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Q What’s the best way to stop leaks in the metal roof of an outbuilding at our place? My DIY skills are basic but I was thinking of applying a rubber roof coating that’s supposed to work in situations like these.
A I’m glad to see you want to refurbish this building. More of this sort of thing should happen. In the photo you sent I see there are lengths of metal extending from peak to eaves, and they look to be in good shape and worth saving.
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Although you consider your skills basic, I’d definitely recommend you try and figure out where the leaks are coming from. This is one step closer to developing roofing skills, and what you find will this helpful regardless of whether you fix the roof yourself or hire someone. Understanding what’s going on is always a good thing.
As long as there are no cracks in the metal, leaks can only be coming from two places. The cap pieces that sit on the roof peak look a little suspicious in your photo, so that may be the source of leaks. Another trouble spot could be the fasteners used to anchor the metal. Back in the day metal roofs were secured with special nails that had lead washers under the heads. The lead deformed as the nail head was pounded down onto the roof, forming a kind of seal. The problem is things can shift in time and if the nails rise even a little, the lead pulls away from the roof and leaks can happen. The more modern approach for securing metal roofs uses a special roofing screw with a domed metal washer under the heads, and a neoprene rubber washer under the dome. The screw threads never come loose like nails can, and the washer creates a forgiving and durable seal against the roof metal. The solution to your problem may involve removing existing roofing nails (if that’s what you’ve got), then replacing them with roofing screws.
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I’ve seen rubber sealants work quite well on old asphalt shingle roofs, but if nails are loose or the eaves cap is bad or cracked, a sealant might not do the job. I’d try to figure out where the leaks are coming from and try to fix them in the more usual way before opting for the sealant.
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Wonky chainsaw cuts
Q How can I stop my chainsaw from making angled cuts in firewood logs. I‘m currently turning a lumber truck load of trees into firewood. I run one tankful of gas a day through my saw bucking up these logs. I’m an 85-year-old woman and don’t want to wear myself out!
A Congratulations on your ambition. We heat with wood at our place and it’s a great combination of exercise and productivity. Imbalanced sharpening can certainly cause angled or curved cuts, especially if one side of the chain has had its teeth damaged by hitting a rock or something, while the cutters on the other side are still sharp. But any tendency for the cut to be angled because of a flaw in the chain would go away if a new chain was put on, or the existing one was sharpened. If the angled cuts are common, and happen with different chains, then it may be because of the way you’re holding the saw. Also, sometimes, uneven wear on the edge of a high mileage chainsaw bar can caused angled cuts, or cuts that start to curve. How old is the bar on your saw? If there’s a groove in the edge that you can feel with your finger when the chain is off (caused by the sliding of the chain over it), that can cause cut angle issues.
Steve Maxwell has heated his home and workshop with wood for 30 years. Visit him online at baileylineroad.com for inspiration and information on hands-on living.
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