Flat Roof Repair in Edison
Most Edison houses have pitched shingle roofs, but plenty have a flat or nearly flat section somewhere: a family-room addition off the back, an enclosed porch, a breezeway, a garage, a dormer with a low pitch. Those sections can't be shingled like the rest of the roof, because water moves across them too slowly. They need a continuous membrane, and they leak in their own ways, most often at seams, at drains and edges, and where the low section meets the main house.
EPDM, TPO and Modified Bitumen
| Material | What it is | Where it's common here |
|---|---|---|
| EPDM | A black synthetic rubber sheet, glued or held down, with taped seams | Additions and porches from recent decades |
| TPO | A white or light single-ply membrane with heat-welded seams | Newer additions and replacements |
| Modified bitumen | Asphalt-based rolls, torched or self-adhered, often with a granular surface | Older low-slope sections and garages |
| Older built-up roofs | Layers of felt and tar, sometimes with gravel | Older garages and porches, often due for replacement |
Which one is right depends on the slope, how the section drains, the details at the walls, and what the roofer installs regularly.
Where Low-Slope Sections Leak
- The tie-in: where the addition roof meets the wall or the shingled roof of the house. Flashing has to run up the wall and under the siding.
- Seams: taped EPDM seams and glued laps can open with age and sun.
- Ponding: water that sits for days after rain wears the membrane and finds any weak spot.
- Edges and drains: drip edges, scuppers and gutters that clog or pull away.
- Penetrations: vent pipes and skylights through the low section.
What you see inside is often a stain on the ceiling of the addition near the wall of the original house. What it usually means is the tie-in, not the middle of the roof.
Patch, Re-cover or Replace
A single open seam or a small puncture can usually be repaired. A membrane that's cracked, shrunk away from the edges or split in several places is near the end of its life. Re-covering over an old flat roof is sometimes possible but can trap water underneath, so many roofers prefer removing it down to the deck and checking for soft wood first.
Why Does the Addition Roof Leak and the Main Roof Doesn't?
Because a flat or low-slope roof has less margin for error. Water drains slowly, so seams, edges and the tie-in to the house get tested every time it rains. The main roof sheds water in seconds. An addition roof also often dates from a different decade and installer than the rest of the house.
Can a Low-Slope Section Be Shingled?
Only if it has enough pitch for the shingle manufacturer's rules, usually with extra underlayment on the shallower slopes they allow. Below that, shingles leak, and a membrane or metal is the right choice.
When the Main Roof Is Being Replaced Too
If the main roof is coming due, replacing the low section at the same time lets one crew rebuild the tie-in properly from both sides. It's one of the best reasons to do the whole house at once. See asphalt shingle roof replacement and roof installation.
Getting the Water Off a Flat Section
A low-slope roof lives or dies by how it drains. Most residential flat sections in Edison drain to an edge with a gutter, through a scupper in a parapet, or toward the main roof's gutters. When the membrane is replaced, a roofer can often add a slight taper with insulation boards, so water moves off instead of sitting for days. What you see before a replacement is usually a puddle in the same spot after every rain. What it usually means is a low area in the deck or a blocked edge. What happens next is either building up that low area or opening a new drainage path, along with the new membrane.
Gutters on a porch or addition roof fill fast, because the low section collects water from the main roof as well as its own surface. Keeping them clear in the fall prevents a lot of leaks at the edge.
Using a Flat Roof as a Deck
Some owners walk on a flat addition roof to reach windows or use it as a small deck. Membranes aren't designed for foot traffic, furniture or grills, and punctures from a dropped tool or a chair leg are a common cause of leaks. If you want to use a flat section as a deck, ask about a walking surface installed over the membrane rather than directly on it.
Flat Roof Work Around Edison
Edison
- Clara BartonEdison
- Oak TreeEdison
- North EdisonEdison
- Menlo ParkEdison
- SteltonEdison
- BonhamtownEdison
- LindenauEdison
- PiscatawaytownEdison
Rail corridor
Raritan side
South and north