Leaky pole barn roof

[Branchchipper]

Just looking for ideas to fix a sheet metal roof leak in a large pole barn...

I tracked the source to a self-tapping screw that missed the purlin and stripped out its hole.

Because the hole is stripped, the screw cannot tighten its washer against the roof, and the silicone sealer I added was not enough to keep out water in our most recent storm.

So, it seems like the most durable fix would be an oversized self-tapping screw and washer, with liberal sealer, fastened into that hole (provided I can find said screw at the hardware store).

Other ideas- a standard roofing screw set into the hole, but then screwed into a wood backing plate so that it pulls against roof, or;
nut, bolt and washer through the hole?

Any experience you can share would be helpful- one more storm on the way, then I'll have a "weather window" in which to repair this thing...

 

[TroySD]

Haven't you seen the infomercial on the spray stuff that seals a screen door on the bottom of the row boat? Surely that would work lol.

I would think that removing the screw and sealing with a high quality silicone and maybe a patch on the inside with a small piece of matching steel roofing that is siliconed into place would fix it. That works on the grain bin roofs I've worked on.

 

[beppington]

Remove the loose screw. Then just nail another piece of wood to the side of the rafter where the loose screw is located, below the hole, so the screw will have some new wood to tighten into.

 

[Gizmo2]

Remove the loose screw. Then just nail another piece of wood to the side of the rafter where the loose screw is located, below the hole, so the screw will have some new wood to tighten into.

:thumbsup:

 

[NIXON]

The wood and new screw will work fine. You could also get screws of a larger diameter and just screw it into the hole.works well to. We call them goof screws ,as in" I missed the purlin,I need a goof screw ".

 

[Branchchipper]

Thanks for the replies!

There is insulation on the underside of the roof (fiber blanket bonded to a vapor barrier plastic sheet)- I could slip a small "backer board" in from the nearest insulation seam, then have someone hold it against the steel to screw into it.

But I'd have to cut away a big area of the insulation to nail a "sister" to the purlin to screw into (too bad, because that seems like the most solid fix).

Sounds like the oversize screw and washer (goof screw) with no wood backing is the logical next step.
Thanks again.

 

[George2615]

What Beepington said. That's what I did on mine. I had a couple that missed and added an extra board for the screw to go into. However, I checked the entire roof before insulating and attaching wood sheets though. Yours will be a little more work to fix.

 

[Branchchipper]

Thanks.
My building was put up in June 2008- this leak just appeared in recent months, and it took me a long time to track down!
Insulation is wet over a wide area, and it is all high overhead!

 

[SandburRanch]

Epoxy or JB weld for the sealer and run the original screw back in the hole.

 

[250quality]

Sure makes me happy I spent the extra on my shop roof. I sheeted it first then synthetic membrane ,strapping and steel. Never did find steel to be 100% waterproof.