When it comes to replacing your flat roof, you need to think long-term. Getting a cheaper roof, such as EPDM Rubber, may be appealing at first, but you need to consider some factors that will affect the total price of your new roof. Here we will discuss in detail what the total roof replacement price includes, and factors affecting it.

Installation price from every roofing company also includes that company’s overhead or cost of running the business. For example, an established roofing company should be fully insured. This includes adequate Liability and Worker’s Comp Insurance. If for example you get a very low bid, consider that the bidder might not be adequately insured or have no insurance at all. If that is the case and you hire such a contractor, you will be responsible for any damages or injury claims that may occur.

Introducing IB PVC Roof – the longest lasting flat roofing system.

Over the last 30 years, IB Roofs, once a small family-owned company importer and installer of German-developed PVC flat roofing systems, has become a household name in the flat roofing industry. There is a reason for IB’s success – it is the ultimate quality of their products and unparalleled customer service. IB’s original roofs from 30 years ago are still in service and performing well, and when it comes to working with customers, IB will go out of their way yo give you the product you are looking for – be it a color of the membrane, a thickness, or special application requirements.

Quality of IB Flat Roofs:

IB Roofs has not changed the formulation of their PVC membrane since its early days in the late 1970′. Today’s IB membrane is the same great proven product that they were importing from Germany 30+ years ago. IB did not try to make the product cheaper by using less expensive components and fillers. On the contrary, IB has chosen to use the more expensive non-wicking scrim to prevent the membrane from splitting in the center due to water penetration, as is often the case with cheaper TPO roofs.

At some point, there comes a time when flat roof patches stop working and it is time for a replacement.

Here we will review flat roofing cost structure and factors affecting your price, IB Roof prices in Massachusetts and surrounding states ( CT, RI, NH, ME and VT). We’ll also reveal insights into choosing your flat roofing contractor, and what you should expect to pay for your particular roof, as well as your specific roofing product choice.

Flat Roof Replacement Cost: Residential and Commercial

Our general pricing for flat roof replacement works in the following manner:

Residential flat roofs are priced at $675 per square for a simple roof, with no existing roof removal. This includes 50-mil IB Roof membrane, 1/2 inch foam insulation with 2 r-value, perimeter pressure-treated wood nailer and half-roll membrane around the roof edges for wind-uplift prevention. Roof attachment using heavy-duty screws and barbed plates, 6 inches O.C. along the perimeter and 12 inches O.C. in-field. All required roofing parts and accessories are included.

Generally, for a 1000 sq. ft. residential home, your cost should be around $6750 for an average (simple) roof. If you would like to upgrade the membrane type or add more insulation, this will slightly increase your price. Please note: For all residential installations, all IB roofing membranes come with a lifetime residential warranty, therefore there is no need to upgrade from 50 to 80-mil product, as both will perform the same in protecting your roof from the elements and will remain water-tight throughout its life and beyond.

Commercial flat roofs are priced at $600 per square for roofs over 25 squares (2500 sq. ft.) The price difference from residential roofs is due to ‘economy-of-scale’ factors and lower per-square ‘setup’ and insurance costs.

If your commercial roof is around 50 squares you can expect a $30000 price range.

Use our interactive roof price calculator to estimate the cost of you roofing project. You can choose different roof options difficulty level, and will get ‘quotes’ for an IB roof, as well as other roofing products and approximate energy-savings derived from using an IB roof.

Please Note: All prices described above are assuming an ‘average’ roofing project and may/will change depending on your roof’s condition and scope of work required. The price may change in either direction, and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

We are a premium roofing contractor and do not compete with other roofing companies solely on price. Our roof packages are priced accordingly to the quality, warranty and customer service we provide.

IB Roof packages and prices in New England

All packages described below include roof installation in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and state/local building codes. They also include the cost of building permits, material warranty and our labor warranty. Prices below do not include tear-off of the existing roof, as that usually varies a lot from one flat roof to another. The cost of a tear-off is determined on a case-by-case basis when we perform a roof inspection. Please refer to our Residential roofing and/or Commercial roofing sections to see the available material / color / membrane thickness options available for your particular roof.

Package 1 – 50-mil white residential IB Roof with Lifetime warranty:

Our basic and most common roof package, includes 50-mil white IB Roofing membrane with all necessary trim, flashings and accessories such as drip edge, air-vents, inside/outside corner flashings, drains, etc., and 1/2 inch fan-fold Styrofoam insulation.

Cost of this package starts at around $675 per square (100 sq. ft.) of roof area.

Package 2 – IB Traditions flat Roof – Architectural Shingles Pattern imprinted onto the membrane:

IB Traditions was created specifically for low-slope roofs with aesthetics in mind. They offer the beautiful look of architectural shingle combined with proven reliability of an IB roofing membrane to give you decades of leak-free performance and curb-appeal. IB Traditions come in three color options: Sierra Vista ( beige / brown ), Stony Ridge (grey) and Mountain Spruce (green). To maintain a consistent shingles look, all IB Traditions installation feature hand-welding of all seams, and use special accessories / flashings designed to match the aesthetics of IB Traditions.

Cost per square for IB Traditions is $775-825, and includes 1/2 insulation and all necessary trim and flashings.

Package 3 – 80-mil white residential IB Roof with a Lifetime warranty:

Includes 80-mil white membrane, 1/2 insulation and all necessary trim / accessories / flashings. Cost per 1 square is $800. If you are looking for an 80-mil Color IB roof, there are six standard colors available and $850 per square. For custom colors the minimum order must be 100 squares ( This is the requirement of IB Roof Systems, and we have no control over it).

One: Roof Installation Prices

Our pricing structure is based on two direct (main) variables and a number of indirect variables that affect the total price of your roof replacement project. You can expect similar pricing methods from other roofing contractors.

First cost variable: Roof Size

The most important variable is the size of your roof. The bigger the roof, the higher the roofing cost. We base our pricing on the number of Squares, where each square is equal to 100 sq. ft. For example, if your flat roof is 1900 sq. ft. it is 19 squares.

Second cost variable: Roof difficulty

The difficulty of roof installation is the second most important variable affecting the cost of your roofing project. If you have a simple roof with a minimal number of roof penetrations (such as HVAC units, sky-lights, roof drains, through-wall scuppers, vent-pipes, posts, etc.), then your roof prices will be much less than if you had a more difficult roof with multiple roof penetrations and obstacles that require more roof flashing details. These roof penetrations require a great deal of professional manual labor and time, and slow-down the entire roof installation process.

Another factor associated with roof difficulty is the roof’s present condition, and presence of gravel and/or multiple roofing layers. These layers generally require removal and consume a lot of time because it is necessary to dispose of them. At the same time, roof removal must be performed quickly to eliminate the possibility of water penetration during the removal process.

Third cost variable: Indirect costs and material upgrades

Additionally, you can expect changes in roofing cost, depending on ease of access, roof location, and material options: As far as material options go, we offer a complete line-up of IB roofing membranes for residential and commercial installations. This includes: 50, 60 and 80-mil membranes in white and custom colors, as well as specialty membranes such as ChemGuard for restaurants, and IB Traditions (Architectural shingles pattern imprinted onto the membrane) and a Slip-proof IB DeckShield for walk-on flat-roof decks. We also offer a wide range of insulation options from 2-r fan-fold foam insulation to 20-r 3.3 inch ISO board and “tapered insulation” to create a slight roof pitch for drainage purposes.

Total Cost Concept

Consider the total installation price of the new flat roof. It will include: labor, materials, warranty and other factors. Roofing materials usually carry a manufacturer’s warranty period ranging from 5 to 25 years for commercial installation. Residential warranties will range from 5-15 years, while IB has the only Residential Lifetime Warranty in the industry. However, residential warranties are more complex, as many flat roofing manufactures will not warranty residential installations, or they fill impose certain requirements before they issue that warranty.

Any roofing job should also include a Labor warranty from the roofing contractor, and usually you can also purchase additional labor warranty from the manufacturer. IB Roofs offers an ‘NDL’ or No-Dollar-Limit labor warranty, which you can purchase as an additional ‘insurance policy’ for your roof.

Flat Roofing – thinking long-term

Most roofing contractors will warranty the water-tightness of the roof they install for the minimum period required by state law or building code. In Massachusetts for example, such minimum period is 2 years. After that, you are usually on your own. We find this especially troubling when someone chooses to install an EPDM or a black-rubber roof, which is especially popular among roofing contractors for its low materials cost. However, rubber roofs usually start to leak within 5 to 8 years after they are installed, due to failing seam adhesives. By this time your labor warranty has already expired and the cost of repair is on you – the owner.

We at CoolFlatRoof warranty our jobs for the length of the material warranty! We can do so, because we exclusively use IB PVC/CPA roofs, and we know that our roofs will NOT leak due to failing seams or other flashing detail.

Two: Overheads or Cost of doing business

Insurance Costs

It is in your best interest to hire a fully insured roofing company. However, adequate insurance coverage for a roofing company is very high: Worker’s Comp is usually 40 cents for each 1 dollar of payroll, or higher if the company had some incidents in the past. Liability Insurance is cheaper, but still it is one of the most expensive in the construction industry, due to possible damages if a contractor fails do adequately protect the building from water during or after installation.

Advertising: Market acquisition cost

Another considerable overhead for most roofing companies are the Marketing/Advertisement costs, as well as Sales-force commissions and office expenses. For many roofing companies, ‘market acquisition cost’ often range from $500 – $1500 per job. These include ‘Yellow Pages’ and news-paper ads, direct mailing, and Internet advertisement, such as Google or Yahoo Pay-Per-Click ads. As a result, you the customer, end up paying these expenses, or as we call it ‘marketing taxes’, that are not directly related to the cost of you roofing job.

We at CoolFlatRoof, do not spend any money on advertisement, except minimal expenses to run our web-site (around $100/year), so we will not charge you the ‘marketing tax’. Instead, we will provide you with the best materials, workmanship and warranty, for less.

Three: Ongoing repair and maintenance expenses

Ponding / Standing Water

While maintenance for most flat roofs is mostly due to the location of the building and surrounding conditions, one of the most frequent maintenance/repair expenses is due to ponding water. Positive drainage is preferable for any flat roof. However, the very nature of flat roof construction makes it often impossible to avoid ponding water accumulation, or it is too expensive to fix it. Ponding water can be eliminated in two ways: Installing Tapered Insulation, or creating a pitch, which is often impossible due to building design. Both are extremely expensive and will cost more than the roof itself, so eliminating ponding water is often out of budget.

While most flat roofing manufactures will void their warranty if there is presence of ponding water for periods of more than 72 hours after the rain, IB Roofs are explicitly warranted against ponding water and it is proven that an IB roof will keep your home or building dry even if you have big puddles of standing water for long periods of time!

Roof Repairs

As we mentioned above, many flat roofing systems will start to leak with-in 5 to 8 years after installation. Most roof leaks occur as a result of ponding water, failing seams, and to a lesser degree, faulty installation. Other factors affecting performance of a flat roof are weather conditions and devastating UV rays of the Sun. This is very true in the New England. We have hot summers and cold winters, and the temperature can dramatically change in matter of hours. Refer to our flat roof repair guide for more information on how roof leaks occur, and what your repair options and costs will be.

In most cases these repairs will be an out of pocket expense for you, as the usual warranty period will be long over by that time. We on the other hand will uphold our warranty after the usual 2-year period, if the leak happens. However, we do everything right the first time so there is usually no need to repair our roofs!

Four: Energy costs/savings

Cool, energy-efficient roofing form IB

Unlike most conventional roofing systems such as Epdm black-rubber, or Asphalt/Tar based BUR roofs, which attract, store and transfer solar heat, white IB Roofs reflect as much as 90% of the solar heat, and carry a Cool Roof certification! Even if you choose one of IB’s color choices, they are also certified by the Cool Roof Council, by implementing highly reflective color pigments. This will save you tremendous amounts of money in reduced HVAC costs. IB roofs act as a complete thermal barrier and increase the R-value of your roof, thus also reducing your heating expenses in the winter. By adding more insulation you will further increase the thermal qualities of your roof.

Conclusion

An IB Roof is the best choice when it comes to flat roofs. An IB Roof has the lowest Total Cost combined with unsurpassed quality and longevity. If the need to repair your IB roof ever arises, such repairs can be performed even 20 years from the day of installation, with IB’s unique Hot-Air fusion welding. It is however highly unlikely, unless there is unforeseen physical damage to the membrane. Expect not to have to repair your IB roof, ever!
An IB Roof will eliminate your ponding water problems and you will avoid expensive pitch-change. IB will also save you money every year by reducing your energy cost, and you will be covered by the Industry’s Best warranty!

If you are looking for a sustainable, long-lasting roofing product for your home or business pitched roof, the Metal Roof will be the perfect choice for you. Known for decades of leaks and corrosion free service, Aluminum metal roofs are becoming the prime choice for quality and longevity oriented home and business owners looking for a new roof. With its Cool Roof properties and permanent design, metal roofs will outlast any conventional asphalt shingles roof. Metal roofs are light-weight, and do not require any structural modifications. In fact they are only 1/4 the weight of regular shingles and 1/10 the weight of slate, and ceramic / concrete tile.

Use our Flat Roof Calculator to estimate the installation cost of a new IB Roof, as well as compare it with other alternatives. You can also estimate your annual energy savings derived from installation of an IB roof.

Are you excited about an IB Roof? Fill out our Roofing Estimate Request form and indicate which IB product you are most interested in, as well as details about your roof. We will contact you very soon after receiving your request, and we will work with you to provide the best roofing system available!

Here you will find video profiles of roofs we installed in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. These videos will demonstrate how the roof was installed from beginning to end, as well showcase short excerpts taken during roof installation, such as installing standing seam metal roofing panels, or hot-air welding of seams on IB PVC roof installations. Most videos are available in High Definition (HD 720P) to better show the details of the work performed.

You can also check out our roofing job profiles gallery which shows some of the roofs we installed in MA, CT and RI. Roof video profiles here will be presented in no particular order. If we’ve already written a full job profile, we’ll reference it below the video.

You can see more of our roofing videos on our YouTube Roof Video channel.

New Roof installation videos, added in March 2011

IB Flat Roof installаtion with Tapered ISO insulation- Cambridge, MA

IB PVC flat roof installation with 1/8″ tapered ISO insulation in Wayland, MA

IB PVC Flat Roof installation wit 3″ ISO insulation in Weston, MA

Flat roof installation and slate roof repair in Brookline MA

This PVC flat roof was installed in Brookline, MA on a roof of a home undergoing major renovations. The old rubber roof (with 5 layers of tar roofing underneath the rubber) was leaking, and the slate roof adjoining the flat roof was also in poor shape.

We removed old roofing, wet insulation and old slate roof, and installed new plywood over entire roof deck, 20-r value 3.3″ ISO insulation on a flat roof (sloped roof had insulation between the rafters) and new 80 mil IB PVC roof on flat and sloped sections of the roof, 4 inch Dark Bronze drip edge around roof perimeter, and copper drip edge with PVC coated flange on the sloped edges of the roof. The video is in two parts – on showing preparation work and slate roof repair, and the second one showing roof installation.

Part one – roof preparation – tear off, plywood installation and slate roof repair:

Part two – installing insulation and IB PVC Roof:

Standing seam metal roof in Plymouth, MA

This aluminum standing seam metal roof was installed in Plymouth MA in the spring of 2008. The job was about 2500 sq. ft. total. The roofing material was .032″ aluminum metal roof in Patina Green color. Check out full roofing job profile – Metal Roofing in Plymouth MA.

Rubber roof repair in Boston, MA

This rubber roof repair was performed on a residential rubber roof in Boston MA in October 2010. We prepared and patched three leaking outside corner flashings – two at HVAC units, and one at a parapet wall. If your rubber roof roof leaks, we offer rubber roof repair service in metro Boston MA, which includes 2 hours of repair work, all needed EPDM flashing materials and accessories, and costs only $375.

80-mil IB PVC flat roof with copper drip-edge in Newton, MA

This new IB roof was installed in Newton, MA in summer 2010. The job features include IB’s new copper drip edge with PVC flange – now you have a choice of not only PVC clad galvanized steel drip edge in white and dark bronze colors, but also stainless steel and real copper drip edge, and the roof system integrity will remain the same as IB material can be welded to the flange of copper drip edge. Check out the IB flat roof installation steps, to see how an IB roof is installed.

This flat roof in Newton MA also had a walk-out roof deck / balcony on the side, for which we used 80-mil IB membrane with floating deck on top. Check out the complete roof job review of this flat roof in Newton MA.

Metal Shingles Roof in Johnston, RI

This Tamko Metal Works steel shingles roof was installed in the summer of 2007. Back then, the GAF DeckArmor underlayment, which we use on all out metal roof installation was in it’s first edition – you can see that it is grey, whereas now it is light blue color, and a little thicker and stronger.

This metal roof installation included tear off of 2 layers of asphalt shingles, installing the GAF DeckArmor underlayment and Tamko steel metal shingles roof – Stone Crest Slate profile in Vermont Blue color. There are four roof sections and about 75 feet of roof to wall flashing, where we had to remove old ceder shingles siding off the walls, so we could install underlayment and side-wall flashing at least 6 inches up the wall. Total roof size was about 2100 sq. ft.

PVC Roof Repair

Besides rubber roof repair, we also provide PVC roof repair services (as well as TPO roof repair) in the metro Boston area, and within 50-mile travel distance from Boston. Here are two examples of PVC roof repair that we did. In all PVC roof repairs, we use new IB PVC roofing material, and MEK cleaning solution or acetone to clean and prepare an old roof for welding a new membrane. Check out our PVC Roof Repair page.

Trocal PVC roof repair using IB PVC membrane in West Hartford, CT:

Sarnafil PVC roof repair using IB PVC membrane in Needham, MA:

If you like the work we do, and need to replace your old roof or install a new flat or metal roof, or need a rubber or PVC roof repair done, request a roofing estimate, and get a free roofing price quote – click the Roofing Estimate button below or call us at 617-444-9020.

Whether you are considering getting a new roof for your home or business because you’re tired of patching leaks, or because you have heard how much you can save on energy bills with an eco-friendly roof, consider a spray foam roof.

What was that? Spray foam?

Spray foam roofing goes back more than 30 years, and its popularity has been growing exponentially because of its advantages over traditional roofing systems. What advantages, you ask? Consider this:

• It’s monolithic, meaning it is one piece with no seams, which equates to no leaks
• It insulates extremely well, and can lower the temperature of a roof by up to 100 degrees!
• Long lifespan with periodic maintenance*
• Pays for itself!

Spray Foam Roof Installation Process:

Installation is simple and relatively inexpensive! There are several reasons why this particular brand of roofing is so much less expensive than traditional methods. One of the main features of SPF is that the foam itself can adhere to nearly any kind of existing roofing material, with the exception of atactic polypropylene bitumen. This means that you don’t have to pay for the roofer to remove your current roof and pay landfill fees.

Usually, two 55 gallon drums, one with an isocyanate and the other with a resin, are hooked up to a machine that heats the liquids and combines them at the best ratio for effectiveness. Then the liquids are piped into a special spray gun that combines the two liquids upon application.

Once applied to the roof (after it has been cleaned to ensure the most adhesive strength), the combined liquids begin to form bubbles on a microscopic level, expanding to 20 or 30 times their original volume, all within about ten seconds, and you can walk on it in under a minute!

The final part of the installation is to apply a UV and weather protective coating to the foam. The type of coating really depends on your budget and how much energy you want to save as well as how much additional durability you would like the roof to have. The color of the coating varies, but white is usually the best choice from an economical perspective. White will deflect the most sunlight thereby reducing the amount of energy absorbed by the roof, and in the end lowering the cost to you for cooling the interior of the building.

Gravel and stretchy, elastomeric coatings are among the more popular options for protecting the foam roof. Other options include acrylic, silicone, butyl rubber and different types of urethane spray coatings. On top of this spray coating one more coat is applied in order to help prevent physical damage from the elements, including ultraviolet sun rays. This final coat has gravel-like granules sprinkled on or embedded.

What’s in it for ME?

Well, for starters, you will begin seeing a dramatic decline in the cost of heating and cooling as soon as the roof is installed. Don’t believe me? What if I told you that when Texas A&M switched roofing systems in 1975 they switched to spray foam roofing. By making the switch to SPF, they saved so much money on energy savings that they were, on most occasions, able to pay off the construction costs within four and a half years, sometimes just two or three!

Durability and longevity are other major advantages for SPF roof systems. Excluding major weather incidents, there are usually no repairs or maintenance necessary for at least 10 to 15, maybe 20 years depending on the type of system you have installed. When the time comes for maintenance, the existing roof will be cleaned and re-coated, simple as that. A well-maintained roof can easily last 50 years or more. Talk about return on investment!

Speaking of return on investment, how much will this investment set you back? Naturally it depends on a lot of variables including where you are, what kind of foam you prefer (as in density, thickness, etc.), what protective coatings are used, the building itself and the intricacy of the job. For average SPF systems you will probably be looking at starting prices of approximately $6 per square foot and up.

I hope this article has helped you in choosing a reliable, inexpensive and green roofing solution. All that’s left is choosing the right roof repair or replacement company for you. Overall, spray foam roofing is a great flat roofing choice. That, and enjoy saving up to 50% on energy bills for years to come!

This article was provided by Freedom Exteriors, LLC – premium roofing contractor in Arkansas. This article may not represent the opinion of CoolFlatRoof.com

Article commentary from from CoolFlatRoof Blog editor:

Spray for roofing is a highly energy efficient flat roofing material, which combines the roof insulation with the waterproofing layer. However, spray foam roofing or SPF, require regular maintenance and complete re-coating every 10 years to maintain the protective layer over the foam. Without that protective layer, the UV rays of the sun will quickly destroy the SPF roof. It is best to coat the SPF roof with a urethane coating rather than with cheaper acrylic coating, and to add stone granules to the coating for longest performance.

One thing we want to mention is that SPF is a very popular flat roof material in the southern US, whereas up north, you will rarely see a spray foam roof (though I know of at least two large roofing contractors installing SPF roofs in the northern US with great success). Here in New England single ply membrane roofing is a more popular choice for a flat roof.

Another thing for you to consider is the situation with ponding water and how well the SPF roof will handle it. Rubber roofs for example will leak under ponding water, whereas the PVC roof with hot air welded seams will remain watertight. Although it’s best not to have ponding water at all, in many retrofit roof installations, you just can’t avoid it, so make sure that you get a ponding water guaranty from your reputable roofing contractor.

Flat roof installation sequence and the way different components are put together can oftentimes be quite confusing. We also get many similar questions about particular aspects of how the roof detail work in different situations. To answer these questions and to demonstrate the step by step process of installing IB PVC flat roofing system, we are posting this quick roof installation guide. We welcome any questions you may have – you can ask them in the comments section at the end of this article.

Installing a flat roof (PVC single ply roofing membrane in this case) can be a pretty straight forward process, or a very confusing endeavor because each component must be installed in a particular order. Otherwise the system may not work the way it should. Of course there is an installation spec manual from IB roofs, which we always keep handy, and actually had to use once or twice. However, this manual only shows particular flashing detail or a general way of how membrane and insulation ought to be installed. It can’t possibly cover all the specifics of the roof installation that come up in the field.

Flat roof installation – mechanically attached assembly:

A reinforce PVC single ply roof allows installers a choice of installing the roof in a fully adhered assembly (sheets of membrane glued to the insulation) or a mechanically attached assembly where each sheet or roll of the roofing material is screwed to the roof deck substrate with heavy duty, corrosion resistant roofing fasteners, and barbed plates. Each roll is screwed to the roof deck on one side, and then the next roll, overlaps a row of screws, and is welded to the first roof, right next to the screws. Then the process continues in the same manner until the whole roof is covered by the membrane.

As you can see in the roof installation picture above, the narrow roll of membrane is installed around the roof perimeter and wider rolls are in place, and are ready to be installed. However, before you get to this point, there is a lot of prep work that has to be done first, and the actual membrane installation is the easy part.

Lets start looking at the prep work, and the order in which things actually happen.

Flat roof installation – prep work – insulation, wood nailer and penetration flashing.

PVC Roofing is a very durable and long lasting flat roofing material. However it should never be in direct contact with any oil and asphalt (also oil) products, and since most other roofing materials are made with oil or asphalt, we always install a protection layer between PVC membrane and either old roof or the roof deck. We usually use insulation to protect the membrane from being in contact with asphalt and also from deck fastener punctures. Roof insulation also serves its primary purpose of improving thermal insulation properties of your roof.

Before we install insulation though, we first install a perimeter wood nailer that serves as a rigid nailing base for the PVC-coated drip edge. Once wood nailer is in place, we lay out the insulation sheets and fasten them to the roof deck, using FM Global 60 or 90 mph wind rating standard – 8 or 10 plates + fasteners per 8×4 feet insulation board (although this is unnecessary, since it is a mechanically attached system). Once the wood nailer and insulation are in place, we install one or more rows of perimeter half sheet, which is a 3 foot wide roll of membrane, vs and standard 6 feet width for field rolls. The perimeter half sheet is installed to prevent wind uplift, and is fastened either 12″ o.c. or 6′ o.c. (for high wind areas).

Flat roofing – tapered insulation:

If there is a ponding water situation, the fastest and most cost-effective way to solve the ponding is to install a so called tapered insulation system, which creates slight roof pitch, which helps divert the water in a required direction and improves roof drainage.

Tapered insulation is basically the same thing as extruded PolyISO insulation with a fiberglass facing. The only difference is that tapered insulation is wider along one edge and narrower along the other. Tapered insulation system can have a roof slope ranging from 1/8″ per one foot run, to 1/2″ rise per one foot run or more. Normally we use a 1/4″ tapered insulation system which raises roof level 1″ for every 4×4′ insulation piece.

Flat roof installation – drip edge detail:

As we mentioned the perimeter half sheet is installed along roof edges, and fastened on the inside with screws and plates – what is holding the half sheet along its outer edge? Well, this is the question that homeowners often ask me. The way IB PVC roof system is designed, allows us to attach the outer edge either directly to the drip edge or run in over the roof edge by a couple of inches, nail it to the fascia board and install a drip edge metal over the membrane.

Both ways are acceptable, but most of the time we use the second method – especially in high winds area. Once the roofing material is installed and flipped down, over the edge of the roof, we install 10 foot sections of 22 ga PVC coated galvanized or stainless steel drip edge, and fasten it to the deck with the roofing screws, either 12″ or 6″ o.c. Then we weld a 5″ wide cover strip of the membrane to the roof and to the drip edge, to seal the screw holes and bake the whole detail water-tight.

Check out our video on how drip-edge metal is installed:

Once the 10-foot sections of drip-edge are installed, the joins are sealed using an aluminum tape and a PVC patch to mack the joint water-tight and protect the patch from metal expansion and contraction. After the joints are complete, the cover tape is welded to drip edge starter and the roof itself, and its now time to do the rest of the roof.

As a side note, there are many options for drip edge detail. Although the most used drip edge is the 2 or 3″ wide face, white starter, you can also choose it to be as much as 8 or more inches wide, as well as in gravel stop style (if you need to divert the water flow or prevent it from going over the edge of the roof.

Gravel stop drip edge has a 1″ bump-out, which stops water from spilling over, and makes it run down the roof – toward a drain or a gutter. Drip edge comes in two colors – white and dark bronze, and also can be painted any other color with acrylic paint. IB roofs also offers 16 oz. copper drip edge, with PVC material adhered to the flange, and can produce any style drip edge, with different angles, kick-in or kick-out face and in various widths.

Flat roof installation – field sheets, roof penetrations and roof to wall termination:

After all edge detail is complete, we install the field rolls of membrane and all penetration flashings, such as pipes, drains, HVAC / Skylight curbs, roof hatches, chimneys, etc.

IB Roof Systems produces a wide variety of flashing accessories, which allow installers to quickly and easily flash almost any roof penetration. Since all roof components are made of PVC, they are all welded together, and the use of any adhesives or glues is completely eliminated, as well as most installation errors by roof mechanics.

All curb and up-the wall flashing is installed using a two-step process. First, the roof is terminated that the wall, and then a separate piece of membrane is installed up the wall and welded to the roof.

After the flashing is installed and welded to the roof, the inside or outside corner flashing is welded to make a permanent watertight joint.

All IB flashing accessories are made of 60-mil non-reinforced flashing membrane and can stretch to perfectly adhere to any shape of a penetration on the roof. Pipe flashings and drains have a reinforced flange to be welded to the roof.

Bellow is a video demonstrating the curb flashing installation around a skylight:

As you can see in the video, the roof penetration flashing is a very clean process, and a chance of a leak is minimum to non. Unlike flashing details on a rubber roof, where a membrane cannot and should not be terminated at the base of the curb, due to high possibility of a leak caused by adhesive failure, the hot air welding process used in sealing overlaps and seams on a PVC roof, eliminates leaks, as well as membrane pull-out caused by contraction of the roofing material in cold weather.

Flat roof installation – special flashing details:

IB roof spec manual does not cover all installation details, as in the real world you often run into situations where you have to “improvise”, while your roof must still be watertight. One such example is the ridge vent detail on flat / low slope roofs such as shed dormers. While many low slope roofs are considered “flat”, they were built as sloped roofs with ridge / soffit ventilation in mind. However, many roofing contractors that install EPDM rubber roofs, block the ridge vent opening completely to prevent roof leaks.

We’ve developed a special assembly method, which allows us to still use the ridge vent, and keep the roof watertight. We run our roof up-to the ridge opening, weld additional strip of membrane, install a 2×4 wood to raise the level off the roof, flip the strip of membrane back and wrap the 2×4 with it. This prevents wind driven water from penetrating the roof, and ridge vent + ridge cap is installed on top, 2 inches up.

As you can see, IB PVC roof can be adjusted to virtually any type of flat roof, and roof penetrations. We recommend that you check out more roof installation videos on our Roofing Videos channel on YouTube.

You can see more examples of flat roof installations that we have done all over New England: Roofing in Massachusetts and roofs in Connecticut. We provide residential roofing and commercial roof installation services in all New England states. However most of our work takes place in MA, CT and RI.

Also, if you have a flat roof deck that is leaking, check out our roof deck section, to learn more about IB roof installation on flat roof decks, patios and balconies, using special slip-proof roofing material called IB DeckShield.

We are an Eco-Friendly, full service flat roofing company specializing in installation of Cool Roofing systems for a wide range of Residential and Commercial roofing projects. We carry all necessary General Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurances, OSHA certifications, and are a Licensed IB Roof installer.

Roof installation service:

We offer a complete-package roof installation service, from pulling all necessary building permits, to coordinating with other contractors and service providers (such as utility companies, architects, etc.) involved in your roofing project.

Our installers and roof mechanics work safely, wear all necessary safety equipment and use state of the art installation tools and equipment. We pay top wages, and provide premium workmanship and services.

While a standard labor warranty in the roofing industry (a minimum required by law) is the 2-year period, all our roof installations include a Labor warranty that matches the material warranty (i.e., 80-mil IB membrane has a 25 year material warranty, which we match with our 25-year labor warranty).

Roof consulting service:

We offer roofing consultation services which include complete analysis of your present roof condition, inspection of structural components, roof deck and roof insulation. We analyze your roof’s drainage situation, and identify whether you may need more insulation, drains / scupper, or other roof components installed to improve your roof’s performance and extend its service life. We will provide you with a complete report of what has to be done on your roof, and identify parts you may not need. We can also negotiate with your General Contractor and/or Architect on your behalf, to get you the right products/services, while including needed items, and eliminating unnecessary and costly items. This will prevent future “change orders” and up-charges from your GC / Architect / Contractor, and save you money and frustration.

We hold all necessary State Construction Licenses and Registrations:

• MA Home-Improvement Contractor registration (HIC) and Unrestricted Construction Supervisor License (CSL)
• CT Home-Improvement Contractor registration (HIC) and Major Contractor Registration
• RI Home-Improvement Registration and Special Commercial Roofing Contractor Registration

Flat Roof installation service details:

For a flat and low-slope roofing application, we exclusively install IB Cool roofing single-ply membranes with up-to 25 years Commercial and Lifetime Residential warranties.

IB Roof is a versatile flat roofing system that can be adapted for any flat roof type and level complexity. IB roof is a perfect, long-lasting flat roofing choice for:

• Condos, Cooperatives and other Multi-Unit residential buildings.
• Restaurants
• Storage Facilities
• Office buildings
• Manufacturing and Warehouse facilities
• Auto Repair stations and garages, Gas Stations
• Stores and Shopping malls
• All other commercial buildings with a flat roof

With its Cool-roof properties, IB will save you an average of 20% or more on the Air-Conditioning costs, which can run into hundreds of dollars per month. With the ever-rising electricity prices, this is especially crucial for climate-controlled storage-complexes, restaurants, and refrigeration-facilities, but will greatly benefit any building that uses Air-Conditioning equipment.

IB is also an environmentally friendly roof and you can have a Green / Garden roof installed, without worries of roof leaks or environmental incompatibility.

IB with its Lifetime Residential warranty, is perfect for any type of residential application: Your Home roof, Garage or even a walk-on flat roof deck. IB can be installed as a water-proofing membrane under a solid wood deck or you can choose an IB DeckShield* – a slip and water-proof, ADA (American Disability Act) compliant decking material. (* Due to anticipated constant foot traffic, IB DeckShield carries a 10 year warranty)

Your One Stop informational source about all aspects Flat Roofing, Cool Roofs, Solar BI-PV Roofs & Roof-top Gardens.

We specialize in Energy-Efficient flat roofing solutions for Residential flat roofs and Commercial / Restaurant flat roofs. We strive to provide our customers, with Eco-Friendly roofing solutions that are recyclable, & will help you conserve energy, as well as benefit environment.

Our Customer’s comments:

CoolFlatRoof installed an IB roof on a flat section of my house. They did an excellent job. I had problems for years with leaks and would hire someone to repair it but after awhile it would leak again. It had never leaked since Leo and Alex put this excellent roof on my house. It also seems to be more insulated: warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Thanks guys. I recommend you to everyone who mentions a roofing problem. – Jack from Providence, RI

CoolFlatRoof quality promise: We are so confident in the quality of IB roofing systems and our installation, that we guarantee our roofs against any leaks. If the roof we installed ever leaks due to installation error, not only will we fix it, but we will also give you a check for $250.

Flat Roof leaks and repair information

For your convenience, we created a series of roofing guides that will help you choose the best solution for your flat roof and provide you with information that many roofing contractors and manufacturers do not want you to know. Check out our Do-it-yourself guides to rubber roof repair and tar & gravel roof repair for immediate steps you can take to temporarily stop roof leaks, until you can perform a complete re-roof.

When your flat roof begins to leak, the process is irreversible, and the sooner you start to deal with these issues, the less you will have to spend on repairs and roof replacement. Read our comprehensive Flat Roof repair guide to gain the insight on the issues and costs involved and ways to minimize your expenses when you deal with roof leaks.

Discover different types of flat roofing materials and choose the best roofing product for your home or business. It is a shame that in the 21st century many roofing contractors still use 19th century roofing technology, whih is inferior, inefficient and cost you more than a modern single-ply roof. Learn about different single-ply flat roofing systems and compare them to IB Roofs, the leading manufacturer of long-lasting cool flat roofing products.

Compare the two leading single-ply cool roofing products in our PVC vs. TPO roofing guide.

Flat roofing job profiles: Industrial, Commercial and Residential.

Testex textiles Corp. Central Falls, RI

Restaurant/Meat Market/Deli Rt. 1 – Hampton, NH

9th St. Condominiums Providence, RI

• Are you tired of waking up in the middle of a rainy night, changing buckets under leaking ceilings, and worrying how much the repairs will cost you?
• Are you sick of that old flat roof above your house, which you’ve been patching for the last few years, but it just does not work, and the roof leaks keep on coming back?
• Are you considering building a sloped roof and going with a shingle roof, because there is no end to your roof leaks?
• Does your low-slope roof leak due to Ice Dams problems? A poor ventilation and attic insulation is causing your ice dams, but you can’t always solve the problem economically. This is where IB roof is a perfect product to eliminate Ice dam related leaks.
• Does your ridge vent leak, or did you have to completely remove the ridge vent to stop leaks? Check out our special Low-Slope roof ridge vent assembly, which improves your attic ventilation and eliminates leaks!

The truth is, there is a solution that will keep your home, probably your biggest investment, water tight for decades to come. The flat roof you can truly forget about, and the one that will actually save you money on the ever-rising energy costs.

If you have a flat roof deck you can choose between an IB DeckShield or a conventional 80-mil IB roof with wooden deck and railing system to solve your leaks problems and create a permanent water-tight roof-top patio.

When you want the looks of an Architectural Shingles and unsurpassed reliability of an IB Roof, IB Traditions gives you both!

IB Cool Flat Roof – The Best flat roofing for your Home!

An IB roof has its roots in commercial flat roofing, where the requirements and expectations of building products are much higher than in the residential market. In fact IB Roof has been chosen as the roofing choice for Hospitals, Airports and Universities through-out the country, where a leaking roof is not an option. Many of these roofs installed over 25 years ago are still performing well, without any leaks.

Ice Dam leaks and poor ventilation:

Most low sloped roofs in the northern United States have Ice Dams, which cause roof leaks and expensive roof repairs as well as cosmetic interior repairs of ceilings, walls, carpets and wooden floors. Those are the damages that you can actually see. Ice dams also create invisible structural damages which you can’t find until you open up ceilings and walls. These damages are extremely expensive to repair, as it would require to hire interior remodelers to fix structural damages, outside and inside walls, electrical systems, plumbing, etc.

Ice Dams in a nutshell: Ice dams are caused by poor attic ventilation and heat loss from the inside of your living space. Large piles of snow will accumulate on your roof after a snow storm. If your attic is improperly insulated and ventilated, the warm air escaping from your living area into the attic, will melt the snow. The water from melting snow will run down the roof and refreeze, usually along the eaves of your roof. These are Ice Dams. The more snow is melting the bigger Ice Dams you have. After some time, the ice dams become so big, that the melting water cannot travel downward anymore, so it starts to travel upward underneath the roof shingles or rolled roofing seams. As it freezes under the roof, warm air melts it, and it slowly starts to drip inside the attic, causing all of the above and below mentioned problems.

It becomes a vicious cycle were more heat loss creates more ice dams, which causes more damages to structural walls and insulation, destroying your home from the inside, increasing your energy-related expenses, and causing more heat loss, which creates bigger ice dams…

One negative effect caused by Ice dams, and which many homeowners neglect to address is the wet insulation in the attic and inside walls. When insulation gets wet, you loose insulating value, so your energy costs increase, as heat loss in the winter drives up your heating bill. The same happens in the summer with cooling. Also, mold begins to grow in the attic and inside walls, which cause and/or aggravates allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Solution to Ice Dams problems on low-slope roofs:

IB roofing membrane is perfect way to eliminate Ice Dams on a low slope roof, as it is a seamless blanket over the entire roof. Hot air welded seams prevent water from backing up and re-freezing as is the case with shingles and rolled asphalt roofing, therefore eliminating the effects of Ice Dams. Also, Most of the snow will actually slide off the IB roof, thus there will be a minimal Ice and Snow accumulation along the eaves.

Additionally, we’ve designed a special Ridge Vent system, which we use on every low-sloped roof with ridge/soffit ventilation in place. This system prevents the wind driven water form entering your attic space through the holes in the ridge vent, while allowing the warm air to escape the attic.

Now you too can have this outstanding roof installed on your home. IB make the perfect choice for any residential flat and low-slope roof. IB roof will give you years of worry-free service, and make your home more energy efficient, as well as provide a transferable Lifetime Warranty! IB will also add beauty and usability to your home with its specialty Traditions & DeckShield membranes.

Traditions Classic: Printed Shingle Pattern

If you have a low-pitched roof, which is flatter than a minimum required for a conventional roofing, but is still visible from the ground, IB has the perfect solution – ‘Traditions Classic’.

Traditions is a single ply membrane that was designed to eliminate the problems associated with conventional asphalt shingle, but will give you the looks of an architecturally designed shingle roof that fits your home.
Traditions Classic carries a Lifetime Material Warranty and is also fade resistant and is perfect in the Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut climate. It outperforms any shingle roof from any manufacturer.

Traditions – Design and appearance:

Traditions Classic gives you the perfect combination of integrity and beauty. It takes the excellent qualities of Industrial Grade IB flat roofing membrane and an outstanding looks of asphalt shingles with a choice of three popular colors:

Sierra Vista: Light Brown color will give you a perfect combination with red brick homes as well as other red, tan and brown shades of conventional siding.

Stony Ridge: Grey color – will blend perfectly with grey and most other colors.

Mountain Spruce: Great for suburban areas, and will bled well with background forest, as well as bushes and trees surrounding your home.

Traditions – Maintenance and Life-cycle:

A good roof is the one you can forget about and Traditions classic is no different. Traditions Classic is virtually maintenance free and is specially designed for low sloped roofs. The high quality membrane resists mold, mildew, algae, chemicals and ultraviolet rays, and will continue to look great on your home for years to come – guaranteed!

Quick Navigation:

• Types of flat roof decks – Choose between IB DeckShield & traditional wooden deck over flat roof.
• Flat Roof deck prices – Learn how much a flat roof deck will cost.
• Roof deck leaks – Learn why flat roof decks leak and how to prevent/eliminate these leaks.
• IB DeckShield – Details of IB DeckShield roof assembly – how it works and what goes into it.
• IB 80-mil with PT deck – Details of PT wooden deck over IB 80-mil roof assembly.

Roof deck & leaking.

Many homes in New England have a walk-on flat roof decks with living space under them, and 90 percent of these deck roofs leak, ruining your rooms. Stains on sheet-rock ceilings, popping hardwood flooring, wet carpets and rotted framing are just some of the damages that you may sustain as a result of these leaks. Destruction of personal property such as beds, book shelves, computers, TVs and other electronic equipment can also occur in cases of severe roof leaks.

All these items are very expensive to fix and even more expensive to replace. Yet you can easily solve these problems in a fairly cheap way (when compared to costs of replacing and repairs you have to incur if you let the leaks continue) with IB’s life-time roofing product. With IB Roof, you will never have to worry about roof leaks again and you could finally regain full use of your roof deck or patio.

Creating a leak-free Roof Deck with IB roofing systems

We offer two different solutions for you to permanently solve your roof deck leaks. Both ways utilize IB’s time-proven CPA membranes featuring hot-air welded seam. The main difference between the two methods is the product you choose to use, and aesthetics you desire.

Assembly type 1: IB DeckShield – a fully integrated waterproofing membrane system designed for use on walk-out roof decks. DeckShield is highly slip-resistant, and not only complies with and even exceeds ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.

Learn how IB Deck Shield membrane is installed, installation prices and more general information of roof deck waterproofing using IB DeckShield membrane.

Download DeckShield brochure

IB DeckShield – a beautiful and durable decking waterproofing membrane.

Benefits of using IB Deckshield assembly:

• Enhances the appearance of decks
• Eliminates annual painting and staining of wood decks
• Durable, Slip resistant Waterproofing system.
• Resists mildew, chemicals, and UV rays.
• Eliminates hazardous wood splinters and unsightly concrete cracking.
• Complies with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.

Assembly type 2: Deck on top of flat roof: IB PVC membrane with a wood deck installed over it – a more traditional way of roof deck construction, features an IB Lifetime single-ply membrane with fusion-welded seams. This method will ensure permanent water-tightness of your roof deck combined with a deck and railings system built with your choice of wood and pattern. Download IB Roof brochure

Benefits of using IB 80-mil membrane with PT / Composition deck on top:

• Wooden deck on top of IB 80 mil roofing membrane protects the roof from accidental mechanical damages.
• Allows people to have a more traditional wooden deck / patio.
• Composition deck assembly eliminates the need to stain / paint the wood.
• Allows extended use of outdoor grills without worrying that you’ll burn through the roof.
• Allows the creation of beautiful deck designs and the use of steel outdoor furniture.

IB 80-mil PVC roofing membrane with composition board deck assembly create this beautiful patio

A happy client enjoys her private roof-deck in Arlington, MA. Roof assembly consists of 80-mil IB Roof for waterproofing, and a diamond-shaped, low profile deck.

Cost of flat roof decks

Why roof decks leak?

Most roof decks in existence today use a flat roofing material that were created over a century ago and were not designed for use as roofing for residential homes and living area. Another reason is original design flaw implemented by architects and/or builders, who were not qualified in flat roofing and did not have appropriate roofing technology to use.

Ponding Water leaks:

Very often you can find ponding water accumulating on these deck roofs. Majority of flat roofing system existing today cannot sustain constant ponding water and as a result water enters your house, and destroys your possessions and property.

Wood Deck and Railing leaks:

Often there is a wood deck installed on top of a flat roof or some sort of a railing system. To make these railings securely attached to the roof, builders often create roof penetration for every railing post on the roof. The only way to “seal” these penetrations for most builders, is to use roof cement or pitch-pockets – both of these methods are considered unacceptable by the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). Yet most builders don’t have the appropriate products, expertise and many times, don’t care enough to make these penetrations water-tight.

This results in more leaks – usually these leaks don’t appear inside your home for years, but the hidden damages can cost thousands of dollars to fix. Water slowly enters your home and rots the beams and studs. While unnoticed for a long period of time, such leaks my sometimes result in partial or complete re-framing of your roof and/or support walls.

Leaking Flat Roof Deck

Details of roof deck construction using IB Membranes and DeckShield

IB DeckShield roof / deck assembly and installation:

DeckShield is easiest to use in new construction, however it can be easily adopted for retrofit use on existing homes. IB Deck Shield is installed as a fully-adhered application on top of Dens Deck – a fiber-cement type board that is 1/4 of an inch thick, or over plywood.

The surface for installing IB DeckShield must be clean, smooth and flat. That is why in some retrofit applications use of DeckShield may be difficult or impossible. When you have an uneven surface it is best to use the regular IB Roofing Membrane with a wooden deck over it. If you still want to use Deck Shield for a retrofit roof deck project, expect the additional costs of making your roof surface even.

DeckShield can be used for a small balcony as well as a large roof deck, and for everything in between. Hot-air welded seams make IB DeckShield a long-lasting waterproofing solution that is both eye-pleasing and safe to walk on when it is wet. Expect many compliments from your family and friends when they get to see your new roof patio with IB DeckShield.

DeckShield colors and texture:

DeckShield has a look and texture of tiny pebbles – something similar to a floor in a swimming pool. You can choose between two distinct colors – Tan and Grey – both look great and will compliment your home.

Since IB DeckShield is made from the same material as other IB membranes, it is easy to accommodate for any roof penetrations, such as a Railing System and Roof-Wall detail. This will ensure that your roof will be water-tight and you can take full advantage of your deck or patio once again, and will not have to worry about leaks. Invite your friends and family for a cookout, enjoy a cocktail, or watch the stars.

Rubber roofing (EPDM single ply membranes) it the most common flat roofing system in New England (MA, CT, NH, RI, etc.) and the rest of US flat roofing marker – most people refer to a flat roof as “rubber roof”. The main reason for such popularity of rubber roofs is the lower initial roof price. However, rubber roofs have many inherent problems, which cannot be solved by technology, because of the rubber roof’s design, as well as issues with unprofessional roofing contractors claiming to be “rubber roofing pros“.

What you need to know about Rubber Roofing:

There is much confusion about rubber roofing, as well as misunderstanding of its benefits and limitations. In this article we will try to clear up the confusion and show you that rubber roofing is NOT the best flat roofing material, and there are better and cheaper alternatives to rubber.

If you have a leaking rubber roof in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island we can give you a roofing price quote to replace your rubber roof with our flat roofing material of choice – a new, lifetime PVC Flat roof manufactured by IB Roof Systems. We can also repair your rubber roof at a relatively low cost, using only the best materials that rubber systems have, and extend the life of your rubber roof by a few years. One example of such materials are peel-and-stick flashing and seam tapes. We do not use black rubber glue as it is outdated, and leaks much faster.

Quick Navigation:

• Why homeowners should avoid rubber roofing – The truth about the residential flat roofing market, why you should stay away from rubber, and carefully choose your roofing contractor.
• Alternatives to rubber roofing – Find out what other, better flat roofing products are available for a similar cost, but without the EPDM’s inherited problems.
• Residential rubber roofing – Learn why rubber roofs should NOT be used on a roof of your home.
• Commercial rubber roofing – Limitations of EPDM rubber in the commercial flat roofing applications.
• Why rubber roofs are so popular – Quick history of EPDM rubber in US flat roofing market, and the key to its popularity

BAD Rubber Roofing Video – this why you don’t want to have a flat rubber roof:

EPDM Rubber roofing and flat roof homes.

Homeowners with flat roof homes often find themselves in a situation where their roof starts to leak rather unexpectedly – i.e. only after a few years since the roof was installed. This for the most part happens to homes that have a rubber roof on them. While most flat roofs will only last 10-15 years, older systems such as Tar & Gravel, Bur and in some cases Modified bitumen roofs are usually installed by roofing contractors that are somewhat specialized in their scope of work – these are “the old-timers” or former union guys that decided to try their luck working for themselves, and they actually went through special training and have years of experience. The problem is that roofing systems they install do not last long for many reasons outside the scope of this article.

Homes that have a rubber roof begin to leak well before their minimal life expectancy is reached because in many cases they are roofed by your typical shingle roofing contractor that is so confident in his/her abilities, and a rubber roof is merely a roof with a low slope.

Why rubber roofs are so popular?

The truth is, rubber roofs (EPDM) are the most used flat roofing products in the US / Canadian commercial roofing market. Rubber roofs we first put in service over 40 years ago, and since gained popularity among roofing contractors and their customers. The reason for such success lyes in the condition of the flat roofing market at that time and the available alternatives.

Back in 1960′s oil was still very cheap, it was more than a decade before the oil crisis of the 70′s and there wasn’t that much demand for oil. The oil refining process was far from being efficient and the industry was looking to get rid of many by-products of the oil refining process.

At the same time, the flat roofing industry was the same as at the turn of the 19th century, and the most common product to use on a flat roof was either a BUR (built-up roofing, using multiple layers of tar paper, saturated in hot tar or hot asphalt) or Tar & Gravel roofing, which was essentially a BUR roof with gravel added for additional protection. Flat roofing technology has not changed for 100 years and contractors needed a new, easier to install and cleaner product, hence, the EPDM was born.

EPDM consists mainly of oil (carbo-hydrate) based by-products with some modifiers and stabilizers added to extend its service life. Rubber roofing was cheap to produce, easier to install than conventional (BUR) roofs, did not require any special equipment to put it down and the membrane could potentially last for decades, as it was UV stable and did not break down when exposed to the weather.

Because rubber roofing was cheap, quick to install, and offered a potentially long service life, and with lack of any opposition from better roofing products, it quickly became the king of flat roofing and the pioneer of the single-ply flat roofing market.

Useful resources:

DIY epdm rubber roof repair – Our original article on how to fix a rubber roof with EPDM rubber adhesive (no peel-n-stick tapes)

Rubber roof repair guide – A part 2 of our Do-it-yourself guide teaching you how to fix EPDM rubber roofing systems with primer and seam tape.

Read part 2 – Why homeowners should avoid Rubber Roof for their homes, see examples of HORRIBLE RUBBER ROOFS, and learn how roofers are “trained in EPDM roof installation” (which is a complete joke)!

In our overview of Flat Roofing Technologies: Part I – BUR, Tar & Gravel and Modified Bitumen, we discussed the older and in many ways inefficient types of flat roofs, that are not only outdated by today’s standards, but also have a short life cycle expectancy. Moreover, they pose numerous obstacles when it comes to repairing those flat roofs, as discussed in our Flat Roof Repair guide. See our comparison of two seemingly similar, yet very different in their nature flat roofing types – PVC and TPO roofs below.

In Part II we will take a look at the newer, more advanced roofing technologies, and explore the advantages and disadvantages of each single-ply roofing technology commonly used today.

What is single-ply flat roofing?

There is a lot of confusion about single ply membrane roofing. Many people think that any ‘single ply’ is the answer to their flat roofing problems. This however is far from being the truth. In reality, single-ply roofing membranes have only one thing in common – that is they are single ply or just one layer of membrane that is a water proofing barrier. The similarity stops there.

Single ply membrane formulation, or the components a membrane is made of, is what makes the difference between different types of single-ply flat roofing membranes. Single ply roofing membranes come in various widths, ranging from 6 to over 18 feet. In theory, the wider the membrane is, the less overlapping seam you have, thus reducing the possibility of leaks. The reality is different however, and most commonly used membranes do not exceed 10 feet in width.

The most crucial aspect to the reliability and longevity of single ply roofs is the method of attaching overlapping seams together. That is where 99% of flat roof leaks occur. Therefore, having permanently attached seams is the most important factor in the longevity of a flat roof installation. We will discuss it in more detail as we review different single ply roofing technologies.

IB Flat Roof installation in Weston, MA

Single-ply membrane installation methods:

Single ply membranes are installed either as fully adhered or mechanically attached systems depending on each roof’s condition, and other factors, as well as an installer’s preferences in some cases. Underneath the membrane there s usually a separation barrier and/or some sort of insulation board. Most common insulation is ISO or EPS foam board. Both types have an R-value ranging from 4-R to 6-R per 1 inch of insulation thickness.

Mechanically attached installation uses heavy duty screws and barbed plates to hold the membrane down tightly, and is not affected by possible ISO de-lamination. The membrane is attached using 12″ O.C. pattern with perimeter sheets attached 6″ O.C. This ensures that even the hurricane-type wind will not tear off your roof. Mechanically attached installation method does not require the use of heavy and expensive ballast, and is a preferred choice if your building is located in the high-wind area, such as along the coast line or on a high hill.

Fully adhered single ply membranes are glued to the fiberglass sheet laminated to both sides of the ISO insulation, which is in turn attached to the roof deck. While quick and simple, the fully adhered method has one serious disadvantage. If condensation forms underneath a roofing membrane, which often happens and may be caused by improper ventilation of the roof deck, it will ‘de-laminate’ the ISO board and/or adhesive that is holding membrane in place. If the membrane becomes loose, it is prone to wind blow-off, which will leave your roof unprotected. Results of such blow-off will be catastrophic not only to your roof, but to the entire building. While this is rarely the case, it is still a possibility – a gamble you might not want to take.

More common problems with fully-adhered single-ply flat roofing systems (Mostly EPDM rubber) are defects in glue/adhesive application that cause bubbles, badly glued seams and as a result, a very unpleasant view and more often then not, roof leaks. The image bellow demonstrates a defective Epdm rubber application.

Find out more information on why you should avoid installing EPDM rubber roofing on you home and how residential roofing contractors are trained to install rubber roofs.

Three most common single-ply roofing types:

Today, single ply roofing has become the prime choice when it comes to flat roof replacement. More and more roofing contractors are switching from old roofing types like BUR, Asphalt, and Tar & Gravel roofs to single-ply membrane installation, which is easier, safer and faster. Single ply roofing installation does not use the torching used in Modified Bitumen roofs installation, and therefore there is no fire hazard/possibility to bur down your home / business.

There are 3 most-used single ply membrane types present on the market today: PVC/CPA, EPDM rubber and TPO. While these abbreviations probably won’t tell you much, about these roof types, bellow we provide a brief summary of each of these technologies.

PVC (CPA) Roofing:

• PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride – a thermoplastic membrane utilizing a reinforcement scrim between the two plies of equal thickness (IB roof only). Top ply contains Cool Roof pigments, UV stabilizers, and other components to extend the life of the membrane. Bottom ply contains PVC ingredients to provide consistent weld of top and bottom plies and fillers. Material Warranty Period: Up to 25 years Commercial / Lifetime Residential. PVC roof system life expectancy: 30+ years.
• Special Notes: For a complete overview of IB flat roofing products for residential, commercial and restaurant use, as well as installation method and roofing accessories refer to our IB Roof products page.

TPO Roofing

• TPO – Thermo Plastic Olefin – a thermoplastic membrane utilizing a reinforcement scrim between the two plies. 35/65 % thickness for top & bottom ply respectively. Top ply contains Cool Roof pigments, UV stabilizers, and other components to extend the life of the membrane. Bottom ply contains TPO ingredients to provide consistent weld of top and bottom plies and fillers. Note that the top ply is about half the thickness of the bottom ply. Yet the top ply is the one that makes the roof long-lasting. IB PVC has a 50/50 or equal thickness of top/bottom ply.
• Material Warranty Period: Up to 20 years Commercial / NO Residential. TPO roof system life expectancy – 7 to 20* years. You should know that there is not a single TPO installation in existence in the USA, that was produced in North America and is older than about 15 years. Therefore it is unknown how long a TPO system will perform without any leaks*.
• Special Notes: * TPO roof systems are under continuous development by numerous manufacturers, who constantly change the TPO formulation to achieve the lowest cost with acceptable performance. While it is understandable that businesses always look to save money and to reduce costs, these constant TPO development process is being conducted, often at the expense of the roof owner. A TPO roof from the same manufacturer will most likely NOT be the same as the one produced few years before or after. Also the quality of different batches of TPO membranes may be questionable, as some TPO producers release the product to the end user without getting the UL and similar approvals/certification, as the formulation changes too often. Refer to our comparison article of PVC vs. TPO to find out more about the TPO problems / short-comings.

EPDM Rubber

• EPDM Rubber – Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer – a rubber-like black membrane, usually non-reinforced. Most common application method is a fully adhered (glued down) membrane with glued seams / flashings.
• Material Warranty Period: Up to 40 years Commercial / NO Residential. EPDM roof system life expectancy – 10 to 15 years. Although the material warranty goes up to 40 years for a 90-mil Epdm from some manufacturers, it does not cover the seams. Failing seams are the main cause of EPDM roof leaks followed by ponding water, for which EPDM has no warranty either.
• Special Notes: EPDM is the least expensive single ply roofing type and requires no special equipment to install it (unlike PVC and TPO which require hot-air welding equipment) and thus is the first choice for roofing contractors entering the flat roofing market and asphalt shingle roofers, who ‘install rubber here and there’. Although many commercial roofing companies also use EPDM, they usually do not perform Residential installations so many times a home owner deals with a Part-Time flat roofing company.

Badly installed Rubber Roof:

Please note that there are many manufacturers of all three types of roofing, and each has their own formulation / manufacturing process / warranty conditions and periods, etc. Therefore we only provide a general summary for each of those roof types. Also, since our specialty is installation of IB roofs, when we use the term PVC or CPA we refer to IB PVC Roof (CPA or Co-Polymer Alloy is the way IB Roof Systems refers to its PVC product. IB membranes are 100% ‘compatible’ with other PVC products).

Common single-ply flat roofing choices: CPA/PVC membrane – IB Roof

CPA/PVC single play flat roofing membrane made by IB Roof Systems is by far, the best choice for any type of flat roof. The main advantage of IB’s CPA/PVC membrane is that the seams are Hot Air welded creating a physical bond between the sheets, which is stronger than the membrane itself. Such seam is a permanent seal, ensuring that there will be no leaks even if you have puddles of ponding water on your roof (which by the way is covered under IB’s warranty, unlike other types of flat roofing membranes that only cover the defects in material). IB’s CPA/PVC white membrane is the true energy efficient Cool Roof, this will not only give you years of worry-free performance, but will actually save you money in reduced energy costs. IB also offers a variety of colors, many of which will also qualify to carry a Cool Roof label. But the main factor speaking in favor of IB’s CPA/PVC membranes, is that they have historically proven to last over 25 years without a single leak!

Learn more about IB’s outstanding single ply flat roofing membrane, its advantages, and many choices for Residential, Commercial and Restaurant use.

Dear readers, we are getting an overwhelming amount of questions about IB Solar Wise PV systems, cost of solar, efficiency of IB SolarWise PV system vs. conventional Solar panels, and whether solar will work for you. To answer most of these questions we have created a comprehensive solar PV planning and design guide. Please familiarize yourself with how solar works, solar terminology and Solar PV Roofing price structure – find out how much solar PV roofing should cost – Solar PV prices.

Quick Page Navigation:

• What is IB SolarWise PV? – Introduction to roof-integrated Solar PV system produced by leaders in flat roofing and renewable energy – IB Roofs and Uni-Solar
• IB SolarWise video – Watch IB Solar PV roofing system in action – installation, performance and financial benefits.
• Prices of IB SolarWise PV – Estimate how much an IB Solar PV roofing system will cost for your project before any Federal Renewable Energy Tax credits and State solar rebates.
• Why should you want a roof-integrated Solar PV system? – Learn why BIPV is the way to go when you want to switch to solar PV, and probable consequences of using conventional solar systems.
• Financial benefits of IB SolarWise – Discover why IB solarwise is the least expensive solar PV system to install and maintain.

IB SolarWise roof-integrated Photo-Voltaic systems:

IB SolarWise Roofing is a Revolutionary Product combining Permanent Flat Roofing and Renewable Energy in one easy-to install, leaks-proof flat roofing solution for environment and money conscious Home and Business owners, and has a pay-off period of under 5 years*, while industry standard is 7-10 years or more.

IB SolarWise utilizes Thin Film laminate Solar PV modules produced by Uni-Solar – a US manufacturer of Solar products. Both IB Roofs and Uni-Solar have been in business for over 30 years, and combining their respective experience in Flat Roofing and Solar Photo-Voltaic gives you the highest quality, Super-Energy-Efficient product for Residential, Commercial or Industrial buildings.

SolarWise is more than just a system – it is a way to integrate two different system to work seamlessly, to be leaks free and maintain its warranty without incurring additional costs for the building owner.

IB Solar Wise helps roofing contractors and solar integrators eliminate their biggest worries – roof leaks and solar photovoltaic equipment damages by creating a seamless integration between two previously incompatible technologies.

IB SolarWise Video

Until recent availability of IB SolarWise system, solar integrators had to rely on caulking and screws to attach solar panels to the roof surface. This created leak problems for which solar integrators did not want to take responsibility. Roofing contractors were ‘terrified’ of solar equipment and its sky-high replacement cost in case of damage during roof repair. Now all these problems are eliminated by integrating solar PV components into a long-lasting IB roofing membrane, resulting in the elimination of leaks, reduced solar and roofing installation & materials costs and reduced requirement for dead-weight load on the structural components of the building.

IB SolarWise Prices

Here we will demonstrate a cost structure for a hypothetical 3 KW solar PV system installed on a roof of home or business. Do understand that this cost includes the installation of IB Roof, BIPV Solar panels, Inverter, wiring, etc., and the prices are provided “before” any Federal tax credits and State rebates for solar and other renewable energy projects.

Lets assume that our roof is an average residential roof that is 1500 sq. ft., which has a slight pitch and is positioned in a southern direction with no shading (perfect conditions for solar PV installation). Please note that slope of the roof, shading or southern exposure do not directly affect your cost for a solar system, but these conditions will affect your system’s efficiency and total electricity output. Theoretically, on a 1500 sq. ft. roof, we can install up to 7 KW of IB Solar Panels, but for the purposes of this example we will use 3 KW system mentioned before.

There is a lot of confusion about how the solar PV systems are priced – many people assume that solar is priced by Square Foot, but that is the furthest thing from the truth. Because Solar Panels from various manufacturers have different efficiency, the electricity produced by 15 sq. ft. panel from Manufacturer A can be double that produced by same size panel made by Manufacturer B. Therefore all solar PV systems are priced by their output measured by Watts DC. The average industry cost for solar PV systems that are rack-mounted and installed on an asphalt shingles roof of a residential homes range from $10 to $12 per Watt DC.

IB SolarWise PV system utilizes a thin-film Solar PV laminates produced by Uni-Solar Ovonics. These solar panels have lesser efficiency than a more common crystalline silicon panels (big aluminum boxes) per sq. ft., therefore they require more space to have a large size solar array installed. However that is rarely a concern as usually there is plenty of unused, unshaded space on the roof. Prices of IB Solar Wise PV are in the range of $13-14 per Watt DC. This is slightly more than your conventional PV panels, but it also includes a Lifetime roof, and provides a complete, water tight system, which is guaranteed not to leak, as is often the case with conventional PV systems installed on rack mounting systems, which are bolted to the roof.

The $13-14 per Watt DC figure is flexible and a lot depends on the size of the roof and the size of the solar system (number of KWatts), and in some cases can actually be on par with cost of conventional Solar systems, which do not include the roof. Each individual project will be different, so use these numbers for reference only.

Also we recommend that you read the next section of this article, discussing why you would want to have a a roof-integrated solar system installed vs. a conventional solar system.

Solar Flat Roofing: Cautionary tale with the end in mind

Foreword: This story is fictional in nature but real in substance, and definitely happened before.

A brave, responsible, and hard-working person – Jack – decides that installing a Solar PV system is not only beneficial for the environment, but is also a sound investment. So after doing the due-diligence he lines up a solar integrator to install the Solar System on his 7 years-old flat roof. The roof has no signs of leaks and Jack feels that there won’t be any problems.

The solar integrator knows his job well and completes the project in a timely manner, applying for and receiving all the available incentives for the client. the system performs well as expected, and generates the expected amount of electricity. All goes well.

3-5 years later the roof begins to leak and the building owner is faced with a dilemma. He needs to stop the leaks but the solar equipment is in the way. The roofing contractor who is supposed to fix the leak hesitates to move the solar equipment, which prevents him form fixing the roof. The only option is to remove the solar panels array completely, remove the old roof, install a new roof, and then put the solar array back.

Excluding the cost of re-roofing, as it is not related to the solar system, the hero of our story had to pay at least a dollar/watt for removal and a dollar/watt to put back the solar panels. Lets say he had a small commercial system of 10 kW or 10,000 watts. This means that he had to pay EXTRA $20,000 just to take the solar system off and put it back on, so the roofing crew could do the work.

Why was this a cautionary story with the END in mind? Very simple: Jack could avoid the extra expense of $20,000 by using a roof-integrated solar system such as IB SolarWise. Cases like this one happen all to often, and not just with flat roofs. A more common example would be an asphalt shingle roof with a solar pv system, where shingles not covered by solar panels deteriorate at normal rate and will have to be replaced about every 15 years. Lets face it: Shingles rarely last more than 15 years. Consider all the roof penetrations form the solar panels’ rack mounts and the roof lasts 12 years, after which the process described above has to accrue, unless of course you are willing to take the roof leaks.

IB SolarWise roof saves you money in FOUR ways:

1 – IB Cool White PVC roofing membrane reflects up to 90% Sun’s heat, thus your AC does not have to work as hard as if you had a black roof. Read more about benefits of IB Cool Flat Roofs.

2 – SolarWise PV modules (solar panels) generate free electricity** by converting sun-light into Electricity you can actually use, so you do not have to buy it from your utility company, or you buy a lot less than you had to before. In some cases your IB SolarWise PV system will produce MORE electricity than you expected, and you electric company will buy it from you at retail price, in states that have Net Metering laws (most states).

You will also be able to sell so called Renewable Energy Credits or RECs to give you even more money for extra electricity that you produce, thus speeding-up you pay-off period! But that is not all – there are also numerous incentives, grants and tax-rebates offered by Federal, State and local Governments, as well as your utility companies.

3 – IB Roof’s durability and proven performance ensures years of leaks-free operation of you roof as well as virtually no maintenance. As a result, you save money on flat roof and interior repair, which you will otherwise incur with other flat roofing systems, renowned for constant roof leaks.

4 – IB SolarWise PV system will save you money on the installation costs. SolarWise PV is a Building-Integrated PV (BI-PV), which means it is actually a part of the IB flat roofing system. This eliminates the need to use expensive solar panel mounts, brackets and railings that take long to install, therefore adding a lot of money to the total cost of the installation.

How IB SolarWise PV works?

IB SolarWise PV produces DC-current, which goes into an Inverter where it becomes AC-current. The inverter is connected to you home’s or building’s electric circuit and also to your meter. You use all electricity you need, while ALL excess electricity goes into the Grid. Electricity that goes into the grid is purchased from you by your utility company through Net Metering, usually at retail price.

Most of the electricity produced by the SolarWise PV system occurs in the summer, when days are longer and more sun-light is available. At the same time people will usually use a lot more electricity in the summer to run the Air Conditioning units, so depending on the “size” of your solar system, you will produce more, less or the same amount of electricity than you actually consume. However, practice shows that in the summer months, Solar systems produce more electricity then is consumed. Therefore, all excess kWh sent to the grid in the summer you will use in the winter, when a lot less of sun-light is available.

Download Official IB SolarWise PV Brochure

Note: you will need a PDF Reader to open this brochure. We recommend fast and free Foxit PDF Reader.

Benefits Summary

With all the positive qualities of IB SolarWise PV system is the Best solution available for any one looking to have an energy-efficient Cool Flat Roof and a Solar PV system. IB SolarWise PV offers the best of flat roofing and solar electricity:

• Lowest Cost per Watt installed with simplified installation and fastest pay-off period of around 5 years!
• Longest Service Life of both the Roofing System and Solar Modules. IB offers a 20 years Material warranty for the SolarWise PV modules and up to 25 years Commercial warranty with its 80-mil flat roofing membrane – the highest commercial warranty available from any flat roofing manufacturer.Home Owners will enjoy IB’s Lifetime Residential Warranty on any IB roofing product. You will not find it anywhere else, guaranteed! IB Roof Warranty Summary
• Fully Integrated Solution eliminates the risk of roof leaks, often associated with regular Solar systems! Light Weight of about 1 lb. / sq. ft. eliminates the need to upgrade the structural components of your flat roof, which further reduces you costs.

• SolarWise PV is BI-PV which qualifies it for additional incentives and rebates from State and Federal government and other
  entities.

Overall, IB SolarWise PV system is the Most affordable and the Longest lasting, Fully Integrated Solar system you can find for Residential and Commercial / Industrial / Restaurant flat roof!

This frequently asked questions section is designed to cover the topics that you are most interested in, and always ask us about.

• Q: Can I install IB Solar Wise panels over EPDM Rubber (Modified Bitumen, Tar roof, etc)
• A: No. IB SolarWise PV system must be installed over IB roof. The solar panels are welded down to the IB PVC roofing membrane which acts as a water-tight barrier and a substrate for IB Solar
• Q: How much does a square foot of IB Solar PV cost?
• A: IB SolarWise PV system as well as other solar systems are not priced by the square foot, but rather by $/Watt DC. Please refer to our IB Solar PV pricing section for more details
• Q: What is the output of IB SolarWise PV module
• A: IB SolarWise PV modules come use 4 Uni-Solar thin-film laminates per module. Each Unisolar module is 136 Watts DC, so each IB SolarWise PV module is 544 Watts. You also have an option of getting modules that are 1/2 the physical and output size and are 272 watts.
• Q: How many KW of IB solar can I install on my roof?
• A: The 544 Watt IB SolarWise PV modules is 19 feet long by 6 feet wide and require 120 sq. feet of unshaded roof area. Therefore, for 1 Kilowatt of electrical output, you will need about 200 sq. feet of roof. However, since IB Solar modules come in sizes of 544 Watts, you need to calculate how many modules you want installed and how much unshaded roof area you have.

More Q and A are coming soon.

Solar PV References and Resources:

To discover more information and methods of designing a solar house, visit our GreenSolar Cafe.com – Renewable Energy Blog. There you will find detailed guides to creating a Net Zero Energy consumption home concept that utilizes Solar and Geothermal technologies that are available on the market today.

Solar PV installation Prices – Detailed guide to $$/Watt price-structure of SolarWise PV and other solar systems.

Solar Rebates and Incentives Guide – Summary of Federal, State and Local tax credits, grants, rebates, incentives for installation of Solar PV systems – both for Residential and Commercial installation. Make your Solar PV profitable from the day it is installed!

Solar PV Price Estimator – Calculate the approximate PV System-size in Watts, Cost/Watt and the Price to install your SolarWise PV system, and an IB Roof of your choice.

Solar PV Pay-off / Break-Even Guide – Detailed look at how Solar PV works, Solar systems design, and how you can get Free Electricity. Speed up the pay-off period of your SolarWise PV. In some instances you can make your Solar PV profitable from the day it is installed!

IB Roof References and Resources:

IB Green/Roof-top Garden Roofs – If you are Eco/Environmentally conscious or just want more Green in your live, and have a flat roof Home or Office building, see why IB Roof is the perfect choice for your Greed Roof!

Green Resources Directory – Visit other Green / Eco-Friendly resources available online.

Flat Roofing systems: The purpose of a flat roof or any roof for that matter is to keep your home or building safe and dry. The roof MUST protect your investment from the elements such as rain, snow, and even the sun’s heat. However, many flat roofing technologies on the market today have some major, inherent drawbacks that have origins in their design. In fact, most flat roofs fail to serve their main purpose just a few years after they are installed.

You are presented with so many choices for a flat roof and every roofing contractor will tell you their product is the best. But which one do you choose and how do you know that you are getting the best deal? Here we have summarized the most common and ‘popular’ flat roofing choices. You can be the judge and decide which is best for you.

Benefits of flat roof construction:

There is a common misconception among many home-improvement contractors and residential builders / architects that flat roofs = problems. The truth is that flat roofs are very convenient, easier to build, and cost less than pitched / sloped roofs. In some cases, a flat roof is the only way to go, for example, when you have a large size building. Building a reliable pitched roof in those cases will require extra engineering to accommodate for additional structural weight.

Flat roofs are also convenient for installing large HVAC equipment that otherwise would have to be installed on the ground. You can also use flat roof as a roof-top deck, patio or penthouse. Green roofs are also gaining popularity with environmentally conscious companies and organizations.

When you compare all the construction costs and environmental benefits, flat roofs by far surpass any sloped roof, for which the roof products of choice are oil-based asphalt shingles. These asphalt shingles end up in our land-fills every 12-15 years, and yet more and more of them are produced.

Limitations and Disadvantages of flat roofing:

Flat roofs also have a number of disadvantages. The main one is the fact that there is no slope and all the water/snow sits on the roof. While water can be taken care of with proper drainage, snow will sit on the roof until it melts. This requires the engineers / architects to implement building components with a higher structural load. Another disadvantage that haunted flat roof installations for over a century is ponding water. Until the invention of single ply membranes such as an IB roof, there was no effective and economical way to eliminate the leaks caused by ponding water. That had to be taken care of in the initial design/construction stage. Creating a slight pitch and multiple drains was required, and still ponding water caused over 75% of all flat roof leaks.

Now the ponding water problem is solved by either implementing a slight pitch to the roof – such as in ‘space metal buildings”, using tapered insulation to direct water flow toward drains and with the creation of IB PVC / CPA roofing with hot-air welded seams, ponding water is no longer a problem in small quantities. It is still necessary to have adequate drainage system, since a lot of ponding water can cause structural damages to your house or building.

Types of flat roof: Modern and Outdated roofing technologies.

Outdated (Multiple-Ply Roofs) – some are over 100 years old:

• Build-Up Roof (BUR)
• Tar & Gravel
• Bitumen (Modified Bitumen)
• Rolled Asphalt (usually a “single-ply” install, sometimes uses tar-paper as base ply)

Modern (Single-Ply Membranes)- created within last 30 years:

• IB Roof (PVC roofing) – IB PVC roofing membrane is one of the best low-slope and completely flat roofing products available, and that is precisely the reason why we only install IB roofs. With over 30 years of spotless reputation and leaks-free performance in many different climates – from Alaska’s frigid north-lands to Hawaii’s tropical paradise, IB roofs are protecting the buildings and everything inside, without a single material failure since 1978.
  
  IB roofs still feature the same chemical formula as its original design, and with hot-air welded seams, will maintain complete water-tightness over your roof.
• Epdm Rubber Roof – a widely used flat roofing material, mainly popular among contractors because of its low price and no special equipment needed to install the rubber roof. Still, rubber roofs are very prone to leaks, as the seams are glued together, and adhesive tends to break down within 5-7 years. Also in the residential roofing market (and not so much in commercial) there are too many contractors who will install rubber roofing products without proper knowledge and training. As a result, we often go to rubber roof repair service calls to fix problems caused by poor workmanship, often on fairly new roofs.
• TPO Roofing – a single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane similar to PVC roofs from a first glance. But as you start digging, you’ll find numerous problems with TPO roofs, mainly as a result of manufacturers skipping on adding important ingredients into formulation of the TPO membrane, and as a result, quietly scrapping as many as three major generations of the product.
• SFR – Sprayed Foam Roofing (not a single-ply)

Part I: Inferior and outdated flat roofing technologies

These are very common on older buildings, although many newer buildings also have these systems installed. They are rarely installed on any commercial building today. However, they continue to be produced, and many roofers still install them on residential and small commercial roofs. This is particularly due to their low cost of material, and roofers’ lack of experience with BETTER solutions. It is sad that there are some decent roofers offering such an inferior product to their customers. I often hear something along the lines of: “I’ve been doing ‘torch-down’ for 20 years, and it is the best” – very sad – so we will briefly describe them, without getting into details.

BUR / Tar & Gravel / Torch-down: Multiple-ply roof where each ‘tar-soaked’ ply is applied with a torch (yes, open flame on your roof!), or hot mopped (preheated tar transported to the roof and applied with a mop). Gravel goes on top of this ‘sandwich’ mainly as a protection layer from foot-traffic and sun’s devastating ultraviolet rays. There are many deviations from the above procedure, but they are all within a close range of similarity.

Modified Bitumen: It is also applied with a torch in a similar manner described above. It is however a different material than tar. Modified bitumen has rubber and elastomers added into the formula, so it is stronger and more flexible.

Rolled Asphalt: Similar to asphalt shingles – tar paper is saturated in asphalt, with crushed stones glued on top of it. Rolls are installed in an overlapping pattern, with cold-mop application and nails to attach it to the roof deck. Overlapping seams are sealed with tar.

Problems associated with flat roofs:

The nature of flat roofs’ problems is just that they are flat. Water does not run off the roof. Proper drainage must be in place to get rid of water accumulating on a roof. Usually older roofs are not leveled, so water puddles will appear here and there after every rain, and just sit there until it dries out. This is called standing or ponding water. Most roofing systems were not designed for ponding water. In fact, most manufacturers of the roofing systems on the market today, will void out the warranty if there is ponding water on the roof (we will get to this issue later). Other major problems for flat roofs, are penetrations such as skylights, vent or exhaust pipes, chimneys, roof hatches, drains, etc. However the biggest problem with flat roofs is the seams, because they are the most common areas where leaks occur.

Seams:

Seams exist on every flat roof (except tiny ’6×10 porch-type’ roofs, which can be covered with a single sheet of roofing membrane), and are usually put together with some sort of adhesive. After a few years the adhesive breaks due to severe weather changes (here in New England, temperature can change 25 degrees or more, in a matter of one day). Another major factor affecting seams’ adhesive is condensation, which always occurs underneath the roof covering. Condensation expands both in the winter and summer. The most dramatic expansion of condensation happens in the winter time when water freezes, expands and breaks the seam. The same happens to our roads. Think of all the potholes you drive over. Those too were caused by water freezing. In the summer water heats up and also expands. When you see bubbles on the roof surface, it is the water vapor lifting the membrane. The third major factor is actually quality of workmanship and the adhesive itself. For different roofing systems the process is different, but most of them share the same shortcoming – the need for using adhesives, be it glue, hot tar, liquid resin, etc. Adhesives are also required to flash any roof penetrations listed above, but here the workmanship is actually more of a factor than the adhesive.

Conclusion – let’s get real.

It is a shame that in the 21st century we are still using 19th century technology. Even more so, because nearly 50% of roofers in the on-line construction forums will advise you to choose a clearly inferior roof. These heavy and dirty roofs, heat up to 170 degrees and make your AC run like crazy in the summer. These very roofs start leaking prematurely and are impossible to fix. Why would some one acting in good faith actually recommend these? The answer is obvious – they don’t know any better. Fortunately there is ONE modern, technologically advanced flat roofing solution available on the market today – IB Roof. In fact, this solution has been around for a few decades now, and has a proved track record of 30 years of leak-free service!

Read more: Part II – Single-Ply Roofing Membranes – PVC, TPO & EPDM Rubber Roofing.

Flat Roofing systems: The purpose of a flat roof or any roof for that matter is to keep your home or building safe and dry. The roof MUST protect your investment from the elements such as rain, snow, and even the sun’s heat. However, many flat roofing technologies on the market today have some major, inherent drawbacks that have origins in their design. In fact, most flat roofs fail to serve their main purpose just a few years after they are installed.

You are presented with so many choices for a flat roof and every roofing contractor will tell you their product is the best. But which one do you choose and how do you know that you are getting the best deal? Here we have summarized the most common and ‘popular’ flat roofing choices. You can be the judge and decide which is best for you.

Benefits of flat roof construction:

There is a common misconception among many home-improvement contractors and residential builders / architects that flat roofs = problems. The truth is that flat roofs are very convenient, easier to build, and cost less than pitched / sloped roofs. In some cases, a flat roof is the only way to go, for example, when you have a large size building. Building a reliable pitched roof in those cases will require extra engineering to accommodate for additional structural weight.

Flat roofs are also convenient for installing large HVAC equipment that otherwise would have to be installed on the ground. You can also use flat roof as a roof-top deck, patio or penthouse. Green roofs are also gaining popularity with environmentally conscious companies and organizations.

When you compare all the construction costs and environmental benefits, flat roofs by far surpass any sloped roof, for which the roof products of choice are oil-based asphalt shingles. These asphalt shingles end up in our land-fills every 12-15 years, and yet more and more of them are produced.

Limitations and Disadvantages of flat roofing:

Flat roofs also have a number of disadvantages. The main one is the fact that there is no slope and all the water/snow sits on the roof. While water can be taken care of with proper drainage, snow will sit on the roof until it melts. This requires the engineers / architects to implement building components with a higher structural load. Another disadvantage that haunted flat roof installations for over a century is ponding water. Until the invention of single ply membranes such as an IB roof, there was no effective and economical way to eliminate the leaks caused by ponding water. That had to be taken care of in the initial design/construction stage. Creating a slight pitch and multiple drains was required, and still ponding water caused over 75% of all flat roof leaks.

Now the ponding water problem is solved by either implementing a slight pitch to the roof – such as in ‘space metal buildings”, using tapered insulation to direct water flow toward drains and with the creation of IB PVC / CPA roofing with hot-air welded seams, ponding water is no longer a problem in small quantities. It is still necessary to have adequate drainage system, since a lot of ponding water can cause structural damages to your house or building.

Types of flat roof: Modern and Outdated roofing technologies.

Outdated (Multiple-Ply Roofs) – some are over 100 years old:

• Build-Up Roof (BUR)
• Tar & Gravel
• Bitumen (Modified Bitumen)
• Rolled Asphalt (usually a “single-ply” install, sometimes uses tar-paper as base ply)

Modern (Single-Ply Membranes)- created within last 30 years:

• IB Roof (PVC roofing) – IB PVC roofing membrane is one of the best low-slope and completely flat roofing products available, and that is precisely the reason why we only install IB roofs. With over 30 years of spotless reputation and leaks-free performance in many different climates – from Alaska’s frigid north-lands to Hawaii’s tropical paradise, IB roofs are protecting the buildings and everything inside, without a single material failure since 1978.
  
  IB roofs still feature the same chemical formula as its original design, and with hot-air welded seams, will maintain complete water-tightness over your roof.
• Epdm Rubber Roof – a widely used flat roofing material, mainly popular among contractors because of its low price and no special equipment needed to install the rubber roof. Still, rubber roofs are very prone to leaks, as the seams are glued together, and adhesive tends to break down within 5-7 years. Also in the residential roofing market (and not so much in commercial) there are too many contractors who will install rubber roofing products without proper knowledge and training. As a result, we often go to rubber roof repair service calls to fix problems caused by poor workmanship, often on fairly new roofs.
• TPO Roofing – a single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane similar to PVC roofs from a first glance. But as you start digging, you’ll find numerous problems with TPO roofs, mainly as a result of manufacturers skipping on adding important ingredients into formulation of the TPO membrane, and as a result, quietly scrapping as many as three major generations of the product.
• SFR – Sprayed Foam Roofing (not a single-ply)

Part I: Inferior and outdated flat roofing technologies

These are very common on older buildings, although many newer buildings also have these systems installed. They are rarely installed on any commercial building today. However, they continue to be produced, and many roofers still install them on residential and small commercial roofs. This is particularly due to their low cost of material, and roofers’ lack of experience with BETTER solutions. It is sad that there are some decent roofers offering such an inferior product to their customers. I often hear something along the lines of: “I’ve been doing ‘torch-down’ for 20 years, and it is the best” – very sad – so we will briefly describe them, without getting into details.

BUR / Tar & Gravel / Torch-down: Multiple-ply roof where each ‘tar-soaked’ ply is applied with a torch (yes, open flame on your roof!), or hot mopped (preheated tar transported to the roof and applied with a mop). Gravel goes on top of this ‘sandwich’ mainly as a protection layer from foot-traffic and sun’s devastating ultraviolet rays. There are many deviations from the above procedure, but they are all within a close range of similarity.

Modified Bitumen: It is also applied with a torch in a similar manner described above. It is however a different material than tar. Modified bitumen has rubber and elastomers added into the formula, so it is stronger and more flexible.

Rolled Asphalt: Similar to asphalt shingles – tar paper is saturated in asphalt, with crushed stones glued on top of it. Rolls are installed in an overlapping pattern, with cold-mop application and nails to attach it to the roof deck. Overlapping seams are sealed with tar.

Problems associated with flat roofs:

The nature of flat roofs’ problems is just that they are flat. Water does not run off the roof. Proper drainage must be in place to get rid of water accumulating on a roof. Usually older roofs are not leveled, so water puddles will appear here and there after every rain, and just sit there until it dries out. This is called standing or ponding water. Most roofing systems were not designed for ponding water. In fact, most manufacturers of the roofing systems on the market today, will void out the warranty if there is ponding water on the roof (we will get to this issue later). Other major problems for flat roofs, are penetrations such as skylights, vent or exhaust pipes, chimneys, roof hatches, drains, etc. However the biggest problem with flat roofs is the seams, because they are the most common areas where leaks occur.

Seams:

Seams exist on every flat roof (except tiny ’6×10 porch-type’ roofs, which can be covered with a single sheet of roofing membrane), and are usually put together with some sort of adhesive. After a few years the adhesive breaks due to severe weather changes (here in New England, temperature can change 25 degrees or more, in a matter of one day). Another major factor affecting seams’ adhesive is condensation, which always occurs underneath the roof covering. Condensation expands both in the winter and summer. The most dramatic expansion of condensation happens in the winter time when water freezes, expands and breaks the seam. The same happens to our roads. Think of all the potholes you drive over. Those too were caused by water freezing. In the summer water heats up and also expands. When you see bubbles on the roof surface, it is the water vapor lifting the membrane. The third major factor is actually quality of workmanship and the adhesive itself. For different roofing systems the process is different, but most of them share the same shortcoming – the need for using adhesives, be it glue, hot tar, liquid resin, etc. Adhesives are also required to flash any roof penetrations listed above, but here the workmanship is actually more of a factor than the adhesive.

Conclusion – let’s get real.

It is a shame that in the 21st century we are still using 19th century technology. Even more so, because nearly 50% of roofers in the on-line construction forums will advise you to choose a clearly inferior roof. These heavy and dirty roofs, heat up to 170 degrees and make your AC run like crazy in the summer. These very roofs start leaking prematurely and are impossible to fix. Why would some one acting in good faith actually recommend these? The answer is obvious – they don’t know any better. Fortunately there is ONE modern, technologically advanced flat roofing solution available on the market today – IB Roof. In fact, this solution has been around for a few decades now, and has a proved track record of 30 years of leak-free service!

Read more: Part II – Single-Ply Roofing Membranes – PVC, TPO & EPDM Rubber Roofing.