Ask Roofing Doctor
We have been in the roofing business since 1987. I have seen good and bad roofs. When it comes to flat roofs, I will say that more than 60% of rubber roofs are badly installed. There are many factors that will account for this.
Lets go back in time for a moment.
BUR or build up roofing system was the most common material used on flat roofs before the 70’s. This process of hot tar mopped down with layers of paper was not accessible to everyone. You needed kettles and pumping equipment to get the material on the roof. Not to many people wanted to invest in all this type of equipment, and by the way, it was messy.
Then after 1970 an Italian company came up with this improved asphalt material called Modified Bitumen. This material is a blend of asphalt and polymer which allow the asphalt to take on characteristics of the polymer. It is packaged in 100 lb. roles and is easy carried up on a roof by a person. To install Modified Bitumen Membrane is relatively easy and is commonly done with 2 people.
But…. there are tricks and techniques unique to any roofing system. What happened in the roofing trade is because you don’t need expensive equipment to install Modified Bitumen Membranes, everyone took a shot at it. Therefore the following factors influenced the quality these roofs.
No experience – yet they are roofers
So many people think they can install Modified Bitumen, yet have no training or experience. So, landlords and homeowners get a roof that is not always properly installed.
Most of the problems occurs at transitions from membrane to metal. eg. flashing, air-conditioning curbs, and drip edges or metal edges.
Equipment – cheap and easy to get
The equipment you need to install Modified Bitumen cost less than $300. Therefor it is easy for everyone to get started with little knowledge.
No license required
There is no license required to install a roofing system. It is not regulated like plumbing or electricity. That makes it easy for anyone, regardless of skill to do roofing.
Lessons from Manufacturers are poor
Most Manufacturers of Modified Bitumen offers some lessons in the technique of installing these membrane, but don’t know all of the techniques and tricks that you learn over the years.
Only these few factors will allow many roofs not to be installed correctly. Therefore it is important to know who is going to install your roof.
In my next blog I will write on how to look for the right person to do your roof
