Confused about roofing...

[Robin]

Hello again to all...

It's been a while. The next project, it looks like, for us is roof. There's nothing wrong with our roof, which is tin, I guess, or metal, from the factory. See picture below. Husband and I were talking about doing something about it, to help save on our electric bill. Geez, it's been in the UPPER 90's over 2 weeks now. I forgot to turn on our little kitchen window unit yesterday, and when I came in at 5 pm it was 79 degrees, even tho the thermostat is set at 77. Our central unit just can't keep up by itself.

Help!! Okay, here's the thing. I called some people who live about 2 or 3 miles from us, to see what they did. They put on sheet metal roof - forgive me for my ignorance, that is what it looks like to me, but I don't know the right names. They put it on top of their existing roof, which was just like ours, but my husband doesn't want that, he says it's too heavy and doesn't really help with cooling because it's just a roof over the existing roof.

His idea is to build a "shed" over the mobile home. Metal I-beams, on each side, and perlins, I guess, and elevated about 6-8 inches over the existing roof to allow for air flow. After looking on this site at all things roofing, I'm not sure that's the best thing to do, but... he is a hard-headed man. I come running here for advice first, but he, well, when he makes his mind up it's kind of a done deal, unless I know what I'm talking about when I sit down to argue with him!!

And... I don't know what I'm talking about. We live in Louisiana. It's hot. Really hot. We haven't had snow since 2001. Are we supposed to add any kind of insulation? Please - advise me. I want it done right the first time. What's the best, not necessarily the cheapest, roof option for us?

[flcruising]

OK. Well, you have a metal roof already, and it looks light colored too. I think it would be a waste of money and time to build another metal roof over the one you have now. It would be redundant (though not always a bad thing) and it doesn't look like the best approach. If anything, paint the one you have now - WHITE.

Sometimes what's not realized, is that the roof is only one surface for heat to enter your house. Even though the sun does shine on it and heat it up, it doesn't mean the the 90+ degree air doesn't leak into your home through the walls and the floor. The components that usually should be addressed first is doors/windows.

There's MANY posts here about insulating and air-sealing your home that you should look through before you do anything yet.

[Greg]

The style he is talking about is common in snow country. It is a basic pole barn with no sides. It would put your home in the shade and protect it from the rain. you can also over build it and have a covered patio/deck. Greg

[JD]

I agree with Aaron. That would not be money well spent if your roof is in serviceable condition. All galvanized rolled roofs will deteriorate to a point where some sort of totally new roof surface will be required. I think getting the best use out of this limited life span is the most economical way to go. It seems that there is a continual maintenance cost to all mobile home roofs, including maintenance and re-roofing. The trick is to get the best service for the least amount of money, unless you are making changes for aesthetic purposes.

Properly servicing the original roof until it needs replacement is the least expensive way to go. Then when it is time to re-roof, I bet it would cost less to install an insulated roof-over than a pole-barn style roof. A re-roof should last 20-50 years depending on the materials used. Each roof will have different amounts of maintenance costs, so that needs to be factored in as well.

Being in Louisiana, you might want to check the humidity levels inside your home as well. A household thermometer/hygrometer is inexpensive and can look nice on the wall. Keeping the humidity down around 30% would help the AC units work more efficiently and help you to feel cooler. As Aaron said, heat loss through windows and the weather stripping around doors is a prime energy loss area. If a lot of your heat is from direct sunlight, extending your awnings to the full length of your home helps a lot too. The walls in these homes are not well insulated and by shading them, you would keep your home cooler.

JMO,
JD

[Robin]

Thanks for the replies.

Aaron, why would putting a new roof on our MH be a waste of time and money? If it would help save money on our electric bill, it would seem to justify the expense. We aren't currently having any problems with the roof, tho - no leaks anywhere. It's only 15 years old and very well maintained. We have double glass windows, tho I'm sure we have some energy loss there. The roof is already a light color, so why would it help to paint it white?

Greg, we definitely do not live in snow country! I'm just not sure the "pole barn" is the best kind of roof for us. But he's convinced the mobile homes are not designed to handle the weight of a roof like I want.

JD, considering that the price of materials always goes up and never goes down, if it's inevitible that we will need a new roof in the future, why not do it now? I can tell you from experience, we have a carport, a covered back patio and a shed built onto a metal building, and if we had not built them when we did, we couldn't afford the materials now, not to mention the labor. Our carport alone, now, would cost in excess of $4,000, when we only paid about $1,500 for it several years ago. And especially since the hurricanes, materials are sky high.

I mentioned the insulated roof-over to my husband last night, and I got that look, like, no we aren't even going to consider that option. See what I mean - hardheaded! He is convinced it can't handle the weight.

You can see our front porch, which we built 2 summers ago, in the picture. So that much of the walls, plus one window and the front door, are shaded. The covered back patio is about twice as big as the front porch and that shades the back door and 3 windows and alot of wall area. We also have trees that provide some shading as well. So I think we are better off than most when it comes to shading, it's just that I think alot of our cool air escapes thru the roof.

I see you live in California. Have you ever been to Louisiana? Honestly, sometimes the humidity is so thick, it's hard to breathe, and I'm not kidding. I've lived here my whole life and I'm used to Louisiana humidity. So I would have no idea what I could be doing differently, other than running a central unit plus a window unit, to cut down on the humidity level in my home.

[JD]

Hi Robin,

If you two have decided on a new roof, then by all means get started. The only true stimulus plan that works is when the consumers spend money. Heck, that is what the stuff is for. Most materials have gone up in price. Steel and aluminum has almost doubled in the last 20 years. In the last 5 years or so my aluminum roof product has gone up about 15%. But that could change for the better. Construction lumber has actually gone down in price in the last 5 years. At least it has here in California. 2x4 studs used to cost $2.65. Now they are about $2 even. The thing that may change metal prices is the recent action Obama has taken against China, through the WTO (World Trade Organization). For a fact, China has artificially increased prices artificially and lowered availability of raw materials for metal production, which they are by far the largest world supplier of. WTO declarations have a lot of meat and could change this imbalance. We will see.

Most insulated panel and foam board/metal panel roofs weigh less than a pound a foot, probably close to 5% of the roofs current weight. Roofs like the product I use are less than 1/2 LB per foot. That is why these types of roofs are approved for mobile home use and can get permits easily. While you may not see snow in your area, some roofs built exactly like yours see snow every winter without ill effects directly caused by the weight of the snow. An insulated roof attached to the mobile home is the most common type of roof over in every state.

But pole barn roofs are good too. I do like the shade and air flow features. But these roofs can leak as much and most times more often than a roof-over attached to the house, so it will still require maintenance. Hidden seam and rubber roofs will have a much better performance record than face nailed panels.

Yes, I have been in Louisiana. I was stationed in Fort Polk about a hundred years ago. (<jk> 1970). I have also lived in Panama Canal Zone twice. But I would recommend a dehumidifier. I saw a real good one on sale at NewEgg.com a week ago. $179 for a $300 unit. Sears has units at around $200. Get one the right size for your home and humidity problem. Also it is best to plumb the drain to your homes drain lines or even out of your home to a bucket. Be sure to install a loop or some type of p-trap to the line. You can use the water to water plants and not create a damp spot just outside the home, which could draw bugs to that area. Most residential dehumidifiers have the option of connecting a drain line or using an internal bucket. In LA, I would imagine the bucket would fill daily, even with a big unit. Again, reducing the inside humidity to close to 30% or so would greatly increase the efficiency of the AC units and it could pay for itself with lower energy costs.

JD

[Robin]

JD, thanks for replying so quickly! So in your opinion, the "pole barn" is not actually a bad idea? See, my husband, tho I love him dearly, sometimes does not know what the heck he is talking about. I just wanted somebody's opinion who actually does this kind of work who really knows what they are talking about. He doesn't! LOL

I'm pleased to see the price of some materials is coming down. After Katrina, then Rita, then last year Gustav (my personal favorite - we got over 14 inches of rain!) and Ike, materials are just crazy in price.

It is very humid here. I've never even thought of a humidifier. Do you run those 24 hours a day? I better google that and learn about it. I have a 5-gallon bucket that catches my drip from my central unit, and when it's so hot like it's been the past 3 weeks, I can empty it twice a day. I use it to water flowers and trees.

You've lived in Louisiana, and that's why you live in California, right?! No seriously, a neighbor moved to California, and when she came home for a visit, she said, how do ya'll breathe here? She had gotten used to lighter air, I guess! Hey, thanks for all your advice - it's much appreciated!!

[Yanita]

Hi,

You need a DE humidifier, not a humidifier.

Personally I think pole barn roof overs are ugly, not sure you would like the appearance. As JD said, these require regular maintenance as well. Your best option would be to have a metal roof over installed over your original roof. These also have added insulation between the original roof and the new one.

Also to help reduce the humidity level in your home make sure that you are using your vent fans whenever you are cooking or bathing/showering.

Alot of indoor plants can also add to the humidity levels in your home, all this makes your ac unit work harder.

Robin, you said you have double paned windows are these regular MH windows or new ones that you had installed?

Harry posted some pics of the newer style metal roof overs. I think they are posted in the off topic forums.

Yanita

[Robin]

Yanita, LOL at myself!! I typed humidifier, then when I was going to google, I was like, no wait, a HUMIDIFIER was something I had for my baby when she was little, added moisture to the air, definitely not what I wanted to do. I did google them, some of them look quite nice, I might have to consider one of them.

I do all the things you mention, I'm constantly after my husband when he cooks - USE THE VENT HOOD!!! Grrr...

My house plants go outside in the spring and don't come back in until cold weather.

Yeah, I'm not sure I'll like the looks of that either. I want something that looks good. My windows are the originals, but they are double windows. I do know I have some leakage around them and we need to caulk.

[flcruising]

I would start with a cheap indoor thermometer/hygrometer like JD mentioned, and check your humidity level. You can get them for $10 or less at Wal-Mart. Maybe it's time to get your a/c unit and ductwork checked too. And definitely get those air leaks fixed around your windows and doors.

[Yanita]

Hey Robin,

Sounds like you would best be served with an upgrade on new replacement windows. You will be amazed how much heat loss/gain there is through those windows, shaded or not. I replaced all mine after we bought this place.

Traditional MH windows are thinner glass and not low E rated. Right now if you get energy rated windows you can get almost 30% of the cost back on your taxes this year.

What a significant savings the following summer on the AC, heat as well! Since your roof seems to be fine I think I would go with windows first then the new roof over when you can change your Hubby's mind.

Replacing caulking and door weather stripping can do alot for energy savings.

Yanita

[JD]

Ditto on the dual pane windows if you have the original mobile home windows. Good windows will have a 3/4" space between the panes which are gas filled. Phillips windows (mobile home issue) are OK, but I would go with Milgard, Anlin, Anderson or some other leading manufacturer. Quality counts.

On the pole barn vs roof-over, I did say they have good points, like saying it is a "viable" option. It works for some but not others aesthetically. I would not choose a pole barn roof over a roof-over. Then again, I am experienced at repairing and replacing trusses, so there is no stopping me. I do like the type Greg mentioned where the pole barn roof is extended out away from the home to make deck covers and carports. But I would find a hidden fastener panel instead of face nailing.

JMO
JD

[Greg S]

You may also want to consider the fact that the savings in electricity will be small and could have a 20+ year pay back time. Not really very economical.

[Robin]

Yanita,

What kind of windows did you buy, where did you get them, and ballpark how much are they? I'm looking at Lowe's. com and have NO idea what I'm looking for! Did you install them yourself?

[Greg]

Robin, Time to do your homework, Shop around, ask questions, talk to people that have bought them. Are you planning on installing them yourself or having them installed?

There are many local companies that make & install windows, some make a great window, some are junk. Greg