rusted metal panels so they don’t blow off during high winds.
- Then if there are any tears or spots where it’s no longer adhering well to the roof because of rust, you should patch these with foil tape.
- Finally, take your roll of white aluminum foil tape and cut off the amount that will cover one row of roof panels at a time.
- Peel off the backing along each side so it’s attached to itself in between insulation joints before attaching it over any bare metal areas on top of your insulation.
- Then use the staples to keep it in place.
- Do this until your metal roof is covered, then trim off any excess foil tape along all of the edges where they meet up at penetrations or other protrusions on top of insulation if necessary.
- If you have a row with lots of angles like towards the peak area where there’s a lot of ridges and valleys, then you can use the foil tape to fill in some of those areas as well.
If done correctly, this will help prevent heat transfer between indoors and outdoors. This means your metal roof won’t sweat anymore!
Metal Roof Expectations
There are many reasons for choosing a metal roof over other types. One reason is that it’s very durable, which means you won’t have to worry about spending money on repairs or replacements anytime soon!
Metal roofs also come in a wide variety of colors and styles so they can fit any home’s exterior.
They are also a good choice if you live in an area where snow and ice is common, since they can withstand freezing temperatures better than other types of roofs.
In this blog post we have discussed tips to stop metal roofs from sweating.
We have mentioned three things that homeowners can do to prevent the condensation from forming on their panels and causing damage, and how to install an anti sweating layer.
We hope you learned something useful that you can try on your own!
