Flat Roof Repair – DIY roof repair guides, options and costs involved.
If you need your Flat Roof repaired in Massachusetts, we provide such services in Metro Boston area! Learn more, and fill our roof repair request here.
Does your flat roof leak and needs immediate repair? If so, this flat roof repair guide is for you! This roof repair guide will help you understand your options, as well as explain how to do an emergency roof repair yourself. You will learn basic flat roof repair techniques to fix a Rubber Roof or Tar & Gravel flat roof. You will find “how-to” roof repair videos and references to more details, and step by step do-it-yourself (DIY) roof repair articles. We will also explain the true costs of roof repair – not just what a roofing contractor will charge to fix your roof, but additional costs incurred after the roof patch leaks. As a result, you may have to spend more money on another flat roof repair, as well as interior repairs to your house.
Before you spend your money on the wrong stuff, consider all your options listed below:
What you should do when your flat roof leaks:
First of all, you should put up buckets to collect water, so the leak does not cause more damage than is already done. Once the dripping water is not causing any more damage to the interior, consider the following steps:
Step 1) If your roof is fairly new – call the roofing company that installed your roof and have them fix it.
Step 2) If it is an older roof, or the original installer will not fix it for some reason, you have three options:
- Fix the roof yourself
- Have a roof repair performed by a roofing contractor specializing in flat roofs
- Or if your roof is near the end of its life, it is best to replace it rather then throw any more money away on repairing it.
Step 3) To prevent more damages to your roof, interior of your home, or the inventory and the equipment of your business, it is a good idea to put up a tarp on you roof, until you choose a course of action – either fixing a roof yourself or choosing a roofing contractor to repair or replace your roof.
Step 4) Estimate the real cost to a repair flat roof. Learn what is involved, what the hidden costs and fees are, and why we consider flat roof repair to be “sunk cost”. This comparison will help you decide if it is time to finally replace your flat roof, or if repair is a feasible option.
Flat rubber roof repair in progress:
NOTE: If your rubber roof is leaking, we are offering Rubber Roof Repair services in MA, RI and CT. We can usually fix your EPDM rubber roof during the first roof inspection / repair visit. Some rubber roofs can be repaired, and you can extend the life of your roof by few years for a relatively low price.
DIY Flat Roof Repair guides
Due to a wide scope of flat roofing materials and different roof problems that cause leaks, it is virtually impossible to cover everything that is related to flat roof repair in one article. For your convenience, we have several DIY roof repair guides for a specific flat roof type and specific repair methods. These guides are easy to follow, and are aimed at both home and business owners.
DIY Rubber roof repair guides
The first guide is for homeowners with EPDM rubber roof leaks. There are essentially two methods of rubber roof repair, or rather two types of flashing materials that are used to repair a rubber roof. First is the older splice adhesive method (black rubber glue) applied directly to the rubber membrane. Second is a newer / better Peel & Stick method, which provides faster and better adhesion and lasts longer.
- Rubber roof repair – our original article about fixing EPDM rubber membrane roofs using “black glue” or rubber seams adhesive.
- EPDM Rubber peel & stick repair – Part II of rubber roof repair guide, which concentrates on the more advanced and efficient way to fix rubber roofs using EPDM primer, Peel & Stick flashing, and Seam tape instead of just using rubber glue.
DIY Rubber Roof Repair Video – learn how to repair EPDM rubber roofs:
The biggest issue for homeowners with DIY rubber roof repair is actually obtaining the EPDM roofing materials, which are usually sold only through distribution, and only to roofing contractors.
If you are a homeowner looking to buy Rubber Roofing supplies, such as: uncured flashing material, cover tape, seam tape, roof cleaner, primer, etc., it is best if you contact local roofers and buy those roofing materials and flashing from them. Roofing contractors may also sell you a piece of rubber membrane, which you would otherwise have to buy as a 1000 sq. ft. roll.
Identifying and repairing a leaky roof:
DIY Tar & Gravel roof repair:
Repairing a Tar and Gravel roof is simpler than fixing a rubber roof. All you really need to do is clean the leaking spot, apply tar, reinforcing mesh, and put gravel over your patch. The biggest problem will be finding the roof leak. Unlike the rubber roof, where it is easy to find a separated seam or flashing, tar roofs are covered with loose gravel, and you do not actually see any holes in the roof. Check out the Tar roof repair video below. For more information on locating and fixing a roof leak, check out the Tar Roof repair guide (a link is posted after the video).
DIY Tar & Gravel Roof Repair Video:
- Tar & Gravel roof repair – learn how to detect and repair leaks in your Built-up or Tar-and-gravel roof, using inexpensive supplies from Home Depot, Lowe’s and other Home improvement stores.
What you should know about Flat Roof Repair before you spend any money.
Flat roof reality check: roof leaks are an inevitable outcome for 99% of flat roofs in service today. If you have a flat roof, chances are that it is already leaking or will begin to leak soon, even if your roof is fairly new and was installed within 5-10 years.
This article is an overview of issues related to flat roof leaks. In the article, we review the cost of flat roof repair, actions you should take to get your flat roof fixed, as well as an outlook of what will happen after your roof is fixed.
The purpose of this Flat Roof Repair Guide is to help you avoid the costly mistakes that many home and business owners make when their roof leaks, and also to help you choose the best solution for your particular roof and your budget.
Note: Due to a wide variety of different flat roofing technologies, this article cannot cover all aspects of flat roof repair. For specific DIY ways to repair your flat roof, please refer to our EPDM Rubber Roof repair, and Tar roof repair how-to articles.
End Part 1 – continue reading part 2 of this flat roof repair guide:
Continue reading this article – Flat Roof Repair Part 2, which discusses steps you should take, when your flat roof begins to leak, how to minimize the damages from these leaks, and look into TRUE cost of flat roof repair.
Note: we cut the original Flat Roof Repair guide into two parts, because it was pushing 4000 words, and was difficult to read even for me, even though I wrote it 
– do read the second part as it is crucial to tackling flat roof leaks with minimal damages and financial investment / loss.
Written by Leo - roofer with a vision. Follow Leo on Google+
45 Responses to 'Flat Roof Repair – DIY roof repair guides, options and costs involved.'
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I have a flat roof that was repaired about seven yrs ago but a “pool” or puddle quickly developed 1/2 way down the roof near the edge. The base is concrete and they nailed down roofing particle board then rolled roofing with tarred seams etc. The original roof had a drain on two of the four corners obviously sloped toward the drains however, the slope was “lost” while screwing down the plywood, and one of the drains were plugged and the city doesn’t allow roof water to drain into the basin on the street any longer. I think that the screws were too long and their appears to be leaking inside the building now. Any suggestions on how to eliminate the puddle in the middle of the roof, or do we start over? I should mention that the building is approx. 50′ X 30′
Thanks,
Ben
Ben
3 Aug 09 at 6:12 pm
Hi Ben,
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Honestly, it is best to see pictures to have a better idea of what’s going on with the roof, but I’ll try to help you based on your information:
First of all, it is very strange that city won’t allow roof to drain onto the street…
Second, I assume that you have a rolled asphalt roofing since you mentioned tarred seams.
From what I understand, the best way to salvage existing roof is to put a new drain right in the center, or the deepest point of the puddle. The may be somewhat problematic since you have a concrete roof deck, but if it is doable, use a 4 inch PVC pipe and get a commercial type flat roofing drain like the one here from OMG : http://www.olyfast.com/product.aspx?currentPage=1&catID=21&prodID=511
Also get a “Water Stop” or “Water Cut-Off” from local roofing supply warehouse to seal the drain to the roof. This stuff is great – It never fully cures ad holds off water very well. I have a roof where our IB PVC membrane was terminated into old built-up roofing, and there is always ponding water right where this connection is. The connection was sealed with water-stop and I told the customer that I can only warranty this particular spot for 6 months. Well, it’s been over 3 years and not a single leak!
If you cannot put a drain in the middle of that puddle, I would first talk to town officials and explain the situation that because of their stupid restrictions, your roof is leaking. Besides adding a drain or opening the plugged drain, I think that it may be time to replace your roof. Rolled asphalt roofs do not last long anyway, and will never stand up to ponding water.
I of course recommend IB PVC Flat Roof, but you also need to fix the ponding water problem. If you go for a new roof, you can use tapered insulation to divert water toward drains.
Good luck, and let me know what you decide to do.
Leo
3 Aug 09 at 8:17 pm
Im working on a flat roof that is kinda domed shaped if that makes sence. There is a bad leak in one corner of the building but when i was there while it was raining I noticed that where the leak was driping from the inside was not where i think the leak is on the roof. I looked all over to see if i could find a breach in the modifed roof ( the rolls of material you flame down) but could not find anything tell tale signs. Ive been doing a little roofing now for the past couple years and have gotten good enough to do it on the side now, but i have been stumped on this one. The only thing i can think of is to bring the hose to the roof and use the plastic cement to make paths on the modified to see where the water will come in at? what do u think, kinda sounds amature to me. Do you have any tips for me? thanks alot.
Ryan
11 Aug 09 at 7:06 pm
Hi Ryan,
Well, not to go into roofing basics, but water runs down, so it could be entering at a higher pint on the roof and running down to the lower point where it drips inside the building.
That said, on sloped or slightly sloped roofs, water usually leaks when there is some king of obstruction or penetration that is compromised. Also if there is some kind of ponding that occurs on the roof, that is the most probable place of leak. It is a little difficult to picture your roof without photographs, so I can’t say for sure.
If you want, you could email me some pictures, and i’ll see what I can find.
Good luck.
Leo
12 Aug 09 at 3:37 pm
we had a local repairman put a metal roof over our rubber roof,big mistake,as we get heavy snows in vt.,and the ice,snow pushed the metal down leaving holes where screws went into hold metal dow,and roof leaked a lot.i wonder if normal house insurance covers this repair.
jerry slayton
3 Sep 09 at 12:52 pm
i have flat roof 100′x100′ have some leak i like to seal the whole roof can you let me know what type can i use to seal my roof and where can i buy it thank you
binh
7 Feb 10 at 11:34 pm
Hello Binh,
I’d like to help you, but first – I need more information about you roof. First it is important to determine what type of roofing material is used to waterproof your building. Then it is important to know where the leaks are, if there is ponding water or some other inherent weakness in the roof itself. Then it is also important that the outside temperature be about 40 degrees or more, for most roof repair jobs to be effective, as in the colder temps the repair patch will not properly adhere to the roof.
Once you determine all of the above, you can post this info here and I will help you to go through this repair.
Leo
8 Feb 10 at 9:22 am
We bought a house with a flat roof ~3 yrs ago -it had a lot of water damage and mold damage due to a leaky roof. The first thing we did was install an IB roofing system. We had leaks the first year-in our master bath around the exhaust fan and by our chimney. The contractor who installed it can’t seem to figure out why they are leaking and has yet to fix a thing…..3 yrs later…. we now have water damage on our downstairs ceiling right below the fireplace…..I believe it’s the flashings….I had the insurance adjustor out today…he will cover the inside damage that happened during the first year, but not the current issues we are having. Who’s at fault and do we need a lawyer?
Brandy
17 Feb 10 at 4:58 pm
Hello Brandy,
I’m very sorry to hear that you are having these problems, especially so with IB roof.
I will hold from saying who is at fault – for now – as I had not seen the roof. It would be best if you email me pictures of your roof – especially the places where you suspect the leaks. Close-up pictures and from some distance will be most helpful for me to better assess your situation. Also a couple of interior damge pictures would also help.
You can email me the pictures here: service @ coolflatroof.com (I separated email address to avoid span. There are no spaces)
Few questions for you:
Did your contractor checked the seams with a probe and did a test cut of a seam?
What kind of flashing do you suspect to be leaking? Is it a roof to wall flashing or chimney / skylight or something else?
What state are you in? If you are in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island, we can help you with your roof repair. We have repaired some IB roofs which other contractors installed and also other PVC roofs (non – IB).
Please email me the pictures and I will be able to help you better. You can post your answers here. I’m also emailing you copy of my reply.
Leo
17 Feb 10 at 5:27 pm
Hello, I have a TPO flat roof and water is starting to puddle in the center because of settled beams. I am wondering how to go about installing a drain in the center of the area water is standing. Any help would be great.
craig
2 Mar 10 at 10:14 pm
Hi Craig,
Here is a video describing installation of clamp-ring roof drain on the IB roof. Same installation techniques should be followed to install such roof drain on your TPO roof.
Before you cut the roof and install the drain, you’ll need to get the drain plumbing system ready. I’d recommend 3 or 4″ pvc pipes, and matching roof drain.
Roof drain installation video
This of course is a big production and you will need a roofer with hot air welding equipment to help you. What state are you in?
Leo
3 Mar 10 at 12:38 am
i have an epdm roof on my 21,000 sq ft warehouse. there are leaks everywhere. i have a contractor telling me that he can coat my roof with a product called Andek. the price he gave me is $2.65 per sq ft which includes materials. there is a 10 yr product warranty. he is certified by said company and has a nice portfollio on prior roofs. is this product worth $2.65 a sq? is this going to stop my leaks?
mark
19 Mar 10 at 3:27 pm
hi i have a problem i have a flal roof a couple of months a go a friend of minds came over we went to to of the house and take off some of the old shingle patch where we know the roof is leaking from we though we had it the problem taking care of but it started to rain and the roof is still leaking , for some reason it’s leaking only in the seam, so i went back on top of the roof and use leak stopping tart i pick up from home depot put it on but that does not work cant afford a new roof now. the roof is about 15-20years old any ideas on what i can do
wayne
5 Apr 10 at 10:28 am
Hello,
Actually my roof top kitchen went through a great leakage. the former contractor said that the rain water down pipe could not sustain the water capacity. they used bigger diameter plus hacked the original concrete and added new concrete. but then still unsolved. Should i use epoxy to fix the hairline cracks and lay waterproof on the flat roof surface?
idzma
6 Jun 10 at 8:11 pm
What a great website. I have a simple question – what kind of adhesive do I use to glue down an edge on a quite new PVC roof? It is all our fault and I just want to glue it back down.
thanx
Alan
13 Jul 10 at 11:29 am
Hello Alan,
Thanks for your appreciation of what we do in trying to educate homeowners and building owners / property managers about roof leaks and roof repair issues.
As far as gluing the PVC to the drip edge metal – depending on the manufacturer of you PVC roofing material, it should actually be welded to the drip edge (which should have PVC clad – thing layer of PVC material attached to the metal). If you can’t weld it down for one reason or another, I would try to use PVC cement (if your drip edge is in fact PVC coated), or contact the manufacturer. I know there are some glues that you can use, but I really never had to actually do it, as our PVC roof system is 100% welded together, and we don’t use and seam adhesive.
Best of luck.
Leo - roofer with a vision
26 Jul 10 at 8:39 pm
I just bought this 2000sq ft house – and it appears that my roof has some minor leaks. I was considering replacing the whole roof since it almost reached its end of life (30 years), and was researching. This IB roof referred to on many of the articles here, is the best I think. But come on – to pay $23,000 only for the roof, when I better fix my back yard (pool, and all that)?! Is there any other way of doing this roof? What happens if I put tile on the roof? Also – what is the best way of flattening the roof, as it appears that it’s like an ocean wave – not really, but water is pounding on the roof and hence the leaks. I appreciate any recommendations.
Marius
22 Aug 10 at 8:27 pm
Hi Marius,
Of course $23000 is a lot of money, but that also means a very big roof – if you used our roofing calculator to arrive at $23k roof price. Also, spending the money on the roof does not seem as “fun” as spending it on the backyard – you never “use” the roof while backyard is used all the time. But if you let the roof problems progress, your roof repair / replacement may exceed $23k, as the substrate and framing may begin to rot.
As far as your roof right now – you may try drying it first, and re-seaming the roof (i understand it’s a rubber roof) – here is a guide for rubber roof repair.
You can’t get rid of bubbles as they are the result of bad adhesion between the membrane and insulation. Solving ponding water is also a right thing to do but not without removing old roof and installing new one. So yes – if you don’t want to spend the money on new roof, repair this one.
Good luck
Leo - roofer with a vision
23 Aug 10 at 10:43 am
I live in Phoenix and have a 6-yr old foam roof. I have a bubble that’s about the size of a dinner plate. How do I repair it?
Linda
10 Sep 10 at 2:01 pm
I have a two year old flat tar and gravel roof . After the new roof was installed, I now have a leak and there is a relatively large bubble in a different area.. It has taken the roofer 2 years to respond to our problem. Last week he put more tar over a seam that he believes is where the leak is. He says he doesn’t want to repair the bubble because it is not leaking and is more likely to leak if he does the repair. What should I do?
cathy
24 Sep 10 at 3:45 pm
Hi Cathy,
I’m sorry to hear that you got irresponsible roofers who take two years to fix a roof leak. Since you wrote this comment, has the roof leaked? Basically, i’d like to know if their roof fix worked.
About the bubbles – I would not touch them unless they do start to leak. Problem with tar and gravel roof, is that they are very difficult to even diagnose (find the leak) and also very difficult to repair. The only repair solution used to fix these roofs is to basically slap tar over potential leak. You can’t really clean the repair surface as there is all that gravel embedded in the top tar layer, and all the dirt stuck to the tar, so the patch does not hold for too long.
If I was fixing such a roof, I’d actually use Solar Seal 900 caulking instead of tar, and try to clean the repair surface as best I could.
As for what you should do – depending on where you are located, you could go through department of consumer protection, to have these guys fix or replace the roof, if it was officially classified as defectively installed. However, replacing it at contractor’s cost is highly unlikely.
Next, time you have to change the roof (hopefully not any time soon), do not go with tar & gravel or asphalt or modified bitumen or rubber roof. Get PVC roof – it will be more expensive, but you will never have to deal with issues like this. Most PVC roof installations are done by trained pros, and even if there are issues, the repair is rather simple and effective.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes with the roof.
Leo - roofer with a vision
1 Oct 10 at 1:47 pm
I bought an early 60′s ranch house from an estate, vacant for some time) in March. The garage roof is flat; the house is single-story with a shallow-pitch shingle roof. What I call the garage roof actually covers a pantry/laundry room behind the garage as well. At the back end of the house water has been flowing off the garage roof onto the siding of the house and soaking in. This corner is under the roof eaves. The siding, wall studs, and insulation have all been compromised. Who knows how many years this had been going on. The garage roof is unfortunately pitched toward that back corner. Since the coating / tar seems to be in good shape right now, and I am not considering rebuilding the roof anytime soon, I am thinking of literally damming that low corner. Using some sort of semisolid sealant, it would divert flowing water away from that corner and force it over the edge well away from the exterior wall. Because of the eaves, water can only flow on the roof toward that corner; rain and snow cannot fall on it. What do you think? Stupid idea? Should I build up some edge right where the flat roof meets the wall instead? Thanks
John Thorne
26 Oct 10 at 8:08 pm
i recently moved into to my late grandmothers house. the house is probably about 80 years old. the roof is flat and it just started raining the other day and it started to leak (real bad). i had a friend look at it and he said i need a hole new roof. is IB PVC roofing an option
heather
4 Nov 10 at 7:58 pm
I’m wondering if you have a simple solution to my problem which is the solarium/sun deck
which has a flat tiled floor which is leaking in several points into my lounge. The roof was replaced by the builder about a year after the house was built in 2006, unfotunately the builder cannot be contacted regading any problems on our development so it looks like it is down to me. So any advice would be welcolm I am trying to avoid taking up the whole roof again if this can be avoided.
John Sunstrum
8 Dec 10 at 2:54 pm
@ John
Before I can give you a better answer, I need to know what is under the tiles – there should be a waterproofing membrane of some sort, as tiles are just for walking (as I understand). So best thing would be to lift a few of them and and take a picture of it and send to us.
Here are few things that could be causing this roof leak:
Failed seams – my guess is that you have a rubber roof under these tiles / pavers, and it is possible that the seams were done badly.
Membrane damage – if pavers are sitting right on the roof membrane, they could puncture a hole in the roof. You need some protective layer between the pavers and the roof.
Possible drainage issues – is there a roof drain in the center somewhere or does the water run off to the side. Is there any ponding? To check this, I’d lift some pavers here and there and run a water hose and see if water runs off or if it ponds – ponding water is another common cause of roof leaks.
Leo - roofer with a vision
10 Dec 10 at 10:59 am
I live in a rental (basically an old house that was converted into apartments) that was built in 1909. About a month and a half ago, my fiance and I starting noticing that one of the tiles in our drop ceiling in the living room was beginning to sag (and to a lesser extent the tiles around it, too). I e-mailed our landlord a little over three weeks ago, and he sent out a guy from his maintenance crew out to find out what was happening, and discovered there was a leak in the (flat) roof. He removed the tile and replaced it with a plastic bag which he poked a hole in to let “water” drain into a bucket on our floor. He then attempted to patch the roof, and came back several times on different occasions after it kept leaking (it has been leaking black, oily roof sealant). Our landlord then decided that the roofing company he contracts with should come out and take a look. They, too, tried to patch the roof, and it continues to leak roof sealant. I contacted our landlord directly last week after failed attempts to get someone out to the apartment again, and he told me that they were doing everything they could to get it fixed asap, but that nothing could really be done right now because it’s been too wet and rainy. My fiance and I are getting really fed up and frustrated because it sounds like no one knows what there doing (and that maybe our landlord is stalling because he doesn’t want to pay to get the roof replaced). Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!
Katie
3 Jan 11 at 11:01 am
Hi Katie,
Well, tell the maintenance guy to use Solar Seal 900 instead of black oily stuff … or better yet stay away from flat roofs all together and concentrate on fixing toilets
As far as what you should do – I can’t really answer that for you. I can give a technical advice, but because you are renters, you don’t have any knowledge of what the roofing materials used on your roof are, and why the roof is leaking. Therefore, I can’t even give you a technical advice, unless you get above info from the maintenance guy or the landlord.
Thing is, the maintenance guy is obviously unqualified to diagnose or repair flat roof leaks, and your landlord should hire a pro to do it. However it is difficult to find pro roofers specializing in flat roofing…
PS, where are you located? If anywhere in MA CT or RI, have your landlord contact us, and we might be able to help (depends on how much your landlord is willing to spend).
Leo - roofer with a vision
3 Jan 11 at 2:58 pm
I currently rent an apartment that recently went under foreclosure – so I’m not paying rent to anyone because I don’t have a landlord. I’m a single 26yr old female so needless to say – leaky roofs are NOT my specialty. lol Anything I can do to prevent further damage from a flat roof (rubber I’m assuming, but like I said – I know nothing about this). I want a quick fix, don’t care what it even looks like on the inside…just would like to last a couple months. But some spots are quite soft, and I had my first drip today. I shoveled all the snow off the roof in the spot it was leaking and it appears to have stopped for now…but its making me nervous. I know this isn’t very detailed, any suggestions??
katy
13 Jan 11 at 10:21 pm
Hi There,
I have a twin duplex house with a roof that is 10 square,I have a flat rolled roof it doesn not have any tar or gravel on it i know its not rubber, recently i developed a leak and had a roofer look at it,i also noticed cracks in the seams about 2-3 mm wide, he said the roof needed to be relined and the cost for it was $3100. My question is can i just patch the leak, and if not is this estimate right for this kind of a job, I live in Allentown PA. ps he charged me $70 to put some roofing cement and that mesh on the leak, is that a fair price for that patch job? Your help is appreciated.
Thank you
Abe
6 Apr 11 at 10:08 am
Hi, I own half of a duplex that has a flat, tar and gravel roof. 7 years ago I replaced my 1/2 of the roof and at the same time asked if they could put some insultation board down. They did this. Every year for the last 10 years I get a leak in the winter time from around one of the pipes that lead outside (fortunatley it leaks into my tub)and have had the roofing company come out several times to fix it. It’s still there. In addition to this, my neighbor in the other half of the duplex, for the last two years has complained that the water now pools on his side of the roof and he is having to replace many of his ceilings. Is it possible that the roofing company lifted our drain pipe, which runs down the centre of our units, when they added the insulation to my side of the roof and ruined the drainage system? What should my neighbor do? His half of roof is more than 30 years old and I guess he can’t afford a new one.
Della
6 Jul 11 at 6:37 pm
Della,
First, before any diagnosis, you need to send pictures of the roof, the pipe, and the drain.
As far as your question – everything is possible.
Your neighbor NEEDs to replace the roof, as most flat roofs do not hold up to ponding water.Where did the water on neighbor’s side go before you replaced your roof and raised it up with insulation? Once again pictures would help a lot.
For now – your neighbor may try to patch his roof and see how it goes, but long term, they need to replace it and have it same level as yours (also add insulation).
Leo - roofer with a vision
7 Jul 11 at 12:56 pm
Can you recommend a roofer specializing in flat roofs who works in the Washington DC/Northern VA area? Thank you.
Tessa Barsic
tessa barsic
12 Jul 11 at 11:29 am
Hi Tessa,
I just added a list of six IB Roof installers in Washington DC metro area, to our IB Roof Contractors Directory. I can’t recommend anyone in particular, as I do not know these guys, but they are certified by IB roof systems.
Hope this helps – Leo
Leo - roofer with a vision
12 Jul 11 at 11:38 am
Who needs “professional roofing technicians”. LOL
Anyone can do flat roof installation after a few minutes of quick research. This reads like a brochure from some roofers association. LMAO
John
1 Aug 11 at 7:37 am
Dude – because of “roofers” like you who can install a flat roof after “reading on the internet for a few minutes”, we have plenty of work cleaning up your mess, tearing off 1 year old roofs, and installing new roofs for homeowners who went with lower price guys like you.
You are the reason roofs leak – stop doing any research on the web! Stop doing roofing or any other home improvement projects that are not DIY.
Leo - roofer with a vision
1 Aug 11 at 8:39 am
I am about to purchase a home, which has a balcony on top of the garage and this part of the house has a flat roof. There are signs of water leaks all over the garage ceiling. According to the owner there are leaks only when it rains. What would be your recomendation on how to fix or solve this problem. Owner states that this has been going on for about 5 years,do you think there could be damage to more than just the sheetrock? Thanks in advance.
Ivan
9 May 12 at 9:10 pm
Ivan
Depending on what type of flat roof you have repairing it with Andek would work great. It has a ten year warranty. If your sheetrock has water damage chances are there will be more like your insulation or the studs.
mark
17 May 12 at 7:49 pm
I am in Maryland and just got hit like everyone else. My power came back on and I have a hole in the roof where it got speared by a tree limb. I have been doing research online and was wondering if using a coating and polyester fabric over the hole would be advisable. This is the stuff I found on youtube, does anyone have any comments either way? Thanks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2COhRC83_ss
Matt
3 Jul 12 at 12:31 pm
Tar and gravel roofs are a problem for the inexperienced roofer or building owner. They are a very good roof if installed right. I have almost 40 years of experience repairing all types of roofing systems. They all leak. Metal, PVC, Tpo, Mod bit, Bur,or rubber the roofs are only as good as the roofer applying them and the maintenance provided.
A tar and gravel that does not pond water is well worth the investment. With single ply roofing you only have one ply of protection. Step on a screw and you have a leak. Have a branch fall on the roof and you have a leak. Have a piece of metal blow across your roof and you have numerous leaks. The gravel on a hot tar roof provides protection against numerous types of punctures as well as protection from UV rays. When ever repairing a tar and gravel roof remove the gravel as a good bond is important in any repair. Never go over wet when it can be avoided as moisture will come back at you later.
Tom Potter
27 Oct 12 at 6:26 pm
Hi i am looking for some help, i got my flat roof replaced last year in feb so 22 months ago as i had a leak and the roof was old so we decided to replace it. today i noticed a my bedroom ceiling was damp in the same place as 22 months ago (we have had nothing until now). I called the company who replaced the roof but the guy told me hes going away till Jan. do you have any idea how this could happen after so long in the same place, I’m devastated
nikki hayden
8 Dec 12 at 11:25 am
Hi Nikki.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, and that your original roofer is ditching you till next year.
To help you i would need to know what type of rofing material you had installed, if tuetr is any ponding water on your roof, and where you are located.
It would also be very helpful if you could send me some pictures of your roof. You can email them to leo @ coolflatroof.com (no spaces). I’ll take a look and see what i can recommend.
Leo
Leo - roofer with a vision
8 Dec 12 at 11:45 am
Hi
I live in Montreal Quebec Canada. I have a 43*52 flat roof composed of tar and gravel with 15 upside down J shape ventilations. I was told that have been done 15 years at the time that I bought this house in Aug. 2008. After the 45cm snow storm passed Montreal Thursday 27 Dec,next day water sipped through the ceiling of a living room in one of the unit next to the roof, water started to form the guttes, but not drop then dried out the next day. I had the whole roof clean up the 29th, today in the same unit, in one of the sleeping room, the same problem in the living happened in that sleeping room.
After yours specialities, what is the most closest cause to this phenomements?
The contractor that I hired to clean snow on roof told me that might be that the roof is to old that the heat is lost, caused snow to melted because there was ice on the surface of the gravels, caused cold atmostphere under the roof then moisture warm air rise meet the cold air, water develope. Or the ventilation were installed in all direction, wind blowed snow into them, snow then melted and water collect on the ceiling of the living room which is direct below the ventilations that oppose the wind.
My questions are if these scenarios above are true. what can I do to stop the water form inside this unit until the summer for a complete roof change? I am in a difficulty finacing now, however if must change the roof now, How much more will be in the middle of winter to change a roof of this size? What kind of the roof will free me problem like for the next 30 years? How do they calculate the cost?
An extra questions, Can you please recommand me any trustful roof cover contractor. I was told that my roof is warranty 25 years, I tried to tract the contractor that did my roof, it does not exist anymore.
I am very appreciate wether you can help me or not. Happy newyear to you and your family.
Sincerely
Ben Nguyen
Ben Nguyen
30 Dec 12 at 5:57 pm
Leo, our church in texas has over 10,000 SQ 9 years-old TPO manufactured by Stevens Roofing System.
the roof started to have leaks from various spots 3 years ago. the roof has no ponding issue. we called the original installer to fix the leaks on our expense. but the situation was not improved.
for past 2 years, the leaks continued to show up on same spots plus some new area. i can see tiny crack line around the seam joint. the church elders are inclined to 2 approaches:
(1) apply elastomeric coating on top of existing TPO, or (2) lay new TPO on top of existing one.
by reading the discussion in your title “Single-Ply flat roof system: PVC vs TPO”, i have 2nd thought of TPO. i will contact a couple of IB contractors next week locally.
how do you think about the elastomeric coating? is it reliable?
thanks in advance for your suggestion.
PT
16 Mar 13 at 8:57 pm
Hi Peter,
I would stay away from elastomeric coating, or any coating for that matter. Every flat roof coating job I’ve seen – be it on rubber roof or other single ply (such as TPO or PVC), the coating starts chipping / peeling and if such roof leaks, it becomes impossible to fix it, by applying original type material, as coating is in the way. And scraping the coating off is very problematic, time consuming and expensive.
I would recommend IB roof. As you can see, you are having what I believe a material failure – not improper installation, although it could be a combination of both. So don’t install another layer of TPO.
Good luck.
PS, I have some questions for you, so I will send you an email.
Leo - roofer with a vision
22 Mar 13 at 8:38 am
Hi,
I have a tar and gravel roof. I’ve noticed areas where the gravel has washed away and the exposed tar is dry and cracked. What repair method would you recommend?
Thanks
~Mike
Mike
26 Apr 13 at 2:53 pm