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Rubber Membrane Repair Torch Down – DIY Videos

Torch Down Rubber Membrane Repair

It is fairly easy to make a rubber membrane repair ones you have the tools and materials.

This video shoes how to go about repairing a Torch Down Rubber Roof

What is on this page

  • Materials and Tools list  with instructions to fix a Torch Down Rubber Roof
  • What to look for before making roof repairs
  • Comparing Torch Downs with other Roof systems
  • Aluminum or Silver Coating for Torch Down membrane
  • How to mend or patch a Torch Down Rubber Roof

Warning – Before making Torch Down Rubber Membrane Repairs – determine the “Type of Roof”

Image of tools needed to repair rubber roofs

Click for Type of Roof

The Torch Down Rubber Membrane is still by far the best roofing membrane and will outlast any other roofing membrane.

How to repair a Torch Down Rubber Membrane Roof

If you have a Torch Down Rubber roof and it was protected against ultraviolet rays with a silver coating or a ceramic surface, then it could last indefinitely. These roofs are tough and as long as there is a protection on it, they will not go bad.

If it was not protected, then you have to look for certain signs to determine if it’s repairable or not.

  1. Spider cracks in the surface – the entire surface will have these fine cracks, but it could be just in the beginning stages and you could still repair the roof
  2. Look for seam separation – if the installer didn’t know how to use a torch properly to fuse the seams together, then the repair will be costly.
  3. Look for shrinkage. If there is evidence that the rubber membrane is pulling away from the wall or flashing due to its age, then it could still be repaired but at a considerable cost.
  4. Deep spider cracks mean the roof is over 10 years old. This could mean that it was not protected and it becomes too costly to repair.

In the image below you see Spider Cracks on the surface of an unprotected Torch Down Rubber Roof. If you see cracks like these then the roof is approximately 10 to 12 years old

Spider cracks on a Torch Down Rubber surface

Modified Bitumen Rubber Membranes

There are many types of Modified Bitumen Rubber. From a Torch Down to a Peel and Stick type

Repairing a Torch Down Roof is relatively easy. Using the right “Tar”, you can almost fix any Torch Down Roof

This video shows what happens to a rubber roof that was not protected against ultraviolets

Don’ts for flat roof repair on a Torch Down

  • Do not use silicone caulking
  • Do not use roofing cement or tar from Home Depot or a Hardware store
  • Do not paint the roof with Silver Coating in the hope that it will seal the leaky area
  • Do not smear tar all over every seam and likely place you thought it could leak from

I guarantee you that if you apply the above-mentioned methods for a flat roof repair on a Modified Bitumen Rubber roof, you very likely will have to do a new roof.

Below are the Tools and Materials needed to make Roof Repairs on a Torch Down Rubber membrane

Round Nose Trowel

Round-Nose-trowel to apply Karnak 81 Modified Bitumen Adhesives

Modified Bitumen Torch Down Granular Rubber Membrane

This is a Two Ply Modified Bitumen Rubber Roofing Material

Milwaukee Utility knife with hook blades

Milwaukee-Utility-Knife – to cut Torch Down Roofing Flat Roof Repairs

Propane Gas Tank and Gloves 

Propane Tank and gloves to make a repair on a Torch Down Rubber Membrane

Propane Torch

Magnum-Torch for Torching down Modified Bitumen Torch Down Rubber

Karnak 81 Trowel Grade Modified Bitumen Adhesive

Flat Roof Materials – Karnak 81- for Modified Bitumen Rubber Roof Repair
Please write a Review on Roof Leak Repairs at the bottom of the page

View Comments (7)

  • I have a modified torch down roof and I can't seem to find the leak where it's coming from I did make some patch repairs contractor wants to go over what the new torch. Down I the roof is 18 years old do you think it just needs replacedpatnd I

    • We work almost everywhere up and down the east coast. We will be in Nashville Tennessee Tuesday, May 11, then we will be in Connecticut the following week.

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