| Author |
Rubber Roof Question
|
|
| Mark Anderson 2006-03-10, 5:21 pm |
| I just discovered a tiny leak in my flat rubber roof that needs to be
addressed. I googled and googled and couldn't find very much
information on rubber roofing. There were instructions on repairing
asphalt flat roofs but rubber is completely different. Does anyone have
a link where I can find information as to how to troubleshoot and
maintain and do minor repairs on a rubber roof? When I google this
stuff all I get is a bunch of ads.
BTW: I'm not against hiring someone skilled at this to fix this problem
but I still would like to know something about what needs to be done.
I've learned to do most maintenance tasks around my house and would
prefer to learn more about the roof so I can be more self sufficient. I
would appreciate if anyone can point me in the right direction to learn
more about this.
I'm off to Home Depot to see what they got, and I know they carry rolls
of the exact rubber roofing material that I have installed, but I'm not
too sure anyone there will know enough to advise me either.
Also, last year I had a big problem with my boiler that required a call
to a heating guy. He let me, and appreciated that, I was willing to be
his helper and he taught me how to disassemble and assemble and
troubleshoot my boiler better than anything that I could decipher from
the manufacture's documentation. He was expensive but now I know more
how to better maintain the boiler myself so it became an educational
experience as well as getting my boiler up and running. I'd really like
to be able to maintain that roof myself too.
| |
| CWatters 2006-03-10, 8:21 pm |
|
"Mark Anderson" <mea@nospambrandylion.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e7ba002ddbbbed6989872@chi.news.speakeasy.net...
> I just discovered a tiny leak in my flat rubber roof that needs to be
> addressed. I googled and googled and couldn't find very much
> information on rubber roofing. There were instructions on repairing
> asphalt flat roofs but rubber is completely different.
This is about repairing an overlapping seam but I imagine you can stick a
patch on the same way....
http://doityourself.com/info/qnaexterior10.htm
Q. I have a rubber roof, and the one of the seams has opened, causing a leak
in the roof. What sealant/caulk do I use to fix this?
A. Pull back the seam as far as you can see the dirty area, until you start
to feel resistance. Wipe off any dirt, etc. Obtain a 1-gallon can of seam
cleaner/primer from your local Roofing Materials Wholesaler {yellow pages}.
Pick up 1 gallon of seam glue and pick up a tube of EPDM caulking. Clean off
both sides, you want to glue together with the cleaner/primer. After it's
"set up" and tacky {a couple of minutes}, apply the glue to both sides.
After it's "set up" and tacky {several minutes}, push the two sides
together. Working the air bubbles out. Then apply the rubber caulking to the
finished seam.
| |
|
|
| JerryD\(upstateNY\) 2006-03-10, 9:21 pm |
| >>BTW: I'm not against hiring someone skilled at this to fix this problem
but I still would like to know something about what needs to be done.<<
I would hire a professional and then watch him and ask questions.
Going to Home Depot and asking questions is a crap shoot.
Why take the chance of messing up the roof even more ?
--
JerryD(upstateNY)
"Mark Anderson" <mea@nospambrandylion.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e7ba002ddbbbed6989872@chi.news.speakeasy.net...
| |
| Al Bundy 2006-03-10, 11:21 pm |
| "JerryD\(upstateNY\)" <jerry@righthere.com> wrote in news:akpQf.8240$Da7.42
@twister.nyroc.rr.com:
> but I still would like to know something about what needs to be done.<<
>
> I would hire a professional and then watch him and ask questions.
> Going to Home Depot and asking questions is a crap shoot.
> Why take the chance of messing up the roof even more ?
>
Make sure you get a pro experienced in flat roofs I'd think. Totally
different animal. The best crew at pitched ones may have never/rarely done
flat wotk. All just speculation really.
| |
| Mark Anderson 2006-03-11, 3:21 pm |
| In article colin.watters@pandoraBOX.be says...
> or perhaps contact a company that makes the materials..
> http://www.inlandcoatings.com/roofprod.htm
Thanks for the link. That was useful.
| |
| Mark Anderson 2006-03-11, 4:21 pm |
| In article colin.watters@pandoraBOX.be says...
> Q. I have a rubber roof, and the one of the seams has opened, causing a leak
> in the roof. What sealant/caulk do I use to fix this?
> A. Pull back the seam as far as you can see the dirty area, until you start
> to feel resistance. Wipe off any dirt, etc. Obtain a 1-gallon can of seam
> cleaner/primer from your local Roofing Materials Wholesaler {yellow pages}.
> Pick up 1 gallon of seam glue and pick up a tube of EPDM caulking. Clean off
> both sides, you want to glue together with the cleaner/primer. After it's
> "set up" and tacky {a couple of minutes}, apply the glue to both sides.
> After it's "set up" and tacky {several minutes}, push the two sides
> together. Working the air bubbles out. Then apply the rubber caulking to the
> finished seam.
For my situation, I wish it were that simple. I had a complete rip job
done pulling 100 years of roofing off (9 layers) when I had the rubber
roof installed 5 years ago. I know precisely where the leak is
underneath the roof. When I examine the roof from above it boggles my
mind as to how water is penetrating the rubber. The seams are
completely sealed and there's a little cracking but not much. There
shouldn't be any lateral movement of the water like I had in the old
days when the leak would be in one place and the water would travel
laterally through the roof layers and wind up somewhere else. This is
just a single layer of rubber up there.
It does appear the silver paint (whatever that is) is showing some wear
so maybe I only need to repaint/seal the entire roof again. I went to
Home Depot who carries the rolls of the rubber on my roof and ironically
they only have sealant for asphalt roofing. Menards, who doesn't carry
rubber roofing (in my area), has some products for rubber.
| |
| Mark Anderson 2006-03-11, 4:21 pm |
| In article postmaster@127.0.0.1 says...
> Make sure you get a pro experienced in flat roofs I'd think. Totally
> different animal. The best crew at pitched ones may have never/rarely done
> flat wotk. All just speculation really.
We have a lot of flat roofs in my area. I'm about to break down and
call the guy who installed my roof. I didn't want to have to deal with
him again due to some totally unrelated neighborhood BS but it looks
like I might have to break down and call him.
| |
| jumpenjuhosaphat@yahoo.com 2006-03-12, 6:21 am |
| Rubber roofing is called EPDM, don't ask. It needs to be torched down,
so unless you have an EPDM torch, I would suggest calling a
professional. All the compounds and brush on's in the world won't
help, they're intended for composite roofing (fiberglass and asphalt),
so I wouldn't suggest using them.
| |
| Mark Anderson 2006-03-15, 5:21 pm |
| In article jumpenjuhosaphat@yahoo.com says...
> Rubber roofing is called EPDM, don't ask. It needs to be torched down,
> so unless you have an EPDM torch, I would suggest calling a
> professional. All the compounds and brush on's in the world won't
> help, they're intended for composite roofing (fiberglass and asphalt),
> so I wouldn't suggest using them.
I found someone in my neighborhood who knew about these roofs and he
inspected mine. Apparently the people who originally installed my EPDM
roof failed to install termination bars. The roof was peeling off the
wall causing water to get in. He torched and sealed the sides and was
in and out in 4 hours.
I'm hoping that solves the leak problem but I'll find out after the next
thunderstorm.
Thanks to everyone for the advice.
| |
| Al Bundy 2006-03-16, 12:21 am |
| Mark Anderson <mea@nospambrandylion.com> wrote in
news:MPG.1e8238cf34e1d5dc989884@chi.news.speakeasy.net:
> In article jumpenjuhosaphat@yahoo.com says...
>
> I found someone in my neighborhood who knew about these roofs and he
> inspected mine. Apparently the people who originally installed my
> EPDM roof failed to install termination bars. The roof was peeling
> off the wall causing water to get in. He torched and sealed the sides
> and was in and out in 4 hours.
>
> I'm hoping that solves the leak problem but I'll find out after the
> next thunderstorm.
>
> Thanks to everyone for the advice.
>
>
>
EDPM...kept seeing that and looked so damn familiar. Finally
remembered!10yrs ago or so I build an inground water pond. The liner I
bought was EDPM.
Your problem is hopefully solved but if EDPM is EDPM regardless of use,
pond construction suppliers may have things you need. The online one I
used was http://www.thatpetplace.com Pond => Liners & Supplies
|
|
|
|