Flat Roof Patch

Video embedded  If you need your Flat Roof repaired in Massachusetts, we service the Metro Boston area. Learn more, and fill our roof repair request HERE. Flat roof reality check.

Nov 25, 2014  Video embedded  How do I Repair my Asphalt Flat Roof. 2. After both layers of fabric have been installed, apply a finish coat of asphalt mastic to the roof patch.

Video embedded  DIY Rubber Roof EPDM Repair – Learning To Fix Your Flat Roof. How to apply rubber roof patch to an outside corner on a durability and reduced flat roof.

In this guide, we cover the newer method of rubber roof repair, using Peel Stick EPDM Primer method, which offers much better results than the older method of using splice adhesive. However, there might be a complicated repair situation on your roof that goes beyond the scope of this DIY guide.

With all our experience with flat and rubber roofing, even we sometimes run into these complex and unforeseen scenarios, which take considerably more time and flashing materials than we had initially anticipated, and basically test our skills in flat roof repair. We find that such cases are beyond the skill and knowledge level of most roofers and even advanced DIY homeowners. If you feel that your roof has one of these complicated cases, we recommend that you hire a professional to fix your rubber roof.

Before You Begin Your Rubber Roof Repair

First – the following conditions should be met:

1. Ambient outside temperature MUST be 40 degrees F or higher – otherwise the primer will either freeze or the bond will not be as strong as it is intended to be, thus your patch will leak prematurely.

2. Repair surface MUST be dry when you apply primer and patch – otherwise the patch will not hold.

3. Before applying the patch, you must thoroughly clean the repair surface, remove any and all debris, dirt, any tar or other sealants / caulking that might have been applied.

4. It is recommended but not necessary in certain situations to also remove old lap caulk, before applying the new patch.

Here is what a rubber roof repair looks like on a real roof – not in perfect factory conditions

Repairing Your Roof: Step-by-Step

We describe the process of locating roof leaks, preparing the roof surface for repair cleaning / removing debris and foreign materials, applying EPDM primer, and lastly applying EPDM flashing membrane to complete your repair.

RUBBER ROOF REPAIR VIDEO: How to apply rubber roof patch to an outside corner on a REAL roof 10 minutes long :

Generally, a field sheet of rubber roof will not leak, unless there is a hole in it, and you can typically see these holes, when you remove all dirt and debris off the roof. Therefore, look for leaks in other not so visible spots.

Most leaks occur in common spots – low spots on the roof, where water pools after rain. If you have a seam running through one of these low spots, there is 95 chance that there is a leak. Use a probe or even a nail, to test the seam for any voids / openings. Other spots include inside / outside corners, such as chimney / skylight curbs, or roof to wall connection or pipe flashing, etc.

Step 2 – Prepare Roof Surface:

Once you locate the source of a leak, remove all dirt and debris, and using EPDM cleaner do not use gasoline, clean the surface area thoroughly. Use a dish brush, if the dirt does not come off easily, and pour a little more cleaner over the surface area to clean it better. Once you clean the surface, use another clean rag and a little EPDM cleaner for the final thorough wipe of the repair area. Let the cleaner dry.

– using a simple paint brush, apply a good but not too thick coat of EPDM primer, making sure it extends at least 2 beyond the edges of the patch that you are going to apply. Spread the primer evenly, so that you don t have too much in one place and not enough in the other. Make sure you don t have thick puddles of primer, as it will not completely dry, and your patch will not properly adhere.

Once you apply the primer, let it dry for about two-three minutes, depending on the weather, temperature, and how thick of a coat you ve applied. Once you think the primer has dried – do a tack and pull test.

Touch the center of primer with a clean, dry finger, and pull your finger off. If the primer does not stick to your finger, it s ready for the patch to be applied. If you pull some primer with your finger, let it dry for another minute, and repeat the test.

Note: Primer must be dry before you apply the patch – otherwise it will fail to adhere properly.

Also, if you applied primer over old glue which is visible on a rubber roof or some other sort of adhesive or sealant, which means you did not completely cleaned off the roof surface, the primer will dissolve this old sealant and it will take much longer to dry, before you can apply the patch. Do not add more primer over this spot. However, you might need to re-apply the primer to the area around such a spot, as the primer should not dry for too long.

Ideally, you should completely remove any such spots of old glue / sealant, and the rubber surface should be completely free of any foreign materials for best patch adhesion. You may use a plastic or metal scraper to scrape this old material off the rubber. Use additional cleaner and a brush for better results. Also, be careful if you are using a metal scraper,as not to tear / puncture the rubber membrane.

Step 4.1 – Apply the Patch To a Flat Area

If you are applying a patch to a flat area i.e. – no inside or outside corners or other imperfections, this process should be very easy. Make your patch so that it sticks about 2-3 beyond the hole in the roof, and round off the corners with scissors. Once you confirm that the primer is dry, remove the film / paper off the back of your patch and slowly apply the patch to the roof surface, making sure you do not trap any air, so that you don t create any bubbles / air pockets between the patch and rubber membrane. Work your way out from one edge of the patch to the other. Once the patch has been placed down, roll it in with the silicone roller, with moderate pressure. Make sure you roll in the edges of the patch especially well.

Step 4.2 – Apply the Patch To an Outside Corner:

Outside corner flashing video 2 – filmed in studio by Rubber Roof Manufacturer

This is a more complicated / advanced technique and may require some practice, as well as redoing your first patch. Before performing this operation, watch included videos above several times to get a good idea of what you will have to do and in what order.

Once you applied the primer and let it dry thoroughly, take the 7 9 corner patch you may also cut a 6 8 piece off the 10 roll included in our rubber roof patching kit, fold it in half, and peel back half of the film but do not remove it completely. Attach the patch to the vertical part of the outside corner, and wrap it around the corner, making sure that it s tightly applied without any air bubbles. Now, use your fingers to slowly roll the patch down into angle change from vertical wall onto horizontal roof deck. Do not stretch it there or the bridging voids / gaps will occur, and this flashing will not work.

It is very important that this transition has no voids or bubbles where the roof goes from horizontal to vertical plane. – otherwise your patch will not work – make this transition as tight as possible. Then slowly start to apply the remaining flap to the horizontal plane. Use your fingers to lightly stretch the patch from the center out and keep rolling it in with your fingers. Continue the process until the entire flap is attached to the roof.

Once the patch has been applied, roll it in with silicone roller, paying special attention to step-offs. Roll the edges tightly, and apply EPDM lap caulk along patch perimeter.

Disclaimer: This Rubber Roof Repair Guide is intended for informational and reference purposes only. We do not recommend implicitly or explicitly that anyone perform any of the procedures described in this guide. We are also not responsible for any property damage or personal injuries resulting from following this informational guide.

Copyright CoolFlatRoof.com – 2006-2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the content of this guide is against the law. You may only place direct URL link to this guide.

How To Repair a Leaky Shingle Roof - Shingle roofs that are leaking are usually easy to fix. Find out how to repair a leaky shingle roof by reattaching or replacing.

Flat Roof Solutions - EPDM Rubber Roofing If you have been struggling with a flat roof leak, or you have a flat or gently sloping roof project.

The KEMPEROL Roofpatch – KEMPER SYSTEM has developed a roof patch as a quick emergency solution for repairing leaks.

If you need your Flat Roof repaired in Massachusetts, we provide such services in Metro Boston area. Learn more, and fill our roof repair request HERE.

Does your flat roof leak and needs immediate repair. If so, this flat roof repair guide is for you. This roof repair guide will help you understand your options, as well as explain how to do an emergency roof repair yourself. You will learn basic flat roof repair techniques to fix a Rubber Roof or Tar Gravel flat roof. You will find how-to roof repair videos and references to more details, and step by step do-it-yourself DIY roof repair articles. We will also explain the true costs of roof repair – not just what a roofing contractor will charge to fix your roof, but additional costs incurred after the roof patch leaks. As a result, you may have to spend more money on another flat roof repair, as well as interior repairs to your house.

Before you spend your money on the wrong stuff, consider all your options listed below:

What you should do when your flat roof leaks:

First of all, you should put up buckets to collect water, so the leak does not cause more damage than is already done. Once the dripping water is not causing any more damage to the interior, consider the following steps:

Step 1 If your roof is fairly new – call the roofing company that installed your roof and have them fix it.

Step 2 If it is an older roof, or the original installer will not fix it for some reason, you have three options:

Step 3 To prevent more damages to your roof, interior of your home, or the inventory and the equipment of your business, it is a good idea to put up a tarp on you roof, until you choose a course of action – either fixing a roof yourself or choosing a roofing contractor to repair or replace your roof.

Step 4 Estimate the real cost to a repair flat roof. Learn what is involved, what the hidden costs and fees are, and why we consider flat roof repair to be sunk cost. This comparison will help you decide if it is time to finally replace your flat roof, or if repair is a feasible option.

Flat rubber roof repair in progress:

NOTE: If your rubber roof is leaking, we are offering Rubber Roof Repair services in MA, RI and CT. We can usually fix your EPDM rubber roof during the first roof inspection / repair visit. Some rubber roofs can be repaired, and you can extend the life of your roof by few years for a relatively low price.

Due to a wide scope of flat roofing materials and different roof problems that cause leaks, it is virtually impossible to cover everything that is related to flat roof repair in one article. For your convenience, we have several DIY roof repair guides for a specific flat roof type and specific repair methods. These guides are easy to follow, and are aimed at both home and business owners.

The first guide is for homeowners with EPDM rubber roof leaks. There are essentially two methods of rubber roof repair, or rather two types of flashing materials that are used to repair a rubber roof. First is the older splice adhesive method black rubber glue applied directly to the rubber membrane. Second is a newer / better Peel Stick method, which provides faster and better adhesion and lasts longer.

Rubber roof repair – our original article about fixing EPDM rubber membrane roofs using black glue or rubber seams adhesive.

EPDM Rubber peel stick repair – Part II of rubber roof repair guide, which concentrates on the more advanced and efficient way to fix rubber roofs using EPDM primer, Peel Stick flashing, and Seam tape instead of just using rubber glue.

DIY Rubber Roof Repair Video – learn how to repair EPDM rubber roofs:

The biggest issue for homeowners with DIY rubber roof repair is actually obtaining the EPDM roofing materials, which are usually sold only through distribution, and only to roofing contractors.

If you are a homeowner looking to buy Rubber Roofing supplies, such as: uncured flashing material, cover tape, seam tape, roof cleaner, primer, etc., it is best if you contact local roofers and buy those roofing materials and flashing from them. Roofing contractors may also sell you a piece of rubber membrane, which you would otherwise have to buy as a 1000 sq. ft. roll.

Identifying and repairing a leaky roof:

Repairing a Tar and Gravel roof is simpler than fixing a rubber roof. All you really need to do is clean the leaking spot, apply tar, reinforcing mesh, and put gravel over your patch. The biggest problem will be finding the roof leak. Unlike the rubber roof, where it is easy to find a separated seam or flashing, tar roofs are covered with loose gravel, and you do not actually see any holes in the roof. Check out the Tar roof repair video below. For more information on locating and fixing a roof leak, check out the Tar Roof repair guide a link is posted after the video.

DIY Tar Gravel Roof Repair Video:

Tar Gravel roof repair – learn how to detect and repair leaks in your Built-up or Tar-and-gravel roof, using inexpensive supplies from Home Depot, Lowe s and other Home improvement stores.

What you should know about Flat Roof Repair before you spend any money.

Flat roof reality check: roof leaks are an inevitable outcome for 99 of flat roofs in service today. If you have a flat roof, chances are that it is already leaking or will begin to leak soon, even if your roof is fairly new and was installed within 5-10 years.

This article is an overview of issues related to flat roof leaks. In the article, we review the cost of flat roof repair, actions you should take to get your flat roof fixed, as well as an outlook of what will happen after your roof is fixed.

The purpose of this Flat Roof Repair Guide is to help you avoid the costly mistakes that many home and business owners make when their roof leaks, and also to help you choose the best solution for your particular roof and your budget.

Note: Due to a wide variety of different flat roofing technologies, this article cannot cover all aspects of flat roof repair. For specific DIY ways to repair your flat roof, please refer to our EPDM Rubber Roof repair, and Tar roof repair how-to articles.

End Part 1 – continue reading part 2 of this flat roof repair guide:

Continue reading this article – Flat Roof Repair Part 2, which discusses steps you should take, when your flat roof begins to leak, how to minimize the damages from these leaks, and look into TRUE cost of flat roof repair.

Note: we cut the original Flat Roof Repair guide into two parts, because it was pushing 4000 words, and was difficult to read even for me, even though I wrote it – do read the second part as it is crucial to tackling flat roof leaks with minimal damages and financial investment / loss.

Written by Leo - roofer with a vision. Follow Leo on Google

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Video embedded  This Old House general contractor Tom Silva repairs a leaking flat roof with a new, long-lasting patch.

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