leaky tar roof

[bobbymalone]

OK, I have a little sunroom on the back of my house, the kind of add on thing a previous homeowner did. It's pretty much got a flat roof, just a slight slant to drain it into the gutter along one edge.

Well that roof leaks. Not terrible but enough I have to put a bucket under a few places when it rains.

Looking to get it "fixed" and wondering how I should go about it. Is this the kind of thing I need one of them guys with the hot tar machine spreading that carp around up there or is there a big bucket of stuff I can get at home depot to 'get er done'. I thought I needed I pro for this, but one of the wife's coworkers said its a DIY-er with "driveway sealant"....

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[hydro]

Definately NOT a driveway sealant fix. If the roof is indeed an asphalt layup, you will need to call a professional to get it fixed. Better yet, get some quotes on re-roof options for that low slope roof. Any commercial roofer should be able to give you an idea of cost.

[pike doctor]

If you are going to go through the work of getting someone to come in and fix it go with a rubber roof. What are the dimensions of the roof? If there are just some small cracks and you think the roof can hold up a couple more years and you are short on funds try to get a bucket of roof tar and smear it over it.

Some pics of it will go a long way in getting some better advice.

[Surface Tension]

Need to know what type of roof you have.

I don't think you have a Built Up roof, you just don't see them very often on residential homes anymore. Especially if this is something that the previous owners did on a small sunroom. If you have gravel on top then you have a Built Up roof.

Before rubber roofs became popular in residential use, Torch Applied Bitumen were used. These go on in rolls, as the material is rolled out a torch welds the seem and roll to a base sheet.

The fix for the above depends on where the leak is.

Next in line is rolled roofing, its the cheapest app for a and for good reason, they don't hold up.

An Elastomeric or rubber type coating/patch works there but you'll need a new roof soon. Don't use the fiber junk in a tube as it will crack when temps change or when it dries out.

An EPDM (rubber roof) or Torch Applied Modified Bitumen is in your future.

[bobbymalone]

no gravel on top.

it seems like it is one of these torch applied bitumen things as I can see what appear to be seams between rolls. I think the seams are where the leaks are coming from.

it could also be the cheap rolled roofing, but it doesn't seem to be some sort of impregnated felt like i was just reading about.

the sunroom is probably around 12 x 12.

i'll get up on the ladder after work and post some pics later tonight. stay tuned and thanks for the responses so far.

[Surface Tension]

If its the torch applied pull back along the seem and clean it out good and dry it off.

For this patch you can use a small propane torch to melt it back down but since the touch will be darn near horizontal you won't use a 1 lb tank.

Got a 20lb propan tank, meater heater hose, and propane torch?

The object is get the top overlap hot enough to start melting but not long enough that it gets thin. The bottom piece should get hot but not fluid like the top.

Use something like a thin bar to lift the edge up while you apply the heat. Lay the melted edge down as you work your way down the seam. Since the edge might want to curl from being lifted back use a weight to hold it down. There should be a little oozing out of the seam without putting much pressure on the seam. Don't worry about melting onto the base sheet, your just doing a small piece of seem.