Mobile Home Roofing Options

Overview of Your Options

When it comes to replacing the roof on your mobile home, it’s essential to explore your options carefully to ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment.

With several roofing materials available, taking the time to compare quality, features, and cost will help you make a smart decision. Rather than choosing solely based on price, consider whether the roofing material will offer energy efficiency and withstand harsh weather over time. Choosing the right roof now can save you from expensive repairs or replacements down the road.

When you begin looking into your different mobile home roofing types, you will be able to choose from three main options

• aluminum
• asphalt shingles
• TPO

Let’s look at a few more details of each so that you can determine which of these would work well on your own mobile home.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are sometimes used as the roofing material on mobile homes. There are a few things that you should consider about asphalt shingles: on site-built homes, two or three layers of shingles are acceptable but on a mobile home, only one layer is permissible. If you have an asphalt shingle roof that needs to be replaced, you will need to remove all of them and replace them. You can’t cover them over with a second layer of shingles as you would do in a traditional shingle roof. The primary reason is the weight. A typical mobile home might use nine or more squares of shingles, adding a hefty 2,160 pounds or more to an existing roof. Mobile home roof trusses just aren’t built to handle the additional weight of an additional layer of shingles.

With just a single layer available, the shingles will be especially prone to leaking with very little standing between your home and the elements.

Aluminum

Aluminum cannot be used alone, but instead works with another material that works as an insulating layer. Aluminum is lightweight, which may seem ideal for a mobile home, but it doesn’t offer the insulation and energy efficiency many people would prefer in their home.

Additionally, even a small amount of damage will require replacing whole aluminum sheets, which can become costly.

TPO

TPO is a material that is flexible and easy to install. It is white, which is optimal for energy efficiency, and it is relatively cheap. Additionally, the installation is even lower in cost since different seam widths are available. TPO is lightweight and extremely durable even in all types of weather situations.

Why TPO Is the Best Option

When it comes to energy efficiency, aluminum doesn’t have much to offer unless it is used with a very strong insulating material which can add to the replacement costs. Asphalt is a good insulator but it can leak very easily on a mobile home can lead to leaks too easily on mobile homes.

TPO Membrane roof overs are energy efficient in all weather and when it comes to cost, TPO wins out. It is low in cost to install, cheap to repair, and long-lasting. Additionally, the material works well in hot and cold environments as well as in all types of weather.