My tar and gravel roof is going to need re-doing in a couple of years, but not just yet. There are some areas where the gravel has come un-stuck, leaving bare areas of membrane. The membrane, though getting more brittle, hasn’t fractured yet. It was recommended that we apply some emulsion and gravel to those areas, as well as to an overhung area that for some reason wasn’t done at the last re-roof and is leaking a little in heavy rains.
The roof is 3:12 pitch in most places, with a funny kind of bump-up in the front whose sides are short (couple of feet at most) but much steeper. Those steep sides as well as some areas of the 3:12 pitch are the ones losing the gravel. The nearly flat part of the roof at the back is fine.
That emulsion, I presume, is the black sticky stuff that you can get at HD. There’s probably enough loose gravel accumulated near the drains that we can redistribute, that we may not need to buy any more of that. But what should I use to spread the stuff? What’s the best way to keep from making a mess? And is there any way to get it off my shoes when we’re done, or should I just wear disposable shoes?
Thanks,
Rebeccah
Edited 1/10/2007 5:43 pm by Rebeccah
Replies
Roof coatings will make a mess, period.
Better to get a roof with kettle for this - somebody experienced,
You could handle recoating the bared areas, but finding and repairing a leak is definitely pro teriotory and for the pro - finding that the HO has already gobbed things up with coatings means the repair is going to cost and extra hundred bucks right from the start.
The coating WILL NOT fix the leak.
for the other answers, sweep the bare spot good and clean, then pour the coating on, and smear with a roller, a trowel, or a brush, as you please. throw soem loose gravel in. It will try to self level so the gravel will help hold it on those pitched roof areas.
Try tying soem plastic grocery bags over your shoes. Wear disposable rubber gloves
Don't steep in it. It will be greasy and you will take a fall.
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"a roof with kettle" -- what's that?Or do you mean, "a roofer" with "kettle for this" (or as you said, someone with some knowledge and experience)?There's also "roofing kettle" that shows up on a dictionary.com search.The roofer that came by last week to look said using hot material would in all likelihood fracture the existing membrane (due to its age), so he didn't recommend it.I have another roofer coming next week.Rebeccah
I did mean an experienced roofer witha kettle to make hot asphalt to patch and repair. Sorry for that incmplete wording.The roofer you had already look may have been scared of warrantee callbacks or the roof is already too old to be able to be patched. Once it gets to that point, trying top patch is a waste of time, just walking on to to touch up will cause a leak someplace else.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Leaking a little in heavy rains there in Oakland means that you should be thinking about getting it re-roofed in the spring, not in a couple years. Right now, your local roofers are probably pretty full up with patch work. Find a good one, and book the job for after the rainy season, but before it gets too hot. Maybe around May-June? What's the nicest two weeks to spend a lot of time outside? That's when you want your roofers working.
-- J.S.
Good point, after watching what is happening with the garage roof.The roofer who came and looked hasn't sent me a quote (or even an estimate) for a whole reroof yet. Or for that matter, for patching. I have a feeling he thinks I'm a poor bet for following through and getting it done. He did take measurements, though.I should e-mail him. He did say that the cost would be about the same whether I did shingles, cap sheet, or tar and gravel.Rebeccah
Further follow up on the *house* roof.I had another roofer out today and plan to have him do the work (don't have the quote yet, but he was direct and to the point about what is needed and what is not, and what he says is needed makes perfect sense). I do not need a new roof on the house.The roof is a built-up fiberglass roof. Age is 7 years give or take 2 years, and it should last 20 years with proper maintenance. This roofer agrees with the previous one that the leak is coming from under an overhang, where the last roofer didn't re-roof and should have. He also agrees the membrane is intact, except at one pipe penetration where it's cracked (not leaking yet). He pointed out the vent for the furnace (installed a little over a year ago) was not mopped. Routine maintenance includes 5-yearly re-covering the bare areas with gravel and resealing the penetrations.He proposes to disassemble the overhang so that he can reach the area underneath to do it properly, put it all back together, and do the routine maintenance.He comes highly recommmended from three sources of customer recommendations (Angies List, Bay Area Consumer Checkbook, and Berkeley Parents Network), has been in business for 30 years, and says most of his employees have been with him for that long or nearly so.Unlike the last guy, he seems like he wants my business, and when he saw the goings-on at the top of the garage he made some recommendations and wished us luck.Rebeccah