Roof leakage can occur regardless of the age of the building, the quality of construction plays a major role here. But we do not set the task to understand the causes of this phenomenon. The goal is different: to suggest how to quickly close the gap due to which the roof of the house flows. We will try to do without visiting building stores and make a sealant for the roof from improvised materials - ordinary polystyrene foam and gasoline.
We prepare materials and the place of incorporation
To make and apply sealant to the leaking roof of a private house, we prepare the following tools and materials:
- automobile gasoline of any brand - A-92, A-80 and so on;
- unnecessary pieces of foam, for example, from the packaging of household appliances;
- a small container with a flat bottom, a glass jar or a mayonnaise bucket is perfect;
- rubber spatula for applying glue to the defect;
- narrow wooden lath - mix the ingredients and scoop up homemade sealant;
- thin rubber gloves.
Note. Instead of gasoline, other solvents can be used - acetone, Kalosha gasoline, paint thinner, even nitro enamel.
The ratio of polystyrene foam and gasoline is approximately 1: 10. You will find out the exact proportions during the manufacture of the sealant, since they depend on the type of solvent and the density of the foam. Leave some gas in reserve - suddenly you need to wash your hands.
Before applying polystyrene adhesive-sealant, clean the roof around the crack from dust. If you need to close the roof from metal - galvanizing or corrugated board, then smooth surfaces are better to degrease. Porous slate sheets are not required to be degreased.
Making roofing sealant
Before the manufacture of glue-sealant, wipe the container dry and make a control batch in order to master the technology of the whole process:
- Pour literally 100 grams of gasoline into the bucket, break the foam into small pieces. All work is done in the fresh air.
- Immerse pieces of expanded polystyrene in gasoline, which dissolves them quickly. To accelerate, stir the substance with a wooden stick.
- As it thickens, the dissolution rate decreases. Add polystyrene until all gasoline has reacted. At the same time, we fix the ratio of materials.
- When the reaction slows down very much, leave the solution to thicken for 30–40 minutes. During this period, the remaining gasoline will evaporate, and the foam will melt.
- If the roofing sealant is too liquid, add more polymer and mix well, then let it settle.
Reference. The technology is based on the ability of various solvents to “corrode” plastic. As a result, the hollow foam granules burst, gas is released from there, only pure polystyrene remains. The polymer is greatly reduced in volume, since the starting material is 90–95% composed of voids.
The thickened polymer sealant becomes very sticky, that is, it has high adhesion to any roofing - from slate, galvanized steel, profiled sheet, tile. Hence the rule: you need to close the roof immediately after preparing the sealing solution, otherwise it will thicken a lot. We do the next batch in the right amount.
We eliminate the leak on the roof
The technology of applying sealant is simple to disgrace:
- Scoop up the glue, transfer to the spatula and cover the gap.
- Layer thickness - from 1 mm. If you apply more than 3 mm of liquid polystyrene, nothing bad will happen, only the hardening period will increase.
- In hard-to-reach places of the roof - a gap around the pipe, in valleys, places where the roof adjoins the vertical wall - the composition can be applied with your fingers (it is advisable to wear gloves).
Comment. In case of contact with exposed hands, the sealant is easily washed off with the same gasoline.
When you want to close a gap near the chimney or a crack in the slate roof, it is better to apply a reinforcing patch. The technology is this: we smear the area around the defect with sealant, lay a piece of fiberglass mesh, on top - another layer of glue. Instead of fiberglass, gauze, tulle and similar mesh fabrics will do.
A homemade sealant does not harden immediately, hardening can take from several days to a month, depending on the thickness of the layer. The described property is not a problem - after adhesion to surfaces, the polymer will no longer let water through.
The pros and cons of a sealing compound
Homemade polymer sealant is practically not inferior to factory analogues designed for roof repair in a private house. Advantages of the composition made of foam:
- The price of adhesive sealant tends to zero. You buy gasoline, use a maximum of 0.5 liters, pour the rest into the tank of the car or use it on the farm in another way. Polyfoam is suitable for any, even small waste.
- Roofing sealant is frost-resistant and suitable for any outdoor use. You can close the roof leaks, cracks in the balcony of the apartment, cracks between the blind area and the wall of a private house.
- If the roof of the house flowed in the middle of winter, the composition is allowed to be applied at a negative temperature.
- High adhesion to various surfaces. The main thing is to remove the dust.
Addition. Homemade craftsmen use polystyrene dissolved in gasoline as an adhesive for joining a variety of materials - wood, plastic, metal.
The service life of the sealing solution is limited. After 1-2 years, the polymer putty may crack and peel off at the edges. Factory sealants also suffer from a similar flaw, so roof leaks should be repaired thoroughly - change cracked slate, cover with galvanization, and so on. Coating is a temporary measure.
Other disadvantages of homemade glue-sealant:
- in the process of preparation and application, the solution emits a sharp smell of gasoline, respectively, it is not recommended to close the cracks inside the house;
- the composition can not be prepared in advance, since it thickens;
- prolonged hardening, after which the crust becomes brittle;
- preparation of a liquid polymer takes time (30 ... 60 minutes);
- after termination, the defect site looks ugly.
Conclusion
Than to mess with gasoline and polystyrene foam, it is easier to purchase a ready-made sealant for roof repair. But what to do when the roof is leaking and there is no building store nearby? The polymer composition will successfully replace the factory one, the quality of sealing is approximately the same. The only place where it cannot be used is brick and metal chimneys, where a special high-temperature sealant is required.