Hi,

I don't know much about house fixing. I will try my best to decribe my
roof.

It is one of those spanish-style flat roof.
It is rectangular with a small opening in the middle at the back of my
house.

The roof is about 8 years old.
I hired a roofer to re-did the whole roof 8 years ago
The roofer covered the roof with all kind of paper and then he put hot tar
on top of it and then put more those sand paper on top.

People said this kind of roof could last around 10-15 years. But... no
matter... it is leaking.

When it rains very hard, the opening is not big enough to drain the water.
When I go up the roof to see, it looks like a small pool.

It is where it is leaking from the small pool of water near the opening.

I was trying to patch it myself. I went up there and walked around to see
if there is any crack or something. Sometimes I saw a nail poping out. I
would pull the nail out and used those black roof patching thing to patch
it.

It stoped the leak for a while. But it is leaking again.

Would you guys give me some suggestions on how to fix the leak before I give
up and call the roofer please? Many thanks!!

take a picture of your roof and its size to home depot and ask them
what type of coating you need to purchase for it.
compare that price to a replacement rubber roof estimate from a
professional roofer, if this roof is suited for your climate. ours
works great.
if you have low spots where water collects, it may need tearoff,
rebuild the wood, install new roof. in buffalo ny we use and recommend:
http://www.trylock.com/
All types of Flat Roof repairs.
Tear off & reroofing.
Modified torch applied roofing.
EPDM single ply rubber roofing.
Hot tar & gravel (Bur) roofing.
Metal standing seam roof installations.
Insulation Systems.
Roof taper systems.
Custom Roof Copings & Edges.

EPDM rubber is the way to go for a flat roof. Fix it once and forget about
it. Did mine on the addition myself.

"boaz" wrote in message
. ..
Hi,

I don't know much about house fixing. I will try my best to decribe my
roof.

It is one of those spanish-style flat roof.
It is rectangular with a small opening in the middle at the back of my
house.

The roof is about 8 years old.
I hired a roofer to re-did the whole roof 8 years ago
The roofer covered the roof with all kind of paper and then he put hot tar
on top of it and then put more those sand paper on top.

People said this kind of roof could last around 10-15 years. But... no
matter... it is leaking.

When it rains very hard, the opening is not big enough to drain the water.
When I go up the roof to see, it looks like a small pool.

It is where it is leaking from the small pool of water near the opening.

I was trying to patch it myself. I went up there and walked around to see
if there is any crack or something. Sometimes I saw a nail poping out. I
would pull the nail out and used those black roof patching thing to patch
it.

It stoped the leak for a while. But it is leaking again.

Would you guys give me some suggestions on how to fix the leak before I
give up and call the roofer please? Many thanks!!

boaz wrote:
Hi,

I don't know much about house fixing. I will try my best to decribe my
roof.

It is one of those spanish-style flat roof.
It is rectangular with a small opening in the middle at the back of my
house.

The roof is about 8 years old.
I hired a roofer to re-did the whole roof 8 years ago
The roofer covered the roof with all kind of paper and then he put hot tar
on top of it and then put more those sand paper on top.

People said this kind of roof could last around 10-15 years. But... no
matter... it is leaking.

When it rains very hard, the opening is not big enough to drain the water.
When I go up the roof to see, it looks like a small pool.

It is where it is leaking from the small pool of water near the opening.

I was trying to patch it myself. I went up there and walked around to see
if there is any crack or something. Sometimes I saw a nail poping out. I
would pull the nail out and used those black roof patching thing to patch
it.

It stoped the leak for a while. But it is leaking again.

Would you guys give me some suggestions on how to fix the leak before I give
up and call the roofer please? Many thanks!!



I would have it replaced with rubber.

Properly done it should last a very long time

Properly done....

Hi guys,

Thanks for the "rubber" roof suggestion.

Sorry to ask but...
What is a "rubber" roof?

When my neighbor re-did his roof, the guy used some sort of torch to melt the paper thingy and then he patched the paper to the roof just like a bandage.

I've seen many people use this kind of melting paper thing for new roof now. Are these any good than the old boiling hot tar thing?

Tom wrote:
Hi guys,

Thanks for the "rubber" roof suggestion.

Sorry to ask but...
What is a "rubber" roof?

When my neighbor re-did his roof, the guy used some sort of torch to
melt the paper thingy and then he patched the paper to the roof just
like a bandage.

I've seen many people use this kind of melting paper thing for new roof
now. Are these any good than the old boiling hot tar thing?


EDPM rubber roof involves no torches, just the material, seam tape, lap
sealer and joint caulking. you would need to flash any protrusions with
rubber. Find a specialist. Study on the internet so you can have an
intelligent discussion. Get references[like jobs that are over 3 years old]

Oh I see. So, this rubber roof thing is for new roof; not for fixing leak on existing roof.


"yourname" wrote in message news:Wwzuf.2579$494.81@trndny07...
Tom wrote:
Hi guys,

Thanks for the "rubber" roof suggestion.

Sorry to ask but...
What is a "rubber" roof?

When my neighbor re-did his roof, the guy used some sort of torch to
melt the paper thingy and then he patched the paper to the roof just
like a bandage.

I've seen many people use this kind of melting paper thing for new roof
now. Are these any good than the old boiling hot tar thing?


EDPM rubber roof involves no torches, just the material, seam tape, lap
sealer and joint caulking. you would need to flash any protrusions with
rubber. Find a specialist. Study on the internet so you can have an
intelligent discussion. Get references[like jobs that are over 3 years old]

Hi,

I think I understand what the rubber roofing is. It is a hugh piece of plastic film that is glued to the roof. Thanks for the term.

I don't think this is what I need right now.
I need to stop the leak at the pool of water near the tiny drain hole in the back of my house.

I am thinking to cover the section where the pool of water is with one of these Henry Wet Patch Roof Cement thing. But again, I don't know what I am doing since I don't know nothing about fixing anything. I think this Henry thing is very difficult to use becasue it is very thick. It will be back-breaking to use a putty knife to put this thing all cover this section.

They also have something called Elastromeric Coating. I don't know what it is but from their instructional video, you just "paint" it on top of the roof with a paint bush. It seems very easy.

Would you mind that I ask what is this Elastromeric Coating thingie? Will it help me to fix the leak of mine?

I am confused becasue all the stuffs they sell all say that they will stop/fix leaking roof. And when I read the instruction on the can, they all say that I need to fix the leak first before applying any of their products.

Tom wrote:
Hi,

I think I understand what the rubber roofing is. It is a hugh piece of plastic film
that is glued to the roof. Thanks for the term.

It's also called membrane roofing.

I don't think this is what I need right now.
I need to stop the leak at the pool of water near the tiny drain hole in the back of
my house.

What you need to do is to get rid of that pool of water and stop the
leak.

I am thinking to cover the section where the pool of water is with one of these
Henry Wet Patch Roof Cement thing. But again, I don't know what I am doing
since I don't know nothing about fixing anything. I think this Henry thing is very
difficult to use becasue it is very thick. It will be back-breaking to use a putty
knife to put this thing all cover this section.

Is there a point in putting a bandaid on a cut artery? You will be
delaying the inevitable repair and contributing to the damage your
house is experiencing. Slow leaks are insidious as they can do a lot
of damage before it's visible.

You can pay now, or pay later, but you will pay. Later will be more
expensive.

They also have something called Elastromeric Coating. I don't know what it is but
from their instructional video, you just "paint" it on top of the roof with a paint
bush. It seems very easy.

If repairing leaks was so easy there wouldn't be any leaking roofs.

Would you mind that I ask what is this Elastromeric Coating thingie? Will it help
me to fix the leak of mine?

Maybe. If you don't know what you're doing, no.

I am confused becasue all the stuffs they sell all say that they will stop/fix leaking
roof. And when I read the instruction on the can, they all say that I need to fix the
leak first before applying any of their products.

Don't believe everything you read on a can. If you read the fine print
it will tell you that the manufacturer's liability is limited to the
replacement cost of the can of patching. How far is that ten or
fifteen bucks expected to get you?

Here's the bottom line:
- You can dick around, waste your time and a few bucks and still have a
leaking roof. If you're lucky you might not see the results of the
leak for a while. If you're not lucky you might not see the results of
the leak for a while.
- Or you can spring for a pro to fix it and watch what he does and ask
some questions so you'll learn. Then rest easy knowing that the
sizable investment in your home isn't being eaten away.

Not much of a choice in my mind.

R

Hi,

This is very discouraging. BUT! No matter! It is a manly man's job and I am not giving up just yet. (Al Bundy is my model!)
If the mexican (propably illegal) who the contractor hired can do it, I should be able to do it too! How difficult will it be?!!

Anyway... I went to Lowes and found something call "Black Jack Fibered Roof Coating". It said that it was used to "seal worn out roof with additional layer of protection". You "brush" this thing on top of the "worn out" roof. This looked very promissing.

You guys heard of this "Fibered Roof Coating" thingie? What is the different between this from the Henry's Elastromeric Coating?

Oh... BTW, this thing is only $7 buck a gallon that can cover 50 sq. ft. AND it is all SOLD OUT. So, it must be the good stuff. Right?


I don't know anything. I am trying to learn here. So, please goes easy on me if you read something silly from me.





"RicodJour" wrote in message ups.com...


Here's the bottom line:
- You can dick around, waste your time and a few bucks and still have a
leaking roof. If you're lucky you might not see the results of the
leak for a while. If you're not lucky you might not see the results of
the leak for a while.
- Or you can spring for a pro to fix it and watch what he does and ask
some questions so you'll learn. Then rest easy knowing that the
sizable investment in your home isn't being eaten away.

Not much of a choice in my mind.

R

Boy, I sure hope this is not a troll. It sounds a bit like one.

Use Google and learn a few things:

This is a huge subject. Flat roofs are done in several different
materials. It is important to realize that the place that you see
the leak may not be any where close to the problem in the roof.
Is yours a wood framed roof with a wood deck or a steel framed
roof with a steel deck? Steel decks in particular can let water
travel 20 feet and more before it can find a place to drip.

A hot roof (the material poured on the roof comes from a hot
kettle, you know that horrible smell that most people object to)
can be either asphalt or coal tar. Most roofers do not like coal
tar, it costs more, and I really doubt that you have it. You
probably have an asphalt roof.

Asphalt roofs can be single ply, 3 ply, and 5 ply. It sounds like
you probably have a mopped/nailed on base sheet and a single ply
of modified bitumen (the stuff with the colored rocks on it) If
this was done correctly, it could have been applied with a full
hot mop of asphalt or torched down. The full hot mop is a better
roof in my opinion. You should not have been able to see any
nails whatsoever on this type of roof, there should have been no
nails to pull out anywhere. I would consider a modified bitumen
roof to be a 25 year roof if installed properly.

If you see nails on the edges of the stuff with the colored rocks,
you have an old 90 lb. rolled roofing install. If so, get a
roofer and get that stuff off, you can't win.

I can not figure out what you are talking about when you describe
a little hole at the back. This makes no sense unless it is a
roof drain. There should still be no nails visible. It should be
obvious that water goes in the hole and comes out somewhere - a
downspout or a drain tile.

EPDM is a roofing material that is just like an inner tube in a
tire made in large sheets. Some have good luck. We have over a
million square feet of roofing and have not had good experience
with the EPDM roofs we have had. It is glued to the roof and the
joints are glued. It is a totally alternate roofing system to
what you own now and would probably require the removal of what
you have now due to weight considerations.

Elastomeric sealants are a special paint- like coating that can
stretch and survive in a roofing environment. It is often coupled
with an application of urethane foam to shape a roof, smooth a
roof, increase the R value, etc that depends on its elastomeric
sealer to keep the UV rays from destroying the foam and providing
the initial water proofing. The elastomeric by itself can be an
excellent product, but I think would usually be considered as a
temporary solution in your circumstance. The roof would need to
be dry or close to it to apply. Of the home remedy ideas you have
expressed it probably is the most viable.

Smearing plastic roof cement, cold patch, and other tar based
products in a can is temporary stop-gap work at best. I would not
recommend it unless you see a small, distinct hole knocked in the
roofing caused by a tree limb, ladder, or some other localized
abuse.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"boaz" wrote in message
. ..
Hi,

I don't know much about house fixing. I will try my best to
decribe my roof.

It is one of those spanish-style flat roof.
It is rectangular with a small opening in the middle at the back
of my house.

The roof is about 8 years old.
I hired a roofer to re-did the whole roof 8 years ago
The roofer covered the roof with all kind of paper and then he
put hot tar on top of it and then put more those sand paper on
top.

People said this kind of roof could last around 10-15 years.
But... no matter... it is leaking.

When it rains very hard, the opening is not big enough to drain
the water.
When I go up the roof to see, it looks like a small pool.

It is where it is leaking from the small pool of water near the
opening.

I was trying to patch it myself. I went up there and walked
around to see if there is any crack or something. Sometimes I
saw a nail poping out. I would pull the nail out and used those
black roof patching thing to patch it.

It stoped the leak for a while. But it is leaking again.

Would you guys give me some suggestions on how to fix the leak
before I give up and call the roofer please? Many thanks!!

Thanks Dan,

I understand a little bit more now.
(and no, I am not making this up.)

If I remember correctly, the roofer said that he had 5 ply of different stuffs (don't know what) used on my roof. I think they nailed some sort of paper and fiber glass or something and then they had a boiler of some sort. They than pumped the black thingie on top to cover the roof on top of the paper. After that, they put other paper and the sand paper thing on top I guess. After that, they used a mob to apply more black stuff to the join and the edge or something between the sand paper and all over.

I will try my best to describe it.

#########
####O#### --- # = Side Wall. O = Hole. R = Roof Floor
RRRRRRRR

The frame is wood. And the hole is on the side wall all the way to the back. It is the drainage. I have a big flat roof. The roof looks like a "U" or "V" with the edges are higher than the middle, and it is tilted to the back. The water goes to the middle of the roof and than funal to the back where the hole is. And then the water is drained to the square pipes to the ground outside.

Something like that.

I don't see any leakage any where else except the very end where the water collected near the hole since the hole is not big enough to let the water go.

So, I am thinking to put something to patch/cover/fix that section where the hole is.

(I will try to take a picture if it helps...)
The problem of mine is that I don't believe that I can't fix the leak myself.
With a little help from your guys, I should be able to accomplish my objective.




"DanG" wrote in message news:sDEuf.30829$9G.20928@dukeread10...
Boy, I sure hope this is not a troll. It sounds a bit like one.

Use Google and learn a few things:

This is a huge subject. Flat roofs are done in several different
materials. It is important to realize that the place that you see
the leak may not be any where close to the problem in the roof.
Is yours a wood framed roof with a wood deck or a steel framed
roof with a steel deck? Steel decks in particular can let water
travel 20 feet and more before it can find a place to drip.

A hot roof (the material poured on the roof comes from a hot
kettle, you know that horrible smell that most people object to)
can be either asphalt or coal tar. Most roofers do not like coal
tar, it costs more, and I really doubt that you have it. You
probably have an asphalt roof.

Asphalt roofs can be single ply, 3 ply, and 5 ply. It sounds like
you probably have a mopped/nailed on base sheet and a single ply
of modified bitumen (the stuff with the colored rocks on it) If
this was done correctly, it could have been applied with a full
hot mop of asphalt or torched down. The full hot mop is a better
roof in my opinion. You should not have been able to see any
nails whatsoever on this type of roof, there should have been no
nails to pull out anywhere. I would consider a modified bitumen
roof to be a 25 year roof if installed properly.

If you see nails on the edges of the stuff with the colored rocks,
you have an old 90 lb. rolled roofing install. If so, get a
roofer and get that stuff off, you can't win.

I can not figure out what you are talking about when you describe
a little hole at the back. This makes no sense unless it is a
roof drain. There should still be no nails visible. It should be
obvious that water goes in the hole and comes out somewhere - a
downspout or a drain tile.

EPDM is a roofing material that is just like an inner tube in a
tire made in large sheets. Some have good luck. We have over a
million square feet of roofing and have not had good experience
with the EPDM roofs we have had. It is glued to the roof and the
joints are glued. It is a totally alternate roofing system to
what you own now and would probably require the removal of what
you have now due to weight considerations.

Elastomeric sealants are a special paint- like coating that can
stretch and survive in a roofing environment. It is often coupled
with an application of urethane foam to shape a roof, smooth a
roof, increase the R value, etc that depends on its elastomeric
sealer to keep the UV rays from destroying the foam and providing
the initial water proofing. The elastomeric by itself can be an
excellent product, but I think would usually be considered as a
temporary solution in your circumstance. The roof would need to
be dry or close to it to apply. Of the home remedy ideas you have
expressed it probably is the most viable.

Smearing plastic roof cement, cold patch, and other tar based
products in a can is temporary stop-gap work at best. I would not
recommend it unless you see a small, distinct hole knocked in the
roofing caused by a tree limb, ladder, or some other localized
abuse.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"boaz" wrote in message
. ..
Hi,

I don't know much about house fixing. I will try my best to
decribe my roof.

It is one of those spanish-style flat roof.
It is rectangular with a small opening in the middle at the back
of my house.

The roof is about 8 years old.
I hired a roofer to re-did the whole roof 8 years ago
The roofer covered the roof with all kind of paper and then he
put hot tar on top of it and then put more those sand paper on
top.

People said this kind of roof could last around 10-15 years.
But... no matter... it is leaking.

When it rains very hard, the opening is not big enough to drain
the water.
When I go up the roof to see, it looks like a small pool.

It is where it is leaking from the small pool of water near the
opening.

I was trying to patch it myself. I went up there and walked
around to see if there is any crack or something. Sometimes I
saw a nail poping out. I would pull the nail out and used those
black roof patching thing to patch it.

It stoped the leak for a while. But it is leaking again.

Would you guys give me some suggestions on how to fix the leak
before I give up and call the roofer please? Many thanks!!