Leaking flat roof, can't identify material, need help with a fix!

[noseall]

But it can do harm, because it's bitumen-based, which will attack the rubber because of the solvents.

I appreciate the help, but I can speculate on what will work myself; I'm still just looking for specific advice from someone who knows the best method of first identifying what my roof materials, and secondly, what is the professional way to repair it myself.

You can buy EPDM repair patches and the glue.

Don't use bitumen repair gear or anything else that will foul the surfaces. The repair patches have a peel-off backing.

 

[robinbanks]

Might Black Jack bitumen paint work? It just daubs on with a brush, and quite thick

Having used it on locations that are permanently subject to the extremes of being baked by the sun and lashes by the rain I'm gonna say no; it's just not enduring enough and will wash away gradually over a few years of attack from the elements

was done in the 80s

If the EPDM part is from the 80s, and you've observed it perished then it's probably reasonable to say it's nearing the end of its (circa 50 year) life and should be renewed. How about insulating the roof and going over the top with new EPDM? You can perhaps also resolve the inherent flaw of draining it in the middle, going for a more typical and simple slope to gutter?

Get a tin of Black Jack, and try it

I wouldn't. There are specific repair methods for EPDM and bituminous paint isn't on the list

It cannot do any harm..

Can if you then cannot stick one of the actual recommended repair patches (it's a sheet of uncured EPDM, you paint a vulcanising solution on the surface then stick the patch to it, essentially like repairing a bicycle inner tube) to the surface because you've contaminated it

 

[Ges1]

Hi Robin,

That's the plan. I want to redo the entire roof in the summer, including ripping the entire thing off and rebuilding from scratch, so this is more of a temporary spot fix to get me through winter.
It's not in bad condition in general, but it's certainly nearing the end of its life. I think the extension was done in the 80s, but I wouldn't be surprised if the roof was redone in the 00s.

 

[Ges1]

You can buy EPDM repair patches and the glue.

Don't use bitumen repair gear or anything else that will foul the surfaces. The repair patches have a peel-off backing.

The repair patches don't work for my use-case, as I need to line the inside of a hole, so anything I do with patches wiooll create extra possibilities for continued ingress of water.

What I really need is something I can just paint on that will fill the existing damage.

Yeah, no way I'm using anything alcohol-based, just the fact that it was "some kind of rubber" told me that would wreck it, even without knowing specifically what material it is.

This is a bloody minefield!

 

[Alastairreid]

Acrypol.

 

[Ges1]

Alastair, thanks so much, that's perfect. I just ordered some. Wild price variations across websites, took me about 30 miins to find a place that sold it for a reasonable rate.
Much appreciated mate, I think this'll do the job perfectly

 

[Alastairreid]

£55 for 5litres normally out of the merchants.

 

[robinbanks]

The repair patches don't work for my use-case

(Incidentally) they're uncured EPDM, highly flexible, more like putty than what you'd think of as rubber

 

[noseall]

(Incidentally) they're uncured EPDM, highly flexible, more like putty than what you'd think of as rubber

...and very tacky.

 

[Ges1]

Alastairreid​

Cheers mate, that worked a treat!