Hello all I have some questions about flat roofs. My house has a parapet roof with a rolled roof surface. I believe it is a torch-down material. The roof is about 9-10 years old and one of the roof jacks that covers one of the vents for a shower drain(it is a 2″ drain. started leaking (small leak) in this last storm. The question is this I did a half baked cold patch buy putting a layer of Henrys’s 208r on the old jack then an additional roof jack followed by a layer of Henrys’s mesh and more 208r. I think stopped the leek for now I am wondering if I should bother having a roofer do a proper repair or given the age of the roof should I have it replaced and if so what’s the best material these days. I live in the San Francisco bay area.
Thanks
Troy
Replies
The job you did should last 3-5 years. By then, be looking at doing a re-roof
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Thanks, that was what I was hoping to hear.Troy
should I have it replaced and if so what's the best material these days.
What Piffin said. I'm slowly becoming more of an EPDM fan. If you're going for longevity, and want something that will last more than about 15 years, look at doing a flat seam copper roof. Costs more, but lasts a lot longer.
http://grantlogan.net/
Thanks, I have heard good things about epmd but had not considered copper or other metals. Do you know what the difference in prices between the materials. I realize this varies depending upon location ect.Thanks again.Troy
I charge a little less than $400/sq for .060 EPDM and around $1800/sq for 16 oz flat seam copper. Both those prices are for a roof deck ready to go. For the equivalent life spans, the copper would be cheaper in the long run.http://grantlogan.net/
My mother once said to me, "Elwood" -- she always called me Elwood -- "Elwood, in this world you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." For years I tried smart. I recommend pleasant.
Elwood P. Dowde (James Stewart), "Harvey"
The style roof he describes is pretty common in the southwest part of the country where temperature swings are common from minus thirty to over a hundred, and sometimes a good eighty degrees in the course of a 24 hr period.Do you feel comfortable that a flat seam copper roof would not be too stressed at the seams by this?Not challenging your recommendation, just thinking....
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Do you feel comfortable that a flat seam copper roof would not be too stressed at the seams by this?
He's in the San Francisco bay area. It's not going to get too hot.
Actually, I wouldn't have a problem using flat seam anywhere in the lower 48. The bigger the temperature swing, the closer one would need to install expansion joints.
We just fixed one someone else did (about 8 sq) with no expansion allowance. They laid it last winter whenit was really cold and it started tearing itself up when the temp hit about 100 this past summer. edit: it was lifting over 6" in some places.
Years ago, I was taking a tour of Biltmore. There was a LCC flat seam roof being installed over EPDM around the atrium. I started talking to one of the workers thru the window. After a coiuple of questions, he said "you do this for a living, don't you? Hop over that velvet rope at the end of the hall and come thru that door" pointing to the access door to the roof. I stayed out there with them until my wife got totally pissed off, but they were laying full 3x8 sheets of LCC, overlapping them 6" with no lock, and soldering them. They were not clipped to the surface, just free floating. But they stopped them 3" shy of the parapets for expansion control and used the counter flashing to cover the gaps.
He said that was the way the original roof was done and it had worn out from foot traffic. They had installed the EPDM over the existing copper as a temporary measure.
http://grantlogan.net/
My mother once said to me, "Elwood" -- she always called me Elwood -- "Elwood, in this world you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." For years I tried smart. I recommend pleasant.
Elwood P. Dowde (James Stewart), "Harvey"
Edited 1/7/2008 5:39 pm ET by seeyou
Thanks I my neighbor has a copper roof on here bay window but this flat roof is about 30x15 so at 1800 per square that would get pretty pricy but the thought of it out lasting me is nice.Troy
Edited 1/9/2008 1:58 am ET by troys
Almost forgot the roof has a parapet around the edge that is about 1 foot high with scuppers in the corners would copper still work?Troy
Almost forgot the roof has a parapet around the edge that is about 1 foot high with scuppers in the corners would copper still work?
Most definitely.http://grantlogan.net/
My mother once said to me, "Elwood" -- she always called me Elwood -- "Elwood, in this world you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." For years I tried smart. I recommend pleasant.
Elwood P. Dowde (James Stewart), "Harvey"
Many thanks Sounds like I need to start saving some money.Troy
Another option that I'm pursuing is copper clad stainless steel.
http://www.designandbuildwithmetal.com/IndustryNews/News/copper_clad_stainless.aspx
Material cost is about 20%-30% less (labor is the same) and it has a lower expansion/contraction coefficient which makes it attractive for flat seam applications. It solders very nicely.http://grantlogan.net/
"Because I really want to live in a country where the poor people are fat. "- Unidentified Indian Immigrant when asked why he wants to come to America
Interesting!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I've been looking at that stuff periodically for 15 years. Copper has finally gotten so expensive that the CCSS has finally gotten cheaper than pure copper. It's biggest limitation is that I can only get 24" widths - nothing wider. In some things (chimney caps for instance) that creates more labor which will negate the savings. I really like the idea of it for flat seam roofs and built in gutter liners, but it's about 1 in 5 jobs that 24" is wide enough for BI gutter.http://grantlogan.net/
"Because I really want to live in a country where the poor people are fat. "- Unidentified Indian Immigrant when asked why he wants to come to America
Neat, thanksTroy
No charge.........
You're welcome - good luck with your project.http://grantlogan.net/
"Because I really want to live in a country where the poor people are fat. "- Unidentified Indian Immigrant when asked why he wants to come to America
Could you put this material over rigid insulation. Currently I have a torch-down roof that the roofing is on top of 3" foam which is nailed to the wood roof deck.ThanksTroy
You'd have to resheath over the top of the insulation. 1/2" OSB would be adequate. It's probable that the torchdown is stuck to the insulation enough that the insulation will be destroyed when the membrane is removed. I've never been able to re-use rigid insulation under modified or epdm but usually by the time I get to them, there's been a leak for a long time. http://grantlogan.net/
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"Because I really want to live in a country where the poor people are fat. "- Unidentified Indian Immigrant when asked why he wants to come to America
ThanksTroy