Tar paper roof? What is this?
 

I'd like some help identifying the roof on top of my garage, and how one
might lengthen its life.

It's flat, black, and .. "crispy". There are spots on the roof that, if you
touch/step on them, collapse like a flexible, crunchy bubble. It doesn't
feel rubbery, it feels "papery".

Am I correct in thinking this is a tar-paper roof? -- Can't say I see any
"tar brush strokes", so as a non-roofer, I am not sure what it is.

More Importantly: If it is a tar paper roof .. is there a product, perhaps
liquid, that one can spread on the roof to make it last longer?

At the moment, there are no leaks that I know of, but because it's flat,
there's often standing water up there and someday, it'll fail.

Thanks in advance!

Duncantuna wrote:
I'd like some help identifying the roof on top of my garage, and how
one might lengthen its life.

It's flat, black, and .. "crispy". There are spots on the roof that,
if you touch/step on them, collapse like a flexible, crunchy bubble. It
doesn't feel rubbery, it feels "papery".

Am I correct in thinking this is a tar-paper roof? -- Can't say I see
any "tar brush strokes", so as a non-roofer, I am not sure what it is.

More Importantly: If it is a tar paper roof .. is there a product,
perhaps liquid, that one can spread on the roof to make it last
longer?
At the moment, there are no leaks

You keep walking on it there will be leaks.

that I know of, but because it's
flat, there's often standing water up there and someday, it'll fail.

Thanks in advance!

My advice is to leave it alone until it starts leaking. If you are
really hard up, try some patch stuff, but don't expect too much from it.
Once a flat roof starts to go, it is usually best to replace it. That's my
opinion anyway.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"Duncantuna" wrote in message
...
I'd like some help identifying the roof on top of my garage, and how one
might lengthen its life.

It's flat, black, and .. "crispy". There are spots on the roof that, if
you
touch/step on them, collapse like a flexible, crunchy bubble. It doesn't
feel rubbery, it feels "papery".

Am I correct in thinking this is a tar-paper roof? -- Can't say I see any
"tar brush strokes", so as a non-roofer, I am not sure what it is.

More Importantly: If it is a tar paper roof .. is there a product,
perhaps
liquid, that one can spread on the roof to make it last longer?

At the moment, there are no leaks that I know of, but because it's flat,
there's often standing water up there and someday, it'll fail.

Thanks in advance!


Sounds like a 'hot tar roof'....

If it leaks, just have some more hot tar put on it--this time put on lots of
it, and also maybe some rocks / pebbles to make up for temperature
expansion/ contraction.

--

SVL

Thanks, PrecisionMachinisT. Sounds like something I'd want to get a
professional involved in, probably at the time it actually does leak.

Indeed, advice like "don't walk on it" isn't helpful, as it is necessary to
unclog the gutter drain to clear the pools of water on occasion.

Sounds like a 'hot tar roof'....

If it leaks, just have some more hot tar put on it--this time put on lots
of
it, and also maybe some rocks / pebbles to make up for temperature
expansion/ contraction.

--

SVL

Duncan Tuna wrote:
Thanks, PrecisionMachinisT. Sounds like something I'd want to get a
professional involved in, probably at the time it actually does leak.

Indeed, advice like "don't walk on it" isn't helpful, as it is
necessary to unclog the gutter drain to clear the pools of water on
occasion.

If you need to regularly go on the roof there are way of providing
walkways to protect the roof. I would rate clearing drains as one of those
reasons.


Sounds like a 'hot tar roof'....

If it leaks, just have some more hot tar put on it--this time put on
lots of
it, and also maybe some rocks / pebbles to make up for temperature
expansion/ contraction.

--

SVL

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

PrecisionMachinisT wrote:

....


Sounds like a 'hot tar roof'....

If it leaks, just have some more hot tar put on it--this time put on
lots of it, and also maybe some rocks / pebbles to make up for
temperature expansion/ contraction.

The pebbles are generally considered there to help protect the tar by
breaking up the rain drops as the fall on it. I have not heard the idea of
expansion and contraction, but that sure does not mean it does not perform
that function as well.

I agree that if the roof is in generally good shape and there is one or
two small leaks that can be found some additional tar patch is not a bad
idea. I suspect my original message may have been a little misleading in
this area. I would suggest there are three or more levels of maintenance of
tar roofs. Simple patching, total tear off and re-roof and what I usually
call re-roof which may not involve a tear off, but mostly just adding an
additional layer of tar and gravel. Clearly it is the condition of the roof
that dictates which approach is best.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math