A rubber roofing membrane is a popular type of commercial roofing that can last a long time. However, for the longest life, you'll need to maintain the roof properly. Walking on the roof could puncture the membrane if you step on a rock or nail.
Punctures can be repaired fairly easily, but you have to find them first. That's why regular inspections are important. The roofer looks for damage like small puncture holes so they can be repaired before they lead to a roof leak. Here's how this type of commercial roof repair is done.
Choose The Right Materials
Rubber roofing needs rubber patches and adhesives made especially for rubber. Many patching materials and supplies have asphalt products in them that are incompatible with rubber roofing. These are for plastic membranes, and they can make damage on a rubber roof worse. Choosing the right materials for commercial roof repairs is thus important.
Holes in rubber roofing can be tiny or large. Your roofer should check your roof once or twice each year for signs of damage so holes can be patched. Holes can be caused by foot traffic, storms, and even birds on the roof. You never know when damage can occur, and that's why it's important to check for holes and have the right supplies ready to patch them.
Prepare The Patch
The roofer can use a plain rubber patch or a patch that has its own peel-and-stick adhesive. Either way, the patch has to be cut to size. This is easy with rubber membrane patches since they're thin.
The patch can be cut using scissors or a utility knife. It's cut to be larger than the hole so there is plenty of room around the sides for the patch to adhere to the membrane. In addition to the patch, the roofer needs a hand roller to apply the patch along with some adhesive.
Repair The Hole
The area for repairs is first cleaned, and then a primer is applied. If adhesive is needed for the patch, it's applied to the patch and the patch is then placed over the hole. A roller is used to press the patch against the membrane to get a tight seal.
The same method is used for a patch with a peel-and-stick backing. Once the patch has a tight bond, a bead of sealant is applied around the edges of the patch to make sure the edges stay flat against the membrane. This type of commercial roof repair is easy, and that makes it easy to maintain your roof so you can prevent leaking.
If you have any questions, call a commercial roofing repair company in your area, such as Allcon Roofing.
Once you watched someone put a roof on a home, you have a much deeper understanding of what's involved in this sort of work. Roofing is not easy. There's a big mental component since the roofers need to decide how how many shingles to use, how to best lay them out, and so forth. Then, there's the physical aspect of roofing. Lugging packages of shingles onto the roof is not easy, and nailing them down take a lot of work, too. With that in mind, we welcome you to read more about roofing on this blog. Let the articles inform your opinion of the profession.