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.

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.

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.

Many homes have an outside deck / patio over a living space, and so far, the solution to waterproof such roof decks was to install a rubber membrane roof and a wooden deck on slippers over the rubber. On some older roofs, instead of a rubber roof, a Tar / Built-up roofing material is used for waterproofing. The main problem with this assembly is roof leaks, which often occur within a few years of the roof deck’s installation.

Often the seams on the roofing membrane pop open, or water starts to pool under the deck, and the only way for this water to drain is into your home. If you need to repair such a roof deck, you will have to take the deck apart completely to seal the seams or to redo the roof flashing, and then put the wooden deck back together.

Another issue is the cost of such a roof deck (even without the high costs associated with roof repairs) – the rubber roof by itself is somewhat not expensive, but when you add the cost of a pressure treated wood deck (a fiber decking, mahogany or some other premium deck is rather rare, and most people do choose to go with PT wood), your roof deck ends up costing you a small fortune. Then you also have to install and seal the railing posts.

On a rubber roof, pieces of uncured flashing must be glued to the rubber roof and the post to make the post penetration watertight, and on a Tar / BUR roof, liquid tar or roof cement is used to seal around the post. Both rubber roof flashing and tar flashing around the post will begin to fail after 5-7 years, so once again to stop the roof leaks, you will have to disassemble the deck and repair the flashing.

IB Deck Shield – the long lasting, beautiful and cost effective solution for roof decks

IB Roof Systems recognized the need for a long-lasting waterproofing membrane for roof decks, patios and balconies, and based on their excellent PVC roofing membrane, created a Deck Roofing product, which will last for decades, is easy to repair (if such need arises), and has a special, slip-resistant, beautiful surface. This makes it possible to walk on this membrane, eliminating the need for a wooden deck over the membrane, and making the whole roof seamless and watertight.

IB Deck Shield was created based on IB Roofs’ proven PVC roofing membrane, designed for flat roofs, and featuring hot air welded seams, which make membrane overlaps sealed permanently, ensuring a long-lasting watertight roof. An IB roofing membrane can withstand ponding water, and is an excellent choice for any flat roof. IB roofs also have a complete line of flashing accessories – inside and outside corner flashings, pipe flashing ranging in size from 1/4″ to over 12 inches, for extra wide exhaust pipes and furnace stacks. Because of fast and easy installation in all tight spots, any roof penetration can be flashed quickly and any installation defects are eliminated.

IB took it’s existing it’s existing PVC roof product (IB Flat Roof), and added a special surface to it, making it slip resistant, even when wet, and added a beautiful texture, which resembles small pebbles, often used as a swimming pool deck. All components of IB Deck Shield roof are color matching and will produce a uniform, great-looking final product.

IB Deck Shield roof installation:

Because an IB Deck Shield is exposed to constant foot traffic, deck furniture, outside BBQ grills, etc., it must withstand all this abuse and last for many years without any leaks. To be able to do so, an IB deck Shield is installed over a dense, moisture resistant substrate – DensDeck, which is attached to the roof deck.

Once DensDeck substrate is installed, all seams are taped and “plastered” with a special joint compound to provide a universal, smooth surface, to which the Deck Shield membrane is glued using either a water-based or solvent based adhesive (we use water based glue, as it is environmentally “safer” than a solvent based product).

When a a joint compound cures, we apply a layer of IB water-based adhesive and lay down the IB Deck Shield membrane, which was previously aligned to be wrinkle free and to have exactly a 2″ overlap with the previous sheet of membrane. Once adhesive is applied and membrane is laid down, it is mechanically fastened at all roof to wall connections, but never in field.

After a few minutes, when adhesive cures, all seams are welded and it’s time to install roof to wall flashing as well as all pre-fabbed inside / outside corners, as well as flash all post penetrations. IB Roof manufactures special post flashings, which can either be pre-welded or split, and it is the choice of a contractor which one to use.

We prefer to use split post flashings – although the split post flashing requires more welding, it is actually easier to install split flashing rather then a welded flashing, because when we order them, we specify the post size – usually 3 5/8″ x 3 5/8″ (a standard 4×4′ railing post), and a welded flashing sits pretty tight around the post so it is rather difficult to pull it all the way down.

Durability of IB DeckShield flat roof decks:

Once all DensDeck is installed, all DeckShield is glued down, seams welded and all flashings are installed, the roof is complete, and now you have a durable, completely water-tight roof deck, where you can spend nice summer days, invite your friends over for BBQ, and not worry about roof leaks any more. IB DeckShield is VERY durable, and very resistant to puncture damage. Because it is glued to the DensDeck substrate, the surface under it is very hard and most sharp objects that fall on this roof will bounce off leaving very little or no damage – we accidentally dropped sharp tin snips; they just bounced off and did not cause any damage.

Of course you want to be careful with your new roof and not drop any sharp objects purposely, but small accidents do happen, and you can be confident that IB DeckShield will withstand all normal wear and tear – foot traffic and most accidental drops, which would usually puncture a flat roof such as rubber roofs.

If your roof is damaged – in most cases it should be leaking for a long time, as the membrane is glued to the substrate and even if some water gets in, it won’t be able to spread and leak inside your home. It is also very easy to repair an IB Deck Shield roof – a small patch of color-matching membrane will be welded over the damaged area, making the repair virtually invisible, unless looked at from close distance. An IB DeckShield roof will remain weldable for decades, just like other IB Flat roofing products.

Roof deck prices – how much does IB DeckShield cost to install?

IB DeckShield is a premium flat roofing product and it is rather expensive by itself. However, when you consider the alternative of a rubber roof with a PT wooden deck over it, IB DeckShield will usually be less expensive, as PT wood deck will add a significant amount to the total roof deck cost.

Because IB DeckShield installation is rather complicated and involved, it will cost more than the flat roof prices provided by our roofing calculator. IB Deck Shield takes considerably longer to install than regular IB flat roofs, and costs a lot more than a standard 50-mil or even 80-mil IB roofing membrane. Therefore installation prices per sq. ft. of your roof deck will be higher than those of an 80 mil roof deck option (eg. flat roof deck in Wellesley, MA)

Price of IB Deck Shield installation will also depend or roof difficulty, number of roof penetrations and whether the existing roof needs to be removed. In case of a roof removal, the roof deck must be installed in sections, and sealed at the end of each work day, to prevent roof leaks from overnight rains.

IB Roof Deck prices:

A basic price to install IB DeckShield starts at $13-14 per sq. ft. (assuming that your roof deck is approximately 200-300 sq. ft., which is what most roof decks are), and includes a 1/4″ DensDeck Substrate, with all joints sealed using joint compound, and up to 5 post flashing penetrations. All other flashing and penetration details will be priced considering other aspects of your roof, and the project as a whole.

Roof tear-off will be priced in a range of $300+ per 100 sq. ft. of roof area, plus cost of the dumpster. The reason for this price structure is as follows: Roof decks are usually rather small, but the tear off greatly intensifies the installation difficulty and slows down the overall process. Also, we separate dumpster fees, as on a small roof we would still need the smallest (10 or 15 yards) dumpster which costs about $300.

To give you an example – it took us about 5 days to complete the roof in the first picture on this page, with 4-5 guys working 8-10 hours per day. The roof size there is approximately 1200 sq. ft. So assume that 4-5 guys removed and installed about 240 sq. ft. of roof in 1 day.

The pricing above is approximate and reflects a general price stricture that we use for deck roofs installation in Massachusetts and the rest of New England states (Roofs in CT, RI, NH, ME and VT).

We will price each roof deck separately, but this will provide you with pretty accurate pricing guide-lines, so you would know how much to expect to pay for an IB DeckShield roof.

As a comparison, a rubber roof would cost you $8-10 per sq. ft. plus the cost of PT wooden deck, which can range from $13-20 per sq. ft., often without the material costs.

Additional roof decks and flat roofing resources:

Roof deck installation using 80-mil IB PVC roof with a wooden deck over it.

RoofDecks.org – general information about roofing materials, roof deck prices and installation methods of waterproofing products for roof decks, balconies and patios.

Flat Roofing – informational resource about flat roofing materials – Learn about EPDM Rubber roofing, PVC and TPO roofs and Tar & Gravel, Modified Bitumen and other Built-Up roofs.

Roof calculator – estimate roofing prices in your state for different roofing materials – asphalt shingles, metal roofs, and various flat roofing membranes. Learn how contractors price their roofs, as well as pros & cons of different roofing materials. Find out how to measure and estimate a roof using extensive step-by-step roof estimating guide and roofing calculator software.

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

Get the longest lasting PVC flat roofing system with hot-air welded seam. There is no glue used in the installation and once welded, the two sheets of membrane become one. Even the ponding water is not an issue, and your roof warranty will not be voided. IB PVC flat roof is also easy to repair if damage ever occurs – be it tomorrow or 20 years from now – an IB PVC roof will remain fully weldable.

Get materials and/or labor warranties of up-to 25 years, guaranteed by the manufacturer – IB Roof Systems. Learn more about the benefits of IB PVC commercial flat roofing.

Does your Commercial / Industrial / Restaurant roof leak?

• Do you have to install plastic covers or tarps to protect your expensive machinery?
• Does water damage your office computers and equipment?
• Is your product inventory being destroyed by roof leaks?
• Do you loose business space, restaurant seating, and production capacity due to your old, leaking flat roof?
• Does your black rubber or Tar & Gravel roof make the AC run continously, while it is still hot inside?

All of the above is true for these folks, and they are sick of it!

As you can see, they had to protect their VERY expensive machinery with plastic sheets just so water does not destroy it. Flat roof leaks can cause thousands of dollars in damages to equipment and merchandise alone. Consider redundant roof repairs and costs associated with future replacement rotted decking, wet insulation, and disposal of old roofing material. Add lost business productivity, equipment repair, replacement and damaged inventory. It is time to eliminate your flat roofing leaks once and for all.

The choice is simple – IB Single-ply Cool Roof

A leaky roof creates major problems for many businesses, in lost revenue, damaged equipment, and lost business space. We can help you stop those leaks once and for all with IB PVC Roof – our flat-roofing product of choice – and we will back it up with our comprehensive guaranty that you will not have any more leaks.

With Commercial warranties up to 25 years and a proven track-record of over 30 years leak-free performance, an IB roof will be saving you money on maintenance, repairs and energy costs. IB Cool roofs reflect over 90% of solar radiation and on a 90 degree day White IB roof will only go about 95 degrees. Compare that to 160-170 degrees for a black rubber ( Epdm ) roof.

IB ChemGuard – the only chemicals, oil and grease resistant roofing membrane available on the market will be the perfect choice for any restaurant or industrial manufacturing facility where chemicals may be present on the roof.

Most businesses require a lot of space to operate efficiently, and it just so happens that most commercial buildings have a flat roof. These flat roofs just leak, and there seems no end to these roof leak problems. Leaking flat roofs not only cause expensive repairs and structural damages, to the building – they can potentially halt some or all of your business’ production until leaks are fixed. Temporary loss of useful space can be more costly than the roof repair, and the damages to your production equipment may by far outweigh the cost to install a Long Lasting IB Flat Roof, which will not only remain water-tight beyond it’s warranty period, but will also save you money on the ever-rising Cooling and Heating bills. IB’s excellent ‘Cool Roof’ reflective properties can lower your AC energy consumption by as much as 20%, and with the addition of High-R insulation, it will be less expensive to heat your building.

Even ponding water is not a problem for IB Roofs.

IB Roof was created with the commercial / industrial flat roofing market in mind, and will work on the most complicated flat roof you can think of. If your flat roof has inherited water drainage problems, has devastating ponding water after every time it rains, it is no problem for IB. it comes with an explicit ‘Ponding Water Warranty’, unlike most other flat roofing systems, which will leak and whose warranty will be void if there is standing water.

IB Roofs are Eco-friendly – IB is the Green Choice!

Not only are IB roofs perfect for commercial buildings in terms of water-tightness, longevity and performance, they are also friendly for the environment. Cool roof features an IB white membrane that will reduce the CO2 and other Green-House gas emissions by reducing your energy consumption for Air Conditioning. An IB roof is also a perfect choice for creating a Green Roof or a Roof-top garden which in an Urban Environment will reduce the “heat island” effect and will increase the productivity of your office workers, as proven by multiple studies.

Another great feature of IB roofs it that they are 100% recyclable. This means 30 years from now, if you decide to get a new IB roof, the existing one will not go to our nation’s landfills. Instead, it will be recycled and reused for other PVC products such as vinyl siding, PVC pipes and conduits, etc.

IB Roof PVC recycling video.

Check out this video of how the 30 years old IB roof installation in Harrisburg, OR was recycled, and a New IB roof was installed in its stead:

Excited about IB roof? Don’t wait any longer!

Stop wasting your money on useless roof fixes and losing profit due to your flat roof leaks.


If your roof is located anywhere in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island or other New England states, fill out our Free, no obligation Online Roofing Estimate or call us at 617-444-9020 and we will come up with the best solution to fit your flat roofing needs and budget.

If you are outside of New England, go to www.IBRoof.com and fill out their Contractor Referral form or call 1-800-426-1626, to speak with IB Customer Service, and find an IB Contractor in your area.

Remember, that an IB roof is the MOST economical commercial flat roof when you consider Total Roofing Cost.

IB Roof can also be upgraded with IB SolarWise – a Building-Integrated Solar PV system, created IB and Uni-Solar. Such an upgrade can be done at any point in time after the original IB roofs was installed, without compromising roof integrity. IB SolarWise is light-weight, and requires no additional structural reinforcement, nor does it need any mounting brackets or railings. In fact SolarWise gets welded right to the IB membrane, and all that has to be done after is the electrical connections! IB SolarWise is the Least Expensive solar system on the market, and has the highest ROI.

If you want to know what a new IB roof will cost, check out our Roofing Cost Estimator – bear in mind, that prices estimated by our calculator refer to Residential Flat roofs. You can generally expect a lower price for your commercial flat roof, as the ‘economy of scale’ factor kicks in.

IB Roof Systems Reference Information – Ratings and Approvals

This information will be valuable for architects, specifiers, building managers, property owners and maintenance personel looking to have an IB Roof installed. For additional product information you can also download IB Commercial Brochure and IB ChemGuard Brochure.

UL – R15546	FM Global – 3018104
International Code Council – ER 5405	No. 05-1122.03 (Concrete Decks) No. 05-1122.07 (LW Concrete Decks) No. 05-1122.05 (Steel Decks) No. 05-1122.04 (Wood Decks) No. 05-1122.06 (Recover Decks)
FL 2534-R2 (Mechanically Attached) FL 4672 (Fully Adhered)	Cool Roof Rating Council Listing
IB Roof Systems is proud to be an Energy Star™ Partner.

This is only a partial list, containing the most prominent rating and approval agencies’ certificates. Others approvals and certificates that are not listed here include:

Underwriter’s Laboratory of Canada – ULC

Green Roofs for Healthier Cities – Green Roofs

Single Ply Roofing Industry – SPRI

National Roofing Contractors Association – NRCA

North Eastern Roofing Contractors Association – NERCA

Some of Commercial Flat roofs we have done recently:

Testex Corp – RI

Bellingham Power Plant – MA

9th St. Condo – RI

Some of Restaurant Metal roofs we have done recently:

IHOP Restaurant Cape Cod, Hyannis, MA

Venus De Milo Restaurant Swansea, MA

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!

• 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.

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.

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

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

The truth about residential flat roofing market and contractors.

This rubber roof is just 1 year old, and has been leaking since day one, until we replaced it with a lifetime IB PVC flat roofing membrane.

Rubber Roof Contractors: It is unfortunate, but most residential flat roofs are installed by roofing contractors that specialize in asphalt shingles. Since they can easily purchase rubber roofing materials from their roofing supply warehouse, and are not required to be certified installers, nor do they need any special training or equipment, they will often undertake such projects to keep their crews busy.

Incorrectly installed EPDM roof in Quincy, MA – rubber glued right over shingles:

The truth is that to get a quality rubber roof installed, it usually has to be done by a commercial roofing company that specializes in flat roofing. However, it is often the policy of such companies not to work with residential customers, for which there are many reasons. These contractors work with large commercial and institutional customers, employ union workers who are trained roof mechanics, specializing in their particular niche. For example, a commercial roofing contractor will have separate crews doing metal roofing or slate – these guys are “roofers”, and yet another crew doing flat roofing ONLY – these are “roof mechanics”.

A residential roofing contractor usually employs just roofers, who are good at what they do all day long – install asphalt shingle roofs, and often do not have a clue about how flat roofs work. When they get a potential client with a flat roof, they go to their supplier, ask what supplier has for flat roof, and the salesman at the supply warehouse TEACHES the roofer how to install EPDM rubber. This is not creative fiction or a product of my imagination – I see this happening nearly every time, when I come in to the supply store to get something.

“Trained rubber roofing installers”: If you are lucky, you may get a roofer that has received some sort of training about rubber roof installation. For example, one of my suppliers, provides installation training programs for their roofing contractors who install only asphalt shingles. The idea behind such training seminars is to increase awareness and solicit sales of more roofing products. A manufacturer technician provides a sample installation on a 8×8 feet demo stand.

Bellow is and example of such “hands-on rubber roofing training”.

As you can see, the roofers just sit around the demo stand while the MFG Installation technician shows them what to do. The whole demonstration took about an hour and a half, and covered thing like installing flat roofing insulation (ISO), adhering rubber to the ISO board, flashing a sky-light / chimney penetration with un-cured flashing material, installing the membrane up the vertical wall, cleaning & priming seams and installing seam tape, installing drip edge and a tape to seal the drip edge fasteners, and installing termination bar. In the same 1.5 hours we’ve also “learned” how to correctly apply yellow glue – membrane adhesive, seam primer – seam & flashing glue and how to install these systems in the winter, while violating manufacturer’s installation specs.

Out of 25 or so roofing contractors present, there were about 15 or so questions particular to the installation details. 7 of them where asked by me! Bear in mind that I already knew how to install a rubber roof and attended the event to talk to my salesman, representatives of the metal roofing manufacturer and for free refreshments

In any case, each one of those 25 or so roofing contractors, willing to learn a new, and very complicated roofing system, asked an average of 0.3 questions about this system.

Rubber roofs for residential customers: It was clear that my supplier and the roofing representatives were selling to Residential Roofing Contractors. Not once did they mention roof-top HVAC units, roof hatches, elevator shafts, gas/electrical pipes, roof drains, etc. They did however insist that the rubber is a good choice for a low slope shed dormer (without mentioning the poor low slope roof ventilation and ice dam prevention associated with shed dormers). They also mentioned that rubber is a good choice for a flat roof decks and patios.

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.

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.

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)

• 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

• 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.

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 is the way IB Roof Systems refers to its PVC product. IB membranes are generally ‘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.