Most of our products are supplied custom length and once delivered on site, it is important that you follow these best practices.

1. Inspect delivered products right after receiving them.

Refer to the delivery receipt for the exact quantity and sizes of all delivered items.

2. Immediate installation is highly recommended.

The period of storage should be kept as short as possible. For this reason, we coordinate manufacturing and delivery closely with the customer’s need for products during the construction process.

3. For safety, cut resistant gloves are recommended.

Our products may be sharp and heavy. Use gloves especially when handling sheeting and trims.

4. Handle with care.

Don’t drag sheets over rough surfaces or each other; don’t drag tools over material; Use a strategic manual handling or lifting technique when handling material. It is advisable to lift sheets off the bundle rather than to slide them off.

Roofing sheets are delivered to site in bundles. Moisture, condensation and wind-driven rain can cause water stains on stacked unpainted and pre-painted roofing sheets during storage; Therefore, if sheets will not be installed immediately, follow these steps for proper storage:

1. Preparation Of Indoor Storage Site

The ideal storage place is an enclosed room that is cool, dry, well ventilated area and away from:

• Chemically aggressive substances, for example: salt, cement, fertilizer
• Substances which may cause discoloration & corrosion
• Materials that could contaminate the surface example: diesel, oil, paint, grease

2. Keep The Product Dry & Clear Off The Ground

Do not store in direct contact with the ground. Elevate one end of the bundle to create drainage. To avoid moisture damage, air should circulate freely around each panel. Do not stack other items on top of panels.

3. Covering Roofing Panels

Try to avoid outside storage. If outside storage is inevitable, use high quality covers other than plastic to protect panels from moisture, wind driven rain or condensation. Conduct regular inspections.

4. DO NOT ALLOW Sheets To Get Wet

Moisture trapped between bundled panels will cause paint to bubble, and white rust to form on unpainted panels. If a bundle should get wet, separate the sheets immediately & clean with a dry cloth & store in a well ventilated area for air circulation to complete the drying process as illustrated below.

Foam Closures

Use Foam Closures to seal the openings between roofing panels. Foam Closures stop dust, birds, insects, and wind driven rain from getting into your roof/building at the ridging, hip, valley and eaves. Foam closures are sold solid or vented.

Pitch & Sealants

Our panels can be installed on a wide range of roof pitches. A best practice is “stitching” together metal panels using Stitch Screws to create a strong snug fit where sheets overlap. A 3/12 or lower pitched roof requires a snug fit at overlaps and a strong watertight seal. Use stitch screws along with our Tacky Tape sealant tape. Metal Roof Polymer Sealant is another of our products used for waterproofing. It has exceptional adhesion to painted & unpainted metals as well as other building products such as plastics, glass, PVC, wood, etc. Silicone sealant is commonly used in metal applications but using the wrong kind of sealant can bring problems. Silicone made with acetic acid releases the acid during the drying process which is corrosive especially to galvanized metal. A variety of sealant products are available in store.

Screws

When installing a metal roof, using the right screws and its proper installation are important. Koop Sheet Metal offers a variety of screws (fasteners) that are up to our standards, both in quality & performance. The corrosion resistance of our screws surpasses that of other look-alike screws. Our new “ZXL” roofing screws can even last as long as your roof! Its zinc/aluminum molded head offers lifetime protection against red rust. Additionally, the molded head covers & protects the EPDM rubber seal. Cheaper look-alike screws only remain rust proof for a short period of time then eventually rust and cause roof damage. Our screws can be attached through the crest or flat, but placing it through the crest maximizes water tightness. Do not over or under tighten screws as it can result in a leaking roof! Over tightening can damage the rubber seal or cause stress cracks to the coated sheet. In very windy areas, place screws on every corrugation. For siding, you may use either crest or flat.

Laying Procedure

For maximum weather tightness, lay sheets toward prevailing weather. Pick the correct end of the roof to start laying the roof sheeting so that strong winds/rain blow over the lap joint, not into it.

Before lifting sheets onto the roof, check that they are the correct way up and that the overlapping side is towards the roof’s edge from which installation will start. It is much easier and safer to turn sheets on the ground than up on the roof.

Walking on the Roof

Working on top of a metal roof can be quite dangerous. Secure yourself properly and take extra caution to avoid falls, accidents or roof damage. Only walk where secured sheets are supported by the roof frame and keep your weight evenly distributed. Always wear soft, rubber-soled shoes; avoid ribbed soles that pick up and hold small stones, metal shavings, and other objects that can scrape or damage the metal surface.

Cutting Roofing Sheets

Our roofing sheets are factory-cut to your requested length, however, if further cutting on-site is required, following these guidelines is critical to maintaining the integrity of the panels.

1. Use a marker to mark out the sheets for cutting.

A common mistake is using a pencil to mark Galvalume-coated sheets. Graphite, the primary material used in making pencil lead has an extremely corrosive effect on Galvalume coated steel.

2. Using the wrong cutting tools can result in rust, rust stains and corrosion.

For longer straight cuts, our Diablo 7 1/4” metal cutting blade produces a fine, clean cut. Use a pair of snips for smaller cuts; using these tools will keep the cut edges safe from corrosion. Grinders or similar abrasive blades generate excessive heat, damaging the metal sheet, the protective coating, or the paint. These tools not only leave rough edges but the heat damages the anti-corrosion protective coating along the cut edge causing edge rust. These tools also throw large quantities of metal debris (swarf) onto the panels they cut. This debris is hot and damages the panel’s protective coating which causes the area to rust.

Rust caused by an improperly cut edge.

3. Cutting should be carried out at ground level, the coated side facing down and away from other roofing sheets.

Place a cardboard or plywood underneath the panel to protect the underlying side from scratches & marks.

Cleaning Up

Working with metal means you’ll come across swarf: the metal particles produced by cutting & drilling into sheet metal products. The failure to wipe the surface clean after cutting or drilling into our roofing sheets is a common occurrence. This causes the swarf “metal particles” to rusts on the surface of the coated sheet causing rust stains. These rust stains are often mistaken for early deterioration of our product. Eventually, these rust stains can become more severe and rust through the coating. Be sure to remove the swarf completely off of the roof and gutter system! The right cutting & drilling tools produce mild swarf which can be easily removed without damaging the coating of the roofing sheet. Sweep or wipe the swarf away with a soft rag & remove discarded screws, nails, rivets, etc., from roof areas and gutters. Never use bleach, wire or other similar abrasive brushes to clean swarf. Abrasive cutting tools cause excessive heat and hot swarf which damage the coating of the sheet. This kind of swarf is difficult to remove. Overly aggressive efforts to clean the swarf can also cause further damage to the protective coating of painted or unpainted sheets.

Rain falling on the roof is typically enough to wash off roof dirt. However, you must remove sticks, leaves and other debris off the roof, roof valleys and gutters on a regular basis to avoid stains, clogs & leaks. To remove moss, mold, mildew & algae roof stains, spray the roof with Wet & Forget (available for purchase). This outdoor surface cleaner is safe, easy to use and keeps your roof free of stains all year long. No pressure washing or scrubbing required. Avoid using abrasive brushes or cleaners as these will damage the protective coating on your roof and may result in rust and corrosion. A more thorough cleaning and inspection should be done twice a year, especially when in coastal areas where salt spray is prevalent. It is important to repair any damage to the roof immediately!