Flat Roof Leak Repair
Flat Roof In Minneapolis Leaked for Years and Copper Was the Answer
The Problem:
Perhaps you have heard it before. There are two types of at roofs: Those that are leaking and those that are about to leak. In fairness to flat roofs, the reality is that there is no truly permanent roof. When at roofs fail they usually have more dramatic and immediate problems (rot, mold, collapsed ceilings, etc.). The project featured in this Case Study was no exception.
The demands placed on flat roofs in Minneapolis create a unique set of challenges to even the most robust systems. The flat roof here was a 10 year old rubber membrane roof (aka, EPDM). Over the past few years as the leaks got worse and worse our client had a few contractors attempt to x the problem. By the time we arrived it was clearly a case where total replacement was warranted.
The Solution:
As with most residential construction challenges, proper diagnosis of the problem is the best place to start. We used our thermal imager after a long rain storm to look into the ceiling. The resulting images indicated three separate leaks, confirming the idea that roof replacement was smarter than repair.
We gave our client two material options including TPO membrane and copper. They choose copper because this roof was visible from the master suite and they wanted a touch of architectural character. Years later the roof is still leak free.
New at seam copper roof during installation by Kuhl.
Project rendering. We are the only at roof contractor in Minneapolis that has in-house project design talent. Our clients have come to appreciate our ability to show them exactly what they are buying before the project begins. Projects like this should only be done once.
