Living in "Rumble Bolt Hell." Best repair options?

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Hello,

I'm a new poster though I've enjoyed this great forum for a long time (and I do have Mark's book).
I have a 1978 Springwood (14'x70' sw) with the familiar rounded metal roof. Long before I bought it, a previous owner had installed rumble bolts. I'm now trying to find a way to deal with the horrible consequences.

I probably added to the rumble bolt problem when, late last year, we had a horrible hail storm—it brought the largest hail-stones I've ever seen. I had to quickly patch a lot of leaks in order to get through the winter (we also had loads of rain last year).

I used something like Henry's asphalt patch compound, by cleaning the area then simply piling a small mound of the stuff over every rumble bolt and smoothing it down. I've since read that asphalt patching materials retain water, so, as if things weren't bad enough, I may have made it possible for a lot of rust to form where there wasn't any before. There were already a couple of places where the asphalt had been used.

I'd like to know if there is a way to save a roof on which rumble bolts have been used, or would I be better off to simply sell this old place for whatever I can get. I don't want to put more money into the place than it's worth, since I don't know how long I'll be living in it (I would never get the money back out of it). I'm hoping to find a reasonably priced option.

One roofer's estimate for poly-vinyl was $3000.00, plus. Then, with a bit of research, I found government studies showing that this method often does not last terribly long in real-life conditions.

The place also has other problems but most would be much easier to deal with. The roof is my major concern.

Thanks for any help you can offer. Btw, I did do a thorough search of the forum before posting this question.

—Miles
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Just found the online article about the metal reroof. This might be the best way to go. It looks pretty straight-forward, except for being able to do a good, clean job around all the vents...

I was hoping there was some practical way to patch the holes left by the rumble bolts (if they were removed), but even if that could be done, the job sounds like it would be a nightmare since there would be so many holes to deal with.
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Greg
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The only in expensive idea I have is to remove the bolts and seal them with a dab of neoprene caulk. Perhaps others will have more ideas. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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Yanita
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Hi,

You would have to remove all the rumble buttons and then thoroughly clean everything. Then use something to patch the holes and then recoat the entire roof. Sounds like and probably is alot of work.

If I were you I would go with Mark's metal roof...surprised that you did not see this in the manual.

As for getting good fits around the vents, after exact measurements are taken and then placed onto the sheet of metal a hole saw works wonders.

I am hoping JD will see this post and add his expert advice...

Take care,

~Yanita~
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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JD
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Hi Miles,

A new roof would certainly fix the leak and probably roof rumble problems. But for the sake of getting the most out of your home and money, there may be easier and cheaper ways to take care of the bolt holes. If your roof has a lot of rust, especially around these bolts, or if it has weak seams, metal patches, and or other problems, you might be better off with a new roof.

If I were to patch these holes, I would remove the asphalt stuff as much as possible with a putty knife or molding bar. Hot, sunny days makes this fairly easy. I would remove any rust with a large buffer with a braided wire brush. Then clean the remaining black stuff off with mineral spirits. Then clean the mineral spirits off with lacquer thinner or no residue cleaner of your choice. I would clean a 10" (diameter) area around the hole.

Then I would patch each hole with a large 2"-3" dollop (at least a 1/4" thick) of a commercial grade sealant like Vulkem 116 or Geocel Pro-flex. Both of these sealants are fibered for added strength and will stick to clean metal for 20 years or more. Both sealants can withstand the expansion and contraction of the roof metal. Rust under the sealant could shorten this time, but it will still last a long time. I have not found silicone or latex sealants to come close to the quality of the 2 sealants mentioned. I am thinking that these are screws and not 1/4" or bigger bolts. Large holes may require some mesh tape. For the mesh, the soft t-shirt like material is much better than the hard screen like material. You lay down a small amount of sealant, smash in a 1" piece of the mesh and then the rest of the sealant dollop. I just lay down a thick bead in concentric circles.

Cleaning and prep work is key to how well any sealant will work. You will always have holes in the roof, but this fix could last you many years. Total cost would be around $60-$80 or so. 1 gal mineral spirits, 1 gal thinner (don't buy small cans). 6-10 tubes of sealant.

Just my thoughts on it.

JD
☯JD♫
Today is PERFECT!

All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
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Boy, I'm glad I checked back so soon!

Thanks so much for all the information (and such quick responses!).

The problems caused by rumble bolts can change everything about the way you look at repairs on a mobile home, because when they start causing problems things can only get worse. To the average homeowner (like myself) all the options can seem very difficult and/or expensive.

JD, I really appreciate the time you took to answer, and the great detail included in your response. Yes, the washers are attached with screws, not bolts. They look a bit larger than #8 screws but the diameter is not too large. And I saw very little rust when I was patching the leaks (though that could have changed, since then), so either repair might still work.

I knew nothing about the patching products you mentioned in your post, so I learned quite a bit today. Now I'll have to decide which route to go, but at least now I have a couple of good options.

Yanita, I did see the roof-over in Mark's manual, some time ago, but today, while searching the forum, I came across the online article and it seems more "do-able" for whatever reason.

Thanks again.

—M.
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Yanita
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Hi Miles,

No problem..look in your manuel chapter 11, it's all there with easy to understand instructions.

The corrugated metal can be purchased at most any home improvement center.

I know you said that you might not be in this home long, and did not want to put more into than you can get out of it. I understand this but water is the worst enemy to our homes. A small amount of water can damage alot.

If your roof is not water tight it will not be long and your ceilings will be sagging and possibly water running down inside the walls. This will be a major repair.

Good luck!

~Yanita~
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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Would somebody mind explaining what Rumble Bolts are and what they are supposed to do?

Shades of Thor!

FL (aka Nicky T)
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Harry
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Location: Citrus county Florida

Hi

When the wind blows across some mobile home metal roofs it makes a rumble sound. The rumble bolts (and buttons) hold the metal roof down and are suppose to reduce the rumble.

Harry
Aside from the roof leak, soft floors, rats, mice and bursted plumbing ........ how do you like it?
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Yanita
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Hi Nicky!

While that is what they are suppose to do, it is now no longer recommmended to use these, for the reason the orginal poster is here looking for a new roof or repairing the holes from the rumble buttons.

~Yanita~
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Guest

Hello again,
I'm hoping this thread will be extremely helpful to others who find themselves in the same awful predicament I'm now in. I had carefully searched the internet as well as this forum and was surprised by how little specific information I was able to find about this problem, and possible solutions. Hopefully others will also post their experiences here, too. Sometimes a long detailed thread can provide a gold mine of useful information for others.

Here's a bit of information I gathered today. I found a relatively small local metal dealer whose business name consists of three letters (its initials), They sell metal to roofers and those constructing metal buildings, etc. it is not a big box store.

The salesman sounds very knowledgeable. He said they can get metal panels called: Storm Proof, in about .29 guage. It's fairly flexible and runs $1.75 per linear foot, or about $24.50 per panel in the size I need (I have a 14'x70' sw). The 22 sheets needed should cost just under $550.00. They also carry the foam strips for the ends, etc.

Once ordered, the panels take a week to arrive from the manufacturer, they are painted (choice of 14 colors) and they are cut to desired length. Pretty nice, huh? Each panel covers a 3 foot, finished, width. They're made a bit over 3' wide to provide for the overlap at the seams. (I've seen panels sold elsewhere that are quite a bit narrower, so more panels are required to cover a given area).

I found this dealer by calling a local sheet metal fabricator I had bought some metal from long ago. He sent me directly to the company he would have ordered the metal from if I had bought from him. : )
===
The reason I've gone into such detail is so other forum members who might be interested in this do-it-yourself re-roof solution will be certain to shop around for the best prices.

A local big-box store has *unpainted* metal panels for $15.00, and, the painted panels cost a whopping $37.99 for *each* panel. Over a third more! A huge difference!
===

Finally, I have another question for JD. Presently my metal roof is not too bad, but it does have the all the rumble bolts (covered with small mounds of asphalt patching material), and there is some of the old, flaking white roof coating material here and there. Do I have to do any special prep work, if I decide to do the metal re-roof?

Or can I just ignore the stuff that's now on the roof and go ahead and install the furring strips then attach the new panels? I ask because it would be a real mess (to say nothing of the time it would take) to try to scrape everything clean before starting a re-roof.

Once again, thanks so much for all the replies and detailed advice. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help you've already given me.

—miles
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JD
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Hi Miles,

I would think you would just leave the existing roof as is. I can't see how the rumble bolts would effect your new roof.

JD
☯JD♫
Today is PERFECT!

All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
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