We got called out to a leak on an EPDM roof in North Vancouver. EPDM is a rubber membrane you usually see on big commercial flat roofs, so it was a little unusual to find it on a residential home. The same rules apply either way: the membrane itself holds up well, and the leaks almost always start at the penetrations and the details.
The leak was at the vents
The call was a leak, and it turned out to be the vents. On a flat membrane roof, every vent and pipe that comes through is a potential leak point, and that is where the water was getting in.
Watch the screws
One thing we always check on EPDM is the fasteners. The membrane is held down with screws, and over time some of them back out. As a screw lifts, it pushes up against the rubber and can eventually poke through, which puts a hole right in the middle of an otherwise good roof.
We found a few of these and patched the spots where a screw had come through.
What we did
The customer needed it watertight, so we sealed the vents and the patches with the proper EPDM caulking to stop the leak.
It is worth being clear that caulking is a temporary fix. It stops the water now and buys time, but the long term answer at a leaking penetration is a proper detail, not just sealant. We let the customer know that so they can plan for it.
Got an EPDM or flat roof leak?
If you have an EPDM or other flat membrane roof, residential or commercial, the membrane is usually fine. The leaks come from the penetrations, the seams, and fasteners backing out, and they are all fixable. Catching them early keeps a small leak from turning into interior damage.
We repair EPDM and other flat roofs across Greater Vancouver and serve North Vancouver and the North Shore. Call 778-389-5564 for a free estimate.