Tag Archives: asphalt

Cold Weather Work Practices – Roofing 101

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Now that the winter is upon us this should be an excellent topic to discuss.

Cold Weather can Create Hazardous Working Conditions 

  • Concentration levels in workers can diminish
  • Ice can form on the roof, causing the surface of the roof to become slippery.

Cold Weather can Create Quality Issues

  • Cold weather can reduce production by making it difficult to use certain roofing materials, such as hot asphalt and caulkings.
  • Cold temperatures may require that asphalt be handled differently since asphalt cools quickly.
  • Cold weather can reduce the adhesion between components.
  • Material may not lay flat or conform properly to the roof substrate

Some areas are not affected by extreme cold weather.

 Warm weather roofing areas

 

States like Florida, especially South Florida will likely never experience some of these quality issues due to extreme cold weather.

Built-up Roofs – Potential Problems and Problem Areas

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Built-up Roofing Membranes – Problem Areas


Built-up roofs are composed of bitumen (either asphalt or coal tar) and glass fiber, polyester or organic reinforcing felts.

  • Some of the most common problems and problem areas of built-up roofs
    Holes, tears, or abrasions
    Fishmouths and buckles (wrinkles)
    Surface coating deterioration
    Membrane deterioration
    Dry side laps
    Blisters
    Debris, vegetation and other containments
    Inadequate equipment support
    Ponding water
    Alligatoring or eroding of surface
    Crazing or eroding of mineral surfaced cap sheets
    Splits
    Fastner back-out
    Loose or displaced wall and base flashing
    Open side laps
    Deteriorated flashing
    Scuppers
    Pitch pans
    Interior drains
    Interior gutters
    Loose mechanical attachment of base flashing
    Exposed gaps at the top of base flashing
    Penetrations (loose or unbounded membrane flashing)

NOTE: When repairing a BUR the material should be compatible with the type of membrane being repaired. Meaning asphalt-based products should typically be used to repair asphalt BUR and coal-tar based products to repair coal tar BUR.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BUILT-UP ROOF IS COMPOSED OF ASPHALT OR COLD-TAR?

Simply conduct a field test – Place a piece of the membrane in a container of mineral spirits and shake. If the material starts to dissolve and turns brown quickly, it is asphalt.