Mod Bit

[charlieb]

Open for comments:

I looked at a modified bitumen roof today that is less than a year old. Notice the numerous seam patches.

My knowledge is quite limited on these products. I do know there are several application processes. Can anyone ID this process as hot asphalt, cold chemical or torch down? I think it is a hot mop. Yes there is also a coating.

No matter what the process, it looks as though the seams are not well adhered. There are also mistakes in the over lap offsets.

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[hausdok]

It's hard to tell from those photo's, because they're kind of far from the surface material, but it looks like it's a fully-adhered APP modbit torchdown. Not a whole lot of lap there. I'd like to see about 18 to 19 inches but almost nobody does that.

What are they patching it with. Was that black goop they used petroleum-based mastic by any chance? I find them doing that all the time around here and that's a huge no-no 'cuz it'll soften up the modbit and cause it to eventually break down.

Is that roof crowned so that it drains to both sides or does it drain from only one side?

Those are some pretty cheezy parapets and copings at the end of the roof. Don't you get any high winds and rain there? When they do them like that around here they're sure to leak.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[charlieb]

Funny you mentioned the leaks!

I have a couple of close ups for the parapits and coping. And yes it is a petrolum base "repair product".

The wide shots were for the effect. The roof is nine months old.

Our climate is rather mild in terms of wind. There are a few areas where it really blows. An old thread came to mind last summer. I was in a windy and on a two story. Just me and my 32'. I heard a clammer (it wasn't Christmas) and remembered lchuckling at a thread reminding us to always tie off the ladder! [:-bangheaIt only took about 20 minutes to flag down a couple of cleaning ladies a block away. [:-headach[:-headach I'm really glad they weren't light girls. I hope they enjoyed their lunch that day. It was worth every cent.

The worst part of this roof is that I grew up playing football with the roofer's boys. The roof was installed just after Katrina so perhaps he used some "short term" labor. Looks like a tear off.

Thanks Mike.

And thanks for the tip on the settings - it did the trick.

C.

[kurt]

What Mike said.

I look at approx. 200 mod bit roofs annually. When you walk onto one, and within 3 minutes see all the sorts of stuff you're seeing on this one, that pretty much means the roof is crap.

You're never going to see 18" overlaps, but you should see neatly joined laps offset. If you find any loose laps, it's guaranteed there's more. As soon as they start pulling out the roof cement, just can the whole thing.

There's probably no termination bars/mechanical fasteners's at the parapets either, and the coping looks like it's gonna blow off. All right out of the cheap crap playbook.

Sorry about your football buddy; he messed up this one.