Lap sealing
Peeling seams are cleaned, primed and taped along their full length.
Flat Roofing
Rubber Roof Repair Rahway, NJ
A Rahway roofer who works on EPDM can fix peeling seams, punctures, blisters and membrane shrinkage at walls and curbs, once the actual leak point is located. Dial (908) 562-6861 to talk with a local roofer about the leak.
A rubber roof is tough, but its weak points are well known. The seams fail first on many older rubber roofs, because the original seam adhesive loses its grip after years of sun. After that, punctures and torn flashing at walls and penetrations cause most leaks.
EPDM also shrinks as it ages. As the sheet contracts, it pulls on the flashing at walls and edges, lifts the membrane off inside corners and can tear the rubber where it bridges between the roof and the wall. The fix is releasing the tension and adding new flashing, not just caulking the gap.
Avoid one common shortcut before the roofer arrives. Tar and asphalt products damage EPDM and leave a surface that proper patches cannot stick to. In the meantime, catch drips in a bucket and keep off a wet, slippery roof.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Rahway roofer may also recommend rubber roof installation or flat roof repair.
Need rubber roof repair in Rahway? Call (908) 562-6861 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Rahway.
Call nowThe process
The rubber roof repair process
A rubber patch is only as good as the cleaning and priming under it.
Locate the source
The roofer checks every seam, flashing detail, pipe boot and the roof edge, probing laps for loose spots. Wet insulation under the leak is checked with a moisture meter or a small core.
Clean the rubber
Weathered EPDM is scrubbed with a membrane cleaner to remove dirt, chalking and oxidation. Any old tar or asphalt patch is removed first.
Priming
A rubber primer is applied and given time to dry to the touch. Primer turns old, weathered rubber into a surface that tape can grip.
Apply the patch
Peel-and-stick EPDM cover tape or a cured patch is cut with rounded corners, pressed down and rolled firmly with a seam roller. Corners and penetrations use flexible uncured flashing.
Fix the laps
Peeling seams are stripped clean and sealed again with primer and tape. Edges of every patch and seam get a bead of lap sealant.
Reflash the walls
Shrunk membrane at walls and curbs is released and reflashed with new rubber. The top of the flashing is fastened and sealed.
What is included
Repairs a rubber roofer can handle
Shrinkage repair
Shrunk edges get new flashing so the roof can move.
Tear repair
Holes and tears are patched with EPDM cover tape with rounded corners.
Penetration flashing
Cracked pipe boots and vent flashing are replaced for a tight seal.
Surface renewal
Compatible coatings can extend the life of weathered EPDM after proper priming.
Related service
EPDM Roof Repair Rahway, NJ
Repairing EPDM is simple in concept but unforgiving of shortcuts. A clean, dry surface, a properly dried primer and a firmly rolled patch are what make an EPDM repair hold. Lap sealant finishes the edges.
Weather matters for EPDM repairs in Rahway, since primers and adhesives need dry conditions and mild temperatures to bond. If a leak cannot wait, a temporary fix holds until a permanent repair is possible. The permanent repair should still follow the full process.
Related service
Rubber Roof Replacement Rahway, NJ
There comes a point where patching an EPDM roof stops being worth it. If the roof has many patches and still leaks, or the insulation is wet in many places, replacement is the better choice. A moisture survey helps decide.
Some owners stay with EPDM, while others move to a white membrane. If the existing roof is a single layer with dry insulation, a recover may be possible, but wet insulation means a tear-off. For a Rahway home, an honest assessment saves money in the long run.
Local help
Rubber Roof Repair Near Me
In Rahway, EPDM is one of the most common membranes on low slope sections of homes. Homes in Rahway and nearby places including Avenel, Colonia, Linden and Iselin get the most from an EPDM roof when seams and flashing are checked every year or two, and early repairs keep the insulation dry.
For rubber roof repair in Rahway, NJ or nearby towns like Avenel, Colonia, Linden and Iselin, call (908) 562-6861 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Rahway
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Rahway is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Rahway know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Rubber Roof Repair questions
How long does a rubber roof last?
A well installed EPDM roof commonly lasts 20 to 30 years. Roofs with good drainage and maintained seams last longest. Fixing small problems early protects the rest.
Is roof cement safe for an EPDM roof?
Tar and asphalt roof cement should never go on EPDM. The petroleum in them breaks down rubber and blocks real patches from sticking. Use primer, EPDM cover tape and lap sealant instead.
Can a rubber roof be coated?
Coating is an option for a sound EPDM roof. The roof must be repaired first, cleaned and primed with an EPDM-compatible primer before an acrylic or silicone coating goes on. Coatings do not fix wet insulation.
What is the right way to patch EPDM?
A proper EPDM patch is a cleaned, primed and rolled repair. After cleaning and priming, a peel-and-stick EPDM patch is applied and rolled. The edges get lap sealant.
What causes EPDM to pull away from the edges?
Shrinkage is the usual cause. The shrinking membrane tugs at the perimeter and bridges across corners. Repairs release the strain and reflash the wall.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6861
Other services that may help
Rubber Roof Installation
New EPDM rubber roofs laid in wide sheets over insulation and a cover board, with primed and taped seams, with as few seams as the roof allows.
Learn moreFlat Roof Repair
Flat roof repairs matched to the membrane, whether EPDM, TPO, PVC, modified bitumen or built-up, after the real leak source is found, not guessed.
Learn moreRoof Coating
A seamless coating over a sound but weathered roof, when the roof underneath is still dry and solid.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Rahway roofer about rubber roof repair
Call now for Rahway rubber roof repair and help in the towns around it.