Why Do Some Membrane Roofs Fail?

When membrane roofs are installed correctly by a licensed roof replacement contractor, you can prevent water from entering your home or business, protect your property from damage and improve insulation. However, if improperly installed, the membrane roof could be where damage begins. Whenever roof membranes are compromised, moisture can enter the roofing system and speed up its deterioration. 

In this post, Summit Roofing & Restoration, Inc. explains why some membrane roofs fail.

UV Rays

Roofing materials become brittle when they are dried to extreme temperatures by UV rays, resulting in cracking seams. Apart from shrinking and weakening the roofing material, extreme temperature changes can cause seams to degrade as well. Furthermore, if the seams have improperly adhered, the weakened roofing layers may tear, necessitating roof replacement or repairs. The use of UV-reflective roofing material with a special coating reduces the amount of heat that your roof absorbs. As a result, your roof will be more resistant to UV damage and last longer.

Poor Workmanship

A new membrane roof’s failure is most commonly caused by improper seam sealing, regardless of the roofing material. When adhesion methods such as glue, tape, asphalt or heat welder are used, the seam will become defective if both faces of the seam are not sealed at the same time. Poor workmanship will be evident where the seams are not correctly fused in thermoplastic or heat-welded modified-bitumen roof installations; where seams are not glued or tapes are not correctly applied on EPDM membranes; or where voids and dry laps are present in mop-applied modified bitumen or built-up roof seams. To avoid such problems, make sure to only work with a trusted roofing contractor. 

Membrane Wrinkles

Poor installation can cause membrane roofs to develop wrinkles. Roof membranes with mild wrinkles can be repaired from underneath, but severe wrinkles will require replacement. Wrinkles in the membrane during installation will result in gaps in the flashing seams. A common location for incorrectly fused seams in thermoplastics is the spot where the heat welder switches from a machine to a hand welder at the end of a run.

Summit Roofing & Restoration, Inc. is a factory-certified roofing contractor with an experienced team that can deliver second-to-none services. We offer residential and commercial roof repair and installation services. Call us at (901) 430-1974 (Atoka), (731) 589-7663 (Dyersburg) or (870) 736-7663 (Paragould). You may also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.