I have a house with a low-slope roof that comes down to a attached
flat-roof garage that's been converted in to a family room. Since
buying the house 3 years ago, I've been repairing leaks constantly
along the seam between the low-slope and flat roofs. I'm tired of it,
and would like to take some broader action to fix the problem. The
only leaks we've had have been along that seam. The current roof is
asphalt roll roofing.

Is there a coating that I can apply that will fix this problem? Should
I replace the roll roofing on the flat portion, or maybe put another
layer of roll roofing on? Am I completely off track with these ideas?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Adam

"C. Adam Barney" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a house with a low-slope roof that comes down to a attached
flat-roof garage that's been converted in to a family room. Since
buying the house 3 years ago, I've been repairing leaks constantly
along the seam between the low-slope and flat roofs. I'm tired of it,
and would like to take some broader action to fix the problem. The
only leaks we've had have been along that seam. The current roof is
asphalt roll roofing.

Is there a coating that I can apply that will fix this problem? Should
I replace the roll roofing on the flat portion, or maybe put another
layer of roll roofing on? Am I completely off track with these ideas?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Adam


A rubber roof over the flat surface and properly flashed to the low slope
roof should solve your problem for many years to come.

Another layer of half lap roll roofing properly flashed may solve your
problem for a few years.



--
Colbyt
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Your leak is probably from a higher portion of the pitch roof, but
coming through at the seam with the flat roof. Your flat roof is
probably fine.

Bryan

Can you point me to information about "properly flashing" the flat roof
to the sloped roof? I can't really afford to hire a roofer to do this,
but I do pretty well with home improvements as long as I have decent
information.

Thanks for your quickk reply!

I tried finding the source of the leak with a garden hose a few weeks
ago. I did not wet the pitched portion of the roof at all, just the
flat roof portion, and was able to get the water flowing inside. I
only watered the seam portion, and it took quite a while for the water
to start coming in inside - so I know the leak is along the seam, just
can't pin down where.

In that case, you are probably correct. The leak is in the seam.

If the flat roof is EPDM, looks like bicycle inner tube material, you
can glue another piece 6" wider on each side of the seam. Use If the
material looks like it is a tar sheet, you can use torch-down sheet 6"
wider on each side also.

I think you said the material is roll roofing. Were these simply
nailed down? Maybe it just needs a little tar and mesh (tar coated
baddage looking thing.

Looks like I need to see the problem to really help you. PerhapsIf you
were in the DC Metro area, you could get some material from Washington
Roofing or Bradco Supplies.

Good luck with it.

Bryan

Just remember that water _usually_ flows downhill. A properly flashed
pitch change will take into account the local climate, the
insulation/ventilation, the pitch and the materials you use. In a
nutshell, you'd tear off the lowest area of the sloped roof, install
the new flat roofing material up to where you stopped tearing off, then
install new or dependable sloped roofing material over the new flat
material starting just a few inches above the pitch change. Simple, no?
Tom

"C. Adam Barney" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can you point me to information about "properly flashing" the flat roof
to the sloped roof? I can't really afford to hire a roofer to do this,
but I do pretty well with home improvements as long as I have decent
information.

Thanks for your quickk reply!


I don't have any links to share. The roll roofing or metal flashing should
extend at least 6" under the shingles above and 12" over the roll roofing
(or the top strip of roll roofing). On really shallow "flat roofs" it
should be glued down to the flat roof . Water can actually run uphill for a
slight slope. A liberal use of roofing cement to adhere the layers together
will work for a few years.




--
Colbyt
One picture can be worth a 1000 words.
Post yours at www.alt-home-repair.com for FREE.
No Banners, No pop-ups, No Spam, No hassle.