Transform an aluminum patio cover into an insulated roof on your mobile home

Mobile home repair can be a daunting task. A popular addition to mobile homes is aluminum patio covers. Aluminum patio covers offer a good opportunity to increase outdoor living space. Typically these structures have a “U Pan” or “V Pan” design. Many people have tried to enclose the area below and heat it. Most people fail at this. I will tell you how to achieve this successfully.

The most difficult part of this task is to effectively insulate the aluminum pergola. Most people will see how the pans form and be stumped. The most effective way is to fill the low voids in the deck with 2″ foam board. Measure and cut strips of foam board to fit between the edges of the trays. You want the surface of the foam board to be flush with the tops of the ridges of the trays. If not already flush, add an appropriate thickness of foam to bring the surfaces flush. Once flush, cover a foam board across the entire patio cover. You can use 3/4″ or 1″ foam. Use screws with washers to attach the top layer of foam. If you are not going to finish the inside of the ceiling and don’t want to see the screws sticking out, you can glue the foam.

The next step is to install an EPDM rubber membrane on the roof surface. Black rubber will be the most available and cheapest. I recommend using white EPDM rubber instead of black. You may have to call to get this, but it’s worth it. A white roof surface will reflect the sun’s rays in the summer and help keep you cool. The insulation will keep you warm during the winter months. Usually I wouldn’t glue the membrane down. Screw-attached termination bars are the best way to support the roof. Install the termination bar on the vertical surface of the gutter/fascia that borders the patio deck. Use a 1/4″ hex head screw that is approximately 1″ long.

Be sure to properly fold or cover the roof where it meets the existing structure. If you have an existing rubber roof and you have enough material, separate the termination bar and tuck the rubber under the other membrane. Then replace the termination bar.

You now have an insulated roof that you can enclose to suit your lifestyle. Use conventional wall construction to assemble and build walls around the area.