Is this an acceptable roofing solution ?

[recom273]

I'm getting a bit of a bad name with my landlord, it's not deserved because he very rarely puts his hand in his pocket.

He thinks I have a problem with every "Chang" or tradesman that he sends round. To say they are a tradesman would be stretching the truth a bit IMHO.

We have been asking him for years to sort the utility room roof, the roof is just slapped up on metal joists and originally just some silicone down either side of the roofing panel.

So he refused one contractor - too expensive, too good ( he had a truck and scaffolding ), I refused his usual Burmese cowboy and he sent another guy around, who cut a slot with an angle grinder and glued a thin metal sheet with roof adhesive which covers the gap.

It seems to do the job, for how long - I don't know - but it sure doesn't look pretty.

I have seen this method used before .. Seems to be the accepted method .. Any other opinions ? Do I trust the job for over a year.

If it was at home it would be some bandage or lead flashing ? But this seems pretty unheard of here. Is there a similar method here ?

Edited July 25, 2016 by recom273

[manfredtillmann]

by 'western' standards this is not compliant. it will fail over time as silicone only based joints do not do well in large expansion / contraction scenarios.

however, given what i have seen and experienced here, this is how 'they' do stuff. it is half - arsed and cheap.

BUT: this will not get fixed 'your way' unless you do it your self!!!

just move your more expensive furniture and appliances away from under this joint, chill out, buy a large sponge...

[recom273]

by 'western' standards this is not compliant. it will fail over time as silicone only based joints do not do well in large expansion / contraction scenarios.

however, given what i have seen and experienced here, this is how 'they' do stuff. it is half - arsed and cheap.

BUT: this will not get fixed 'your way' unless you do it your self!!!

just move your more expensive furniture and appliances away from under this joint, chill out, buy a large sponge...

Yeah, I know it's a case of if you want it doing .. But it's a rented house that I like living in.

It's not silicone as I know it, it's some roofing cement .. I guess it's prolly silicone in disguise ..

And .. Yes .. You are right we need the room to house washing machines, etc .. Expensive appliances and I get accused of being picky ..

But anyway .. If I were to rip this down next month, is there a better way of doing it myself with the materials available here ?

[manfredtillmann]

a can of worms!

again, by western standards... don't touch it. if one of my tenants did unauthorised alterations to my property (they are all in australia), i'll have him loose his / her balls.

if you know it is going to fail set yourself up for the most possible compensation claim.

if you know you will not be able to claim compensation set yourself up for the smallest possible loss.

do NOT touch or alter your rental property without authorisation. ever!

[lopburi3]

Normally they build a cement eve just above the roof tile level extending out about a foot or more and built into the current cement wall. But even then there will be issues when wind blows rain under it - but if you have a good layer of fiberglass insulation below it will probably keep water from inside ceiling.

[whaleboneman]

Normally they build a cement eve just above the roof tile level extending out about a foot or more and built into the current cement wall. But even then there will be issues when wind blows rain under it - but if you have a good layer of fiberglass insulation below it will probably keep water from inside ceiling.

Fiberglass insulation may filter the rain but it definitely won't help to keep it out of the building.

[lopburi3]

Normally there is only slight rain blown under overhang and getting into roof area will often be kept out of building and dry in place with a layer of insulation to keep it off of the plasterboard. But for such areas it would be much better to use cement board (although not was easy to work with).

[Jimbob1]

I use a product for that which is excellent .... it is a tar like flexable peel off roll that forms into the creases ... not as cheap as silicon but much better ...

[Kwasaki]

Sounds like you have a landlord which will never get anyone to do professional renovation work.

Not what you want hear but being a rented property the only solution is to find somewhere else.

[Sydebolle]

Move - easy as that!

[The Deerhunter]

Maybe laying your own sealant roll material as advised over the top of his repair might not be as confrontational as removing it and doing it again yourself but I absolutely recommend do not do the latter. There are different brands of that stuff, some with aluminized foil exterior and some just black butyl rubber finish. The other system that is common in Thailand (only on the really good jobs) is to lay wet cement mortar into the joint and up the wall but (a) he has not done that (and you shouldn't) and ( it is not guaranteed weatherproof either. It will crack somewhere eventually. As they almost never use reinforcing when they do this, sooner or later something will move and it will crack. It would also mean removing his fix which (also as a landlord) I strongly suggest you DO NOT do!

Edited July 26, 2016 by The Deerhunter

[natway09]

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT play DIY with a property that is not yours without the landlords express written permission.

If the place becomes untenable due to maintenance issues you gotta move

[TheLogikal1]

OK, this 'solution' may work for normal rains, but for monsoons or deluges? Not a chance.

If you don't want to move, perhaps your landlord will listen to another solution.

It's called SaniFlex (normally used for basements that won't stay dry even after repeated excavations) & is painted on over existing materials (except waterproofing cement). The 2nd layer bonds to the bottom coat & creates a highly flexible & impervious seal which is proof against any type of water, including enormous hydrostatic pressure.

Granted, this isn't what the product is normally used for, but I had some left after waterproofing my basement & used the rest on a shed roof (the shed's 14' x 16') that had just a 3 1/2" slope(!) - (I didn't build that POS, it came with the house.). After repeatedly trying to patch multiple leaks in the roof, I gave up & tore off all the shingles. I applied 2 coats of Sani-flex & it's been bone dry for 7 yrs`.

The roof looks splendid & my workshop, tools & lawn equipment are bone dry even in the worst weather. It's even withstood 14" of snow piled on top & didn't leak even at the edges when the pack [slowly] melted.

For the area you're showing, the cost could be well under $150 (US).

[kai ham yai]

Move - easy as that!

No doubt he will get the blame then for the roof and loose his deposit.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Is it Zinc? It looks like Zinc.I cant really tell from the picture ,but it looks like weathered Zinc.

If it is,and if there is anyone who knows how to do it,you could solder it The guy would just have to use killed spirits of salts as a flux (seriously we used to use piss when we ran out of KSP because of the amonia in it)I was a plumber for years, and a guy with knowledge would fix that in a minute.

Good luck.

[KIWIBATCH]

...Trust we are thai...it won't leak".....

[eyecatcher]

I agree with many replies above....unusually.

Certainly dont start pilfering with what your nice landlord has done.

But maybe suggest a way to improve aesthetics and its weather resistance.

As you say its unsightly but if it was me I would simply use the above suggestions as follows.

That zinc plate will not bend over the roof profile ......the end one will it appears.

Mix some mortar and pack the voids under the zinc. This then nicely supports the zinc and stops driving rain getting under it.

That zinc is just siliconed it appears or did they do a better job and rake out a nice chase to sit the zinc in.

Silicone will break down and crack within 6months here its just too hot.

So use the flashband. This is mine i bought and never used.

Its a flexible bitumen strip usually with a self ahesive back...often with an allly foil front.

Stick this half on the wall half on the zinc flashing to give the corner some integrity.

You often need to use a primer to help bond this flashing to porous or rough surfaces

Can buy this home pro global usual suspects.

In the end i think you could have a more effective and better looking solution all round.

[connda]

Yep. That's about how they do thing here.

[The Deerhunter]

OK, this 'solution' may work for normal rains, but for monsoons or deluges? Not a chance.

If you don't want to move, perhaps your landlord will listen to another solution.

It's called SaniFlex (normally used for basements that won't stay dry even after repeated excavations) & is painted on over existing materials (except waterproofing cement). The 2nd layer bonds to the bottom coat & creates a highly flexible & impervious seal which is proof against any type of water, including enormous hydrostatic pressure.

Granted, this isn't what the product is normally used for, but I had some left after waterproofing my basement & used the rest on a shed roof (the shed's 14' x 16') that had just a 3 1/2" slope(!) - (I didn't build that POS, it came with the house.). After repeatedly trying to patch multiple leaks in the roof, I gave up & tore off all the shingles. I applied 2 coats of Sani-flex & it's been bone dry for 7 yrs`.

The roof looks splendid & my workshop, tools & lawn equipment are bone dry even in the worst weather. It's even withstood 14" of snow piled on top & didn't leak even at the edges when the pack [slowly] melted.

For the area you're showing, the cost could be well under $150 (US).

14" of snow? Oh, so you must be our resident Chiang Rai member. Edited July 26, 2016 by The Deerhunter

[ozyjon]

A real work of art, the craftsmanship will add millions to the value of the house.

[recom273]

I agree with many replies above....unusually.

Certainly dont start pilfering with what your nice landlord has done.

But maybe suggest a way to improve aesthetics and its weather resistance.

As you say its unsightly but if it was me I would simply use the above suggestions as follows.

That zinc plate will not bend over the roof profile ......the end one will it appears.

Mix some mortar and pack the voids under the zinc. This then nicely supports the zinc and stops driving rain getting under it.

That zinc is just siliconed it appears or did they do a better job and rake out a nice chase to sit the zinc in.

Silicone will break down and crack within 6months here its just too hot.

So use the flashband. This is mine i bought and never used.

Its a flexible bitumen strip usually with a self ahesive back...often with an allly foil front.

Stick this half on the wall half on the zinc flashing to give the corner some integrity.

You often need to use a primer to help bond this flashing to porous or rough surfaces

Can buy this home pro global usual suspects.

In the end i think you could have a more effective and better looking solution all round.

Yes he's chased a groove for the zinc to sit in.

I have spent a lot of time explaining to the tradesmen about flashing, showing them images. It's just that thing of 'what does the farang know' but I I hadn't checked Homepro - because it's not really my business to get involved, as many quite rightly point out.

He has actually installed some pretty shoddy guttering above which has already helped in the downpours as water is now deflected from the roof above, now i can read the Thai label for flashing tape I might get somewhere - thanks !

Unbelievably - the managing agent, one family member who own the properties has insisted for years that little jobs like this roof are my responsibility .. And I should do them myself.

When we moved in, I said - OK give the whole interior a coat of white emulsion - aww, no .. That's not our job, but we will give you 500B/month discount and you do it ?

That was 5 years ago and 30,000B in lost revenue. They are so tight, they don't see the long game, just short term gain.

I really like the house, so it's about finding a solution and giving them guidance rather than just moving on.

[manfredtillmann]

ok, if you hell - bent on doing this i suggest you do as little as possible:

there appears to be sufficient fall on the roof for water not to sit on it or been 'blown' uphill too much.

find yourself a strip of dense polyurethane foam (old mattress) or even better impregnated with some water repellant. make sure it is at least double the thickness of the hight of the roof's corrugations. push it under the full width of the horizontal part of the flashing.

get drip - proof steel rivets (1/8"), the ones with the fully sealed active part and a cartridge of roof & gutter silicone and fix both side flashings and to their nearest corrugation crest at 200mm spacings, after, the horizontal to both side flashings and to each corrugation crest.

drill the hole, fill it with silicone, insert your rivet, tighten.

if you have to stand on the roof while you do this use a plank or similar you spread your body load to eliminate stresses on the rivets after you get off.

inspect the joint between flashings and wall regularly and fill with suitable material if you detect openings.

if there is a gutter, clean it our regularly.

in the first picture there appears to be a vertical crack in the internal corner of the rendered wall above. have you inspected that for possible leaks?

despite the above, my advice - unchanged: don't touch it.

all the best.