By: James Newell

Repairing a roof will require the right materials. When it comes to the roof membrane, there are three types usually used for repairing a flat roof. Membranes began to appear in the present form about forty years ago with the rubber industry’s growth. Now, you can virtually wrap the roof much like the food in the freezer to keep it from leaking. The three major ones are flexible and rather complex.

• Thermoset membranes
• Thermoplastic membranes
• Modified Bitumen Membranes

Thermoset membranes are designed so that once the seams are cured; there is a large piece of roofing over the home to protect everything in it. There are a number of synthetic rubber roofs under this category. All of the CR, CSPE and ECR membranes are in this group of roof membranes. Thirty and sixty mils are the thickness that these come in and are incredible performers for a large variety of the elements; when the manufacturer’s specifications are followed, they will be leak free for an incredible amount of time.

Thermoplastic membranes do not have cross-linking but are close to the Thermosets. Solvents and heat are used to weld the seams in this type of roof membrane. When done correctly, these welds are as durable as the material itself. This family of the roof membrane includes the PVC plastics as part of its group along with various other materials.

The modified bitumen roof membrane is a combination of asphalt, modifiers and reinforcing material. It is composed something like a sandwich in the way it is made. A large torch that is actually a flame thrower is used to melt the asphalt in order to connect the seams of the roof membrane.

When dealing with contractors, it is important that you are familiar with the roof membrane types and features.