Coating
Compatible coatings can extend the life of weathered EPDM to add years to the roof.
Flat Roofing
Rubber Roof Repair Orange, NJ
A roofer in Orange can repair a rubber roof by cleaning and priming the EPDM, then sealing open seams, punctures and torn flashing with rubber cover tape and lap sealant, so the roof stays watertight for more seasons. One call to (973) 858-1825 reaches a nearby rubber roof repair pro.
A rubber roof is tough, but its weak points are well known. Seams are first on the list, especially on older roofs where the sheets were glued together with liquid splice adhesive that dries out and lets the laps peel open. Punctures and failed flashing at walls, curbs and vents round out the usual causes.
Over time, EPDM slowly shrinks, and that causes its own kind of damage. 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. Asphalt roof cement, tar and many general purpose sealants contain solvents that soften and swell EPDM, and nothing made for rubber will bond over them later. In the meantime, catch drips in a bucket and keep off a wet, slippery roof.
Many rubber roof repair calls in Orange also turn up a need for rubber roof installation or flat roof repair.
Looking for Orange rubber roof repair? Call (973) 858-1825 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The rubber roof repair process
A rubber patch is only as good as the cleaning and priming under it.
Find the leak
Seams, perimeter flashing and penetrations are checked first, since that is where most rubber roofs leak. The roofer also checks whether water has soaked the insulation underneath.
Surface prep
Old rubber is washed and scrubbed until the surface is clean and dry. Earlier tar repairs are cut away.
Prime the area
Primer goes on in a thin, even coat over the cleaned area. This step is what lets the patch bond chemically to aged rubber.
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.
Seam repair
Failed laps are reopened, cleaned and resealed with modern seam tape. Lap sealant is applied along exposed edges and T-joints.
Reflash the walls
Shrunk membrane at walls and curbs is released and reflashed with new rubber. New termination bar and counter flashing keep the top edge sealed.
What is included
What rubber roof repair covers
Tear repair
Damaged rubber is covered with new membrane that extends past the damage.
Shrinkage repair
Membrane pulling from walls is released and reflashed to stop tears at the perimeter.
Pipe boots
Damaged collars around penetrations are renewed for a tight seal.
Lap sealing
Open laps are resealed with seam tape with lap sealant at the edges.
Related service
EPDM Roof Repair Orange, NJ
Repairing EPDM is simple in concept but unforgiving of shortcuts. The rubber must be clean and dry, the primer must be scrubbed in and allowed to flash off and the patch must be rolled firmly so it bonds across its whole surface. Lap sealant finishes the edges.
A Orange roofer will time EPDM repairs for dry weather, because moisture ruins the bond. If a leak cannot wait, a temporary fix holds until a permanent repair is possible. A proper patch should follow as soon as possible.
Related service
Rubber Roof Replacement Orange, NJ
Rubber roof replacement makes sense when repairs are no longer keeping up. If the roof has many patches and still leaks, or the insulation is wet in many places, replacement is the better choice. Testing the insulation helps make the call.
A new rubber roof can go back on as EPDM, or the roof can switch to TPO or PVC. Recovering may be an option over one dry layer, while wet areas require removal. Ask the Orange roofer to compare repair and replacement for your roof.
Local help
Rubber Roof Repair Near Me
Rubber roofs in Orange cover many porch roofs, additions, garages and flat sections on older homes. From Orange to neighboring communities such as East Orange, Glen Ridge, Caldwell and Roseland, storms and years of sun wear seams and flashing on rubber roofs, so a check after big storms is worth it.
Need rubber roof repair around Orange? Call (973) 858-1825 for an Orange roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Orange, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Orange
Roofers in Orange know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about rubber roof repair
Can a rubber roof be coated?
A coating can extend the life of aging EPDM. 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.
Why is my rubber roof pulling away from the wall?
Shrinkage is the usual cause. Tension builds at walls and edges, and the flashing eventually tears. Repairs release the strain and reflash the wall.
Is roof cement safe for an EPDM roof?
Tar and asphalt roof cement should never go on EPDM. Their solvents soften and swell the rubber, and they leave a surface that proper EPDM patches cannot bond to. Use primer, EPDM cover tape and lap sealant instead.
How long does a rubber roof last?
Rubber roofs often last two to three decades. Roofs with good drainage and maintained seams last longest. Repairs keep it on track.
What is the right way to patch EPDM?
The process is clean, prime, patch and roll. Cover tape with rounded corners goes over primed rubber and is rolled for a full bond. Edges are sealed with lap sealant.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1825
Often needed together
Rubber Roof Installation
Installing rubber roofing on flat and low slope roofs, from adhesive and seam tape to wall flashing and edge metal, planned around the slope and the building.
Learn moreFlat Roof Repair
Fixing open seams, blisters, splits, ponding and failed flashing on flat and low slope roofs, with the patch made from material that bonds to what is there.
Learn moreRoof Coating
Liquid-applied roof coatings that seal seams, reflect heat and add years to a roof, after the seams and blisters are repaired.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet rubber roof repair help in Orange
Call now for Orange rubber roof repair and help in the towns around it.