Flat Roof Rubber Membranes are divided into three types – EPDM, TPO, and Modified Bitumen Torch Down
Although there are many types of roofing products on the market for flat roofs, there are basically three types that are commonly installed. These are EPDM Rubber, TPO Vinyl, and Modified Bitumen Torch Down Rubber. Of these three the Torch Down Rubber Membrane is the best.
All these roofing membranes mentioned above classifies as a “Single Ply Membrane”. These roofing systems are one layer of membrane that is seamed together making up a roof. This is why there are so many issues with these roofing systems because it takes more experience and skill to install any of these membranes.
In the old days, there was basically only one type of roofing system and that was the Hot Tar Mop Down roofing system. With so many different roofing membranes on the market, it became harder to train and keep roofing technicians.
For one, everyone that has worked as a roofing technician for a larger company, quickly see the opportunity to start his own roofing company. The larger roofing companies have lost the edge and have strong competition from all the smaller one pony shows.
This video is about an EPDM rubber roof. In the video, we try to prove that EPDM roofs are not as good as what most roofing contractors make it out to be.
The diluted Experience of Roofing Technicians.
More often, roofing technicians will walk away from a larger company to start their own roofing business, but will not have the necessary skills to handle the business side of it.
They end up underbidding jobs and ultimately providing an inferior roof. This trend has been going on for the last 20 years. We see so many flat roofs that are not installed according to proper roofing standards.
Flat Roof Rubber Membrane – Modified bitumen mop Down roof
The image is from someone in Philidelphia; you can tell the roof was not installed correctly. The membrane just hangs over the edge. To the far side where the gutter is, you can see how they just rolled the roofing membrane over the edge into the gutter. All these are finer techniques that make a roof last longer or not.
All these are better techniques that make a roof last longer or not. To hire someone that has not been in the roofing business very long is taking a significant risk of having to re-do the entire roof again.
This is the text conversation I had with a man from Illinois.
The images he has sent from his phone
Naas Ferreira:
How can I help?
Looks like the seams were leaking and someone tried to tar it
Man in Illinois:
I was trying to get advice for the roof I had done and started back leaking the company says I need drains now
Naas Ferreira:
Were you the installer?
Oh so you the owner
Man in Illinois:
No I had a company come out and two days later it started back leaking and they won’t honor the warranty said I need drains on a roof before they will come back out
Naas Ferreira:
And roofing company wants u to install drains?
Man in Illinois:
Yes
Naas Ferreira:
Ok absolutely wrong. They are
The roof is slanted
Not much but water can’t pond too much
From the appearance, it looks very badly installed
But
It appears the shingles are in bad shape too
Man in Illinois:
Yes before they will come back out. I had a 2nd opinion roofer come out and told me no I don’t need drains 90lb felt and tar is not a roofing system
Naas Ferreira:
Oops
Man in Illinois:
Oh I now have lots of water on the flat roof and it’s leaking in my home for over a month now
Naas Ferreira:
Ok
So you had a fake roofer
Even with 90 lb paper, it should have worked
Man in Illinois:
That’s what I’m trying to find out. I hired him a site
Naas Ferreira:
Anyway. Cut your losses and get a real roofer. Sorry about your loss
I also suspect your shingles could cause leaks
They look old and brittle
Be sure to have that checked out
Man in Illinois:
But it’s only the flat side leaking and I have a lot to cut for losses
Naas Ferreira:
Yes but if the shingles leak it will show up on a flat section
Man in Illinois:
Oh ok
Naas Ferreira:
I am almost positive that is what’s wrong
The flat section is bad, but still, it should not leak
Man in Illinois:
No, it’s more than that I had my ceiling removed due to the leak and there are several areas leaking from the ceiling
Naas Ferreira:
Yes that won’t tell where the water is coming from
I would not have touched that flat section by the look of the shingles
Man in Illinois:
Even when it rains n is pouring in like raining inside
Naas Ferreira:
Have someone check the shingles
I think you are at a loss with these people
Man in Illinois:
Ok I will
Naas Ferreira:
If they installed paper then they have no clue and there is no way then to ask them to do better
Man in Illinois:
Yea, I think so as well
Naas Ferreira:
Where are you
State?
Man in Illinois:
Well the contract says they were doing something else I didn’t know what was done until a 2nd roofer was called out
Rockford Il
Naas Ferreira:
You can find someone to install a Torch Down rubber over that will save you money
CA
??
Man in Illinois:
What is that
Naas Ferreira:
What state are you in?
I don’t know where Rockford is
Man in Illinois:
Illinois
Naas Ferreira:
I seeContinue next Column continue….
Man in Illinois:
1 1/2 hours from Chicago
Naas Ferreira:
Anyway see what you can do
I really am concerned about the shingles
Man in Illinois:
O wow
the rough situation I don’t know anything about roofing and I thought I would have a better chance not being taken advantage of if I used a roofing site
Naas Ferreira:
If u can take some pics to close up of the shingles I’ll probably be able to tell
Man in Illinois:
Well, right now I don’t even have the money I’m back saving I paid 3200$ for that to be done. I just had a kid leave for college and this has put me in a
Ok
I’m concerned about the entire roof now n the inside of my home
Naas Ferreira:
I am so sorry
Man in Illinois:
Ok I can tomorrow it’s too dark for me to go up there now
Naas Ferreira:
I don’t think you going to get them to fix it. Scam artists
Man in Illinois:
Thank you for time and advice I will send pics tomorrow once I’m home from work about 430
Naas Ferreira:
Ok
Man in Illinois:
When fair claims contact them they said I now need drains but it’s not in the contract and was never mentioned to me when he gave me the estimate
Naas Ferreira:
U don’t need drains
Absurd
Not for that roof
That house has been there a long time without drains
Nothing has changed. Just a bad roofer
Man in Illinois:
I know I immediately called out a different roofing company and didn’t tell them I recently had it repaired and just let them give me an estimate then asked
d if I was to put drains up will that help the problem and they said no. I’m reading the new estimate and they do have on here to replace side shingles
in this estimate
Naas Ferreira:
I see
Man in Illinois:
The new company said remove n replace 3 courses of shingles from slope roof
And they said it will be a Durotuff roofing system to the flat roof
Naas Ferreira:
Ok. Maybe because of 3 layers that could not be the cause of the leak on the flat roof. Maybe the flat roof was so badly installed it’s leaking
Hmm don’t know “Durotuff”
Man in Illinois:
The new roofing company that came out check the entire roof
PVC Durotuff
Naas Ferreira:
Ok yes
It’s good but more expensive than Torch down
Man in Illinois:
Lol ok
Naas Ferreira:
I am not a fan of PVC or TPO
Man in Illinois:
Yea I know it’s 4800$ I have to come up with
Naas Ferreira:
But in your case, it will be ok
Man in Illinois:
I have no idea what either is
Naas Ferreira:
Vinyl plastic roof
They are pretty good
Price sounds right
Actually cheap
Man in Illinois:
They mention some about vinyl in here too
Naas Ferreira:
They will strip what’s there
Man in Illinois:
Yes I just wish I would have found them over a month ago then I wouldn’t have had to have carpet shampoo and rented humidifiers and cleaned water every day
which was a waste due to it’s still not fixed
Yes because water is in between