Technology of major repairs of soft roofs. Repair of soft roofs: useful tips from roofers Repair of soft roofs in separate places

Average service life soft roof reaches 10-15 years, but this is only if all the features have been met technological process. The “life” of a roof covering is longer, the more carefully and regularly its surface is maintained. But it is worth noting that even with systematic care, the need to repair soft roofs periodically arises, and there may be several reasons for this.

Emergency.
Current.
Capital.

Emergency repairs necessary for emergency restoration of soft roofing to its normal performance characteristics. Most often, at this time, the coating is replaced in places of actual and suspected leaks. From 5% to 20% of the roof area is subject to reconstruction. Repair involves installing patches in critical areas, less often replacing parts roofing material.

Current repairs cover from 10% to 40% of the entire roofing area. It is recommended to carry it out annually after a routine inspection of the surface of the roof of the house. The following activities can be carried out as work: replacing part of the roofing or installing patches.

This roof needs urgent professional repairs.

Major renovation necessary when more than 40% of the roof area needs restoration. To completely normalize the performance characteristics, the entire roofing covering or most of it is replaced.

Necessity repair work is usually caused by the destruction of the bitumen layer, which leads to a decrease in hydro- and vapor barrier characteristics, which means that water from the outside begins to flow into the interior of the house. If you plan to repair a soft roof with your own hands, then it is worth studying the entire sequence of work, starting from assessing the condition of the coating to final stages restoration activities.

When repairs are needed

To understand how much work awaits the technician, you need to go up to the roof and assess the damage. When examining, you should pay attention to the following points:

the presence of delaminations at the junctions of panels of soft roofing material;
the appearance on the roof surface of pits and depressions visible to the naked eye in which water accumulates;
the appearance of swelling and bubbles on the roof surface: this is evidence that water has seeped under the layer of material;
assess the degree of damage to the roofing from stagnant water - the appearance of rot, mold or mildew;
check the roof for mechanical damage - cracks, tears, abrasions, deformations.

Important! Roof inspections should be carried out annually, and not once every 2-3 years, as often happens. Early identification of defective areas will allow you to eliminate the problem faster and cheaper.

The presence of bubbles on the roofing surface indicates that it is time to begin repair work.

An objective assessment of the damage will allow us to draw conclusions - whether a major repair of the soft roof is needed or whether a minor restoration can be done. An estimate, the preparation of which should be next step for the repair of soft roofs.

Subtleties of budgeting

Sometimes you may come across information that you only need to prepare an estimate for major roof repairs. This approach cannot be considered correct, because the estimate allows for a financial assessment of the amount of work, as well as systematizing data for the purchase of necessary materials.

The estimate must take into account a complete list of repair activities, namely:

dismantling the old roofing - completely or only to the extent of the damaged area;
preparatory work for laying new roofing material;
direct installation of soft roofing and sealing of seams;
creating a top waterproofing layer.

Also, the cost of purchasing consumables and combustible materials must be included in the estimate, and payment for delivery of purchased products must be taken into account.

Photo of defects in soft roof covering with detailed description will help make counting much easier required quantity repair materials

If it is difficult to decide on your own how much the technology for repairing a soft roof will cost, then you can submit a request to professional builders to create an estimate. To prepare the document they will need the following information:

a complete roof plan with all measurements;
thickness and height of parapets, location and length of eaves overhangs and their junction points;
location of shafts, pipes and other roof elements, indicating their number and size;
description of defects or their photos to assess the condition of the roofing;
list of planned works;
name of the roofing material selected for repair.

Having received a financial assessment of future repairs, you can begin to select specialists or plan independent conduct works It is immediately worth noting that the repair of a soft roof must be carried out taking into account the relevant regulatory documentation, which regulates both the work itself and the materials that should be used.

Important ! Often the experience of a team of craftsmen adequately replaces SNiPs, GOSTs and other rules. After all, regulatory documents do not take into account the rapid renewal of the construction market, its development and the emergence of new options for soft roofing with better characteristics.

Minor roof repairs

Depending on the type of defect, several options for carrying out work are possible:

Creation of “patches” in places where the material is damaged.
Connecting separated joints.
Old-fashioned renovation.

Important ! If restoration work will conduct professional builders, then preference will be given to the last option, since the first two are considered a temporary and low-quality measure.

Repairing a soft roof requires professional skills and the ability to handle special tools

Installing patches involves local repair of the coating and is carried out according to the following scheme:

All visible defects are removed - cut out or pierced.
The roof surface is cleaned of dirt, dust and debris.
The damaged area is filled with sealant or bitumen mastic.
A roofing material larger in area than the area being repaired is applied to the mastic.
Another layer of bitumen is applied on top, which is distributed with a roller over all surfaces with an emphasis on the edges of the patch.

Important! This method has low efficiency, since soft roofing sometimes has hidden defects, which are very difficult to detect.

If the task of the craftsmen is only to connect the separated joints, then it is quite enough to perform the following work:

lift and thoroughly dry the space under the roofing material;
coat the damaged area with bitumen;
put the roof in place;
re-treat the joint with bitumen.

Repair of a roof fragment, in which there is no need to dismantle a large section of the roofing covering

The method, which is called “the old way,” is considered the most effective and high-quality for carrying out minor roof repairs. Its essence is that a new layer of material is laid on the old roof, cleared of debris and dirt, which is used as a base. The result is an updated coating with complete restoration of all operational characteristics of the roof.

However, it is worth being aware of the limitations when using this method. Repair is not carried out according to this scheme if:

the old roof is very damaged;
This is not the first time the roof has been repaired and the number of layers of old material has already reached eight.

Important ! Fusing a new layer significantly increases the load on the floor supports and walls of the house. Before starting work, it is necessary to calculate how much weight can be added without endangering the building structure.

Stages of major repairs

In some cases, the roof is already in such a state of disrepair that local repairs do not help. Then it’s worth considering other options, which involve removing and replacing the old roofing carpet. Estimate for soft roof repairs in this case increases significantly, and the work itself is called capital. Activities are carried out in in a certain order, but it is worth noting that the feasibility of some stages is assessed by craftsmen on site. If any layer is in good condition " roofing pie» some work may be missed.

Major repairs of a soft roof represent a certain sequence of work

The full list includes:

Dismantling old roof;
Dismantling the cement screed and removing the thermal insulation layer;
Restoration of the vapor barrier layer;
Tidying up internal drain;
Installation of thermal insulation;
Carrying out declination when using sand;
Installation of funnels for internal drainage;
Installation of cement screed;
Screed primer;
Roof installation taking into account all technological features;
Coating the roof with a fire retardant or reflective composition.

If you have to do everything listed works, then the cost of repair may exceed the cost of conventional installation. This cannot be avoided, since in any case the work will involve dismantling and removal construction waste.

Important ! The simplest overhaul includes: complete replacement of a soft roof with partial renovation foundation, as well as revision and partial replacement of some roof elements.

Checking the quality of work

The main question that a home owner faces after roofing repairs is how to check the quality of the work. There is no single line of behavior, but it is worth paying attention to the following parameters:

Visual inspection of the repaired roof. Rolls of material should lie flat, without visible distortions, excessive overlaps or intersections.
Assessing the condition of the edges. They must be perfectly fused and fit tightly to the base, otherwise the sheets may be torn off at the first bad weather and strong wind.
Roof behavior during rain. This is the most important indicator, as it really demonstrates the quality of the work performed.

Important ! Do not forget about the guarantees that any hired craftsmen must provide.

Soft roof after installation quality repairs

In general, when accepting work, you can focus on the requirements of SNiPs and SPs, since in any case they should serve theoretical basis for any major repair. Even if a roofing material not specified in them is used, the installation requirements remain unchanged already for a long time.

Winter work

Repairing a soft roof in winter is a separate topic for discussion. Of course, it is not recommended to carry out any work on the roof during the cold season, but there are situations when it is simply necessary to carry out emergency repairs.

Important ! Repairs in winter should be carried out with an increased level of safety.

In winter, it is worthwhile to restore the roofing if:

the roof of the house received serious damage (due to a snowstorm or when a large and heavy object fell);
the amount of snow that fell led to the sagging of the roof;
the thaw led to the formation of leaks.

Cleaning the soft roof from snow cover before starting repair work

Any of these situations can lead to deformation of the roof, as well as walls and ceilings; cause short circuit or even a fire. To avoid this, it is recommended to immediately restore the roof, especially since this can be done at almost any air temperature.

Like any other complex repair, winter activities must be carried out in compliance certain rules:

Selection of roofing material. Low temperatures have a bad effect on many types of coatings, so it is very important to choose an option that will not break in the cold.
Among the materials recommended for repairs it is worth noting: soft tiles, corrugated sheets, metal tiles. For work, it is better to choose frost-resistant sealants that react neutrally to sub-zero temperatures.
It gets dark quickly in winter, so you should think about lighting the roof in advance, otherwise you may interrupt work immediately after dismantling the roof at the site of damage.
Safety. It is worth thinking about clothes and shoes for work in advance. In addition, you need to take with you everything you need to protect yourself from bad weather.
Before repairs begin, snow must be removed from the roof. To do this, you should use a scraper with a rubberized surface.
The patching material must be kept warm until the very last moment.
Roof repairs in winter should be entrusted to professionals, since difficult conditions It will be difficult for an amateur to cope.

It is possible to carry out any roof repair work by working with a partner. However, you should not do this yourself. You can still install the new roof yourself, but it is advisable to call professionals for repairs. Only in this case can you be sure that the assessment of the condition of the roof will be carried out correctly, the estimate will be drawn up taking into account all the features of the repair, the necessary materials will be purchased and all work will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documentation.

Roof of a residential building

The main cause of damage and deformation of soft roofs is operational wear. In some cases, defects may be caused by installation or maintenance errors. Regardless of the reason that caused the violation of the integrity of the coating, repair of a soft roof should be done as soon as possible. This will help avoid complete dismantling of the old covering and refurbishment of the roofing material.

Prevention

In order to delay the need for repair work, you should follow preventive measures to protect the roofing:

During operation, roof slopes may sag. The reason for this is the excessive load to which the soft roof is subjected. The load may be the result of errors during the installation of the roof covering or the result of rotting and deformation of the beams on which the roof rests. The load is caused by natural phenomena. In Moscow and other regions of Central Russia, it is often caused by snow. Therefore, the soft roof should be regularly cleaned of it, as well as dirt and debris.
Roofs need to be washed periodically clean water, supplied under pressure. After washing, the surface is treated with special compounds that protect the outer layer of the roofing cake from moss and mold. It is enough to wash it once a year.
Additional preventive measures are required in regions with high humidity. The roofs of houses in such areas are further protected. For example, you can install a zinc strip near the ridge.
IN winter period in Moscow and Central Russia, it is necessary not only to regularly remove snow and icicles, but also to treat the surface with chemical compounds that prevent the accumulation of snow and the formation of an ice crust.
If there are trees near the house, it is necessary to trim off the branches hanging over the roof. The distance between the nearest tree branches and the roofing must be at least one meter.

These measures allow you to avoid frequent repairs of soft roofs.

Defects

It is necessary to begin repairing a soft roof if at least one coating defect was discovered during the inspection. These include:

Mechanical damage to the roofing pie.
Presence of plants, moss or mold.
Swollen areas.
Peeling of roofing material.
Cracks.
Damage to previously completed patches.

Any of these defects requires immediate intervention and repair of the surface of the soft roof. Otherwise, they will cause roof leaks.

Roof installation

Depending on the frequency of occurrence, leaks can be of different types:

Appearing immediately after precipitation. Most often, leaks of this type are caused by mechanical damage to the roofing pie or natural wear and tear. If a leak appears immediately after installation or repair of the coating, we can say that the work was carried out in violation of the technology, or low-quality materials were used.
Appearing some time after the snow begins to melt. Such leaks may indicate that at the joints or in the areas where the roofing pie is adjacent to the ventilation ducts there are mechanical damage or cracks.
“Flickering” leaks that appear periodically. They are caused by microcracks in the coating. When flickering leaks appear, a major repair of the soft roof is most often required.

Even if there are no leaks, the roof covering should be inspected regularly. The objectives of such a survey are spring period are:

Detection of swellings, determination of their size and nature.
Assessment of the condition of roofing waterproofing.
Determining the integrity of aprons and the correctness of their installation.

Preparing for work

IN summer period The following defects can be found:

Bubbles in the coating.
Cracking of roofing material to varying degrees.

In autumn the following are revealed:

Blockages in funnels and drains.
Wet walls.
Water stagnation.

Repair technology

Repair of a soft roof can be routine or major. Major repairs require the complete dismantling of old materials with the installation of new hydro- and vapor barriers, screeds, etc.

Selection of materials for repairs

The construction market in Russia and Moscow offers a variety of materials for repairing soft roof coverings. The roofing pie is arranged in several layers. Materials must meet a number of requirements:

For the outer layer, you need to choose products with a mineral coating and a thickness of 4.5–5 mm.
For the lower layers, materials with a thickness of 3–3.5 mm are suitable.
All textures used must be compatible with each other.

Installation by non-specialists

In Moscow and Central Russia, bitumen roll materials have become most popular. They are easy to install, especially on flat roofs, and can be used for roofs of residential and industrial buildings. In terms of reliability of coating, bitumen-based roll materials are superior to most other methods of arranging a roofing pie. Such materials are well suited not only for Moscow with its relatively stable climate, but also for areas where sudden temperature changes are observed.

Maintenance

Current repairs are carried out for minor damage, cracks or loose joints. Cracks and mechanical damage can be eliminated by filling them with bitumen mastic, over which a patch is glued. Roll roofing materials are selected for it. It is advisable to pour another layer of bitumen on top of it.

Broken joints are also treated with bitumen. Before pouring mastic, you need to thoroughly dry the lower layers of the roofing cake with a gas burner. After drying, bitumen is poured onto which it is laid old material, and another layer of mastic is performed.

Major renovation

Work completed

Major roof repairs - difficult task, the implementation of which is best left to specialists. Moreover, in Moscow and other major cities It’s quite easy to find a specialized company providing such services.

The repair is carried out in several stages:

Dismantling the old roofing pie.
Performing a cement roof screed.
Arrangement of steam and waterproofing layers.
Laying rolled roofing materials.

Violation of any of the stages of the technological process will lead to the fact that the soft roof will quickly become damaged, and all problems associated with leaks will return, requiring new repairs.

Repair work must begin with surface preparation. The roof must be cleared of debris, and the old roof covering must be completely dismantled. The base of the roof must be level. Next, the functionality of the ventilation and drainage systems is checked.

On flat roofs, a cement screed is required to ensure a flat surface. For additional protection, the base is primed with bitumen primer or mastic. First, the composition is applied completely to the entire base, including parapets, abutments and podiums. In this case, the surface must be thoroughly impregnated with primer. After the material has dried, the following layers can be laid.

Installation process

The vapor barrier is mounted on cement screed, and then a layer of insulation is laid. To protect the resulting cake, reinforcement with road mesh is used. Steam and thermal insulation materials are selected depending on the roof structure.

Materials are laid in different ways depending on the angle of the roof slope. On roofs with a slope angle of less than 15º, materials must be installed perpendicular to the direction of movement of water as it flows into the drainage system. At an angle of more than 15º, laying is carried out from top to bottom in the direction of water movement. After laying the roofing material, all joints, parapet elements, gutters, etc. are sealed.

Repair work in winter

Carrying out roof repairs in Moscow and Central Russia in winter is impossible. In fact, all work when leaks occur comes down to patching the damaged area. The area to be treated is dried with a gas burner, after which a patch of the required size is fused onto the surface. With the onset of the warm period of the year, the roof is carefully inspected, and current or major repairs are carried out, which depends on the degree of damage to the coating.

Conclusion

Repair of a soft roof is required when the slightest defects in the coating appear. Despite the relative simplicity of laying rolled bitumen surfaced materials, the work must be carried out by specialists. One single violation of the technological process, which may seem insignificant to a non-professional, can lead to rapid wear of the new coating, and in the worst case, reduce the result of the work to zero.

When a roof covered with soft roofing materials begins to leak, there is an urgent need for rehabilitation. Sometimes you can get by with patch restoration, which boils down to gluing joints or patching up cracks. And sometimes only labor-intensive and thorough will help.

Before repairs, it is necessary to carefully examine the roof and determine in which places repairs need to be made. Special attention It is necessary to pay attention to the following defects:

small cracks, peeling in places where panels are glued;
depressions and pits in which moisture accumulates;
dampness, rotting of the coating, growth of the roof with fungus or moss;
swelling of the coating occurs after moisture penetrates inside;
large abrasions and tears from mechanical impact.

After a thorough inspection of the roof, you can determine whether major or minor repairs need to be carried out.

What materials should I use?

The modern market offers a huge range of roofing roll materials. The most common:

weldable glass elastomer;
bikrost;
membranes;
bitumen;
roofing felt

Methods for minor repairs to soft roofs

Current repairs are carried out when there are small cracks, loose joints, abrasions and tears on the roof. Usually a patch method is used to repair the coating. Cracks, abrasions and tears are removed as follows:

the damaged area is filled with bitumen;
roofing felt or other material, pre-cut to the size of the damaged coating, is glued on top of the mastic;
the patch is secured with a layer bitumen mastic, evenly distributed with a roller over the roof surface.

Broken joints are eliminated in the following sequence:

lift and dry the peelable surface of the material using a gas burner;
apply bitumen mastic with a roller;
lower the dried material;
re-treat the joint with bitumen.

Major renovation

Repairs to sheet roofing should be carried out after a thorough inspection. If there are multiple areas on the roof where water collects, there are deep scratches, chips roll covering. Tools you may need when fixing your roof:

gas burner for heating panels;
sheets of roofing felt material;
knife for removing defective areas;
sealant and waterproofing bitumen mastic;
broom for cleaning;
insulation if necessary;
reinforcing mesh and cement for screed.

Advice! It is recommended to use a gas burner as heating equipment, as it will allow the soft bitumen sheet to heat up faster. This greatly simplifies the installation of the coating.

is carried out in several stages:

Removal of the defective coating layer.
Cleaning from debris, dirt and water.
Repair of ceiling and roof base.
Laying the base.
Installation of insulation is carried out if necessary.
Cement screed primed with bitumen.
Laying soft covering.
Application of special protection from bitumen mastic.

Dismantling of old roofing material is carried out very carefully so as not to damage the base of the roof.
And ventilation pipes, protruding onto the roof surface, are treated with a single roll of bitumen coating, and not in pieces, in order to avoid water leakage at the joints.
Additional protection from moisture in protruding areas will be provided by non-woven lavsan-viscose materials impregnated with bitumen mastic.
When servicing the roof in the winter, it is recommended to remove snow with a wooden shovel so as not to damage the surface of the flexible roof. It is recommended to leave a small layer of snow – up to 5 cm.

Fused roofing - device and installation methods

Repair of built-up roofing is carried out using polymer-bitumen roll coatings and gas burners. Roofs covered with fused materials are practical and affordable. They are monolithic waterproofing panels. The construction of a built-up roof includes the following advantages:

lightweight material, resistant to ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes and deformation;
simple installation without the use of special equipment;
ease of maintenance;
high waterproofing and noise insulation properties;
has an elastic flexible structure;
environmentally friendly and durable.

Modern coating of fused rolled roofing is made from polyester, fiberglass, fiberglass and bitumen modifiers.

Repair of soft roofing using fused materials

Features of membrane coatings

Repair work to restore flexible roofing is carried out extremely rarely. After all, the guaranteed service life of membrane roofs is 35 years. The biggest advantage This material is resistant to sudden temperature changes. The roofing membrane is a polymer that consists of fiberglass, a plasticizer and modified bitumen.

Membrane roof installation

Today, the following methods for producing flexible membranes are used:

Plasticized polyvinyl chloride reinforced with polyester mesh. Installation of this material is carried out by welding individual panels into a single coating using hot air.

Important!Advantages: UV resistance, fire resistance.Disadvantages: the color fades, the material is not resistant to oils, solvents and bitumen components.

Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic olefins. The plates are not elastic, so they are inconvenient to install. During installation, the panels are welded into a single coating. This is the most durable material with a service life of 60 years.
Synthetic rubber reinforced with polyester mesh. Very elastic material. The installation of the canvas is done using glue. Over time, joints can peel off and allow water to pass through. Cheaper than analogues.

Installation methods and installation of membrane roofing

Repair of membrane roofing is carried out in one of the following ways:

Mechanical – for roofs with a slope angle of more than 10 degrees. Installation is carried out using fastening equipment.
Ballast - for roofs with a slope of less than 10 degrees.
Adhesive installation is used on the roofs of buildings with high wind loads.

Repair of seams is carried out by welding; however, welding old and new material without special equipment is quite problematic. Therefore, during repairs it is recommended to use chemical method membrane connections. This method of joining canvases allows for repair work to be carried out at any time of the year.

Repair methods and installation of bitumen roofing

Repair bitumen roofing is carried out in the following steps:

Roof preparation. Cleaning of old coating, dirt and debris. Repair of minor defects: peeled, swollen and wrinkled areas are cut out and filled with mastic.
Cleaning and drying the roof surface is done using a stiff brush. Surfaces are thoroughly degreased using special cleaning products.
Using polymer fabric or polypropylene tape and a base layer of mastic, it is necessary to strengthen the areas freed from the coating.
After strengthening all repaired areas with flexible reinforcing fabric, it is necessary to apply finishing layer bitumen mastic.

Installation methods and construction of roofing felt roofing

Roofing felt roofing repairs are carried out seasonally. This material is most often used in the construction of buildings and structures with flat roofs, requiring constant inspection by technical personnel, which leads to additional wear. Roof felt roofing is repaired in spring or summer. In winter, it is impossible to replace the roll material. Major repairs are carried out in the spring, since after the winter season all damage and leaks are noticeable. Specialists carefully inspect it, find places of damage, carefully clean the surface of the old coating and begin installing new roll material.

Methods, design and roof covering with bicrost

Bikrost consists of fiberglass, on top and bottom of which a bitumen composition is applied. Bicrost is good for protecting the roof from moisture. Bicrost also allows you to replace another roofing felt coating during repairs. The roof is covered with bicrost from the bottom up. It is often used as waterproofing material under bitumen or membrane roofing. Just like bitumen sheeting, roof covering with bicrost occurs in several stages. The service life of this material is 5 years.

Maintainability is a strong argument in favor of flexible materials used in the construction of roofs of private houses. Most damage bitumen shingles and the roll covering will be removed by the owner of the house himself without any problems.

He won't need complex equipment and the fundamental knowledge of an experienced roofer. You will need confidence in your own capabilities and the basics of skill, according to which the repair of soft roofs of low-rise buildings is carried out.

A convincing signal indicating the need for roof repair is usually trivial leaks. They appear for various reasons, which include:

Design violations. These include errors in the arrangement of layers of the roofing pie, incorrectly calculated insulation thickness, incorrectly selected coating, etc.
Installation errors. This is non-compliance with technology: incorrectly installed fasteners, insufficient application adhesive composition and similar mistakes.
Household damage. Their list most often includes punctures and breaks in the coating resulting from careless movement on the roof, the fall of heavy objects with sharp edges, heavy winds, and cleaning with a metal shovel.

To correct defects resulting from design violations, a major overhaul is needed. Not every home master will be able to cope with it without professional assistance. But the damage indicated in the second and third paragraphs is eliminated during routine repairs. It does not require global dismantling, a large amount of work or highly complex operations. Almost all damages included in the current repair scope are accessible to an inexperienced contractor. Let's consider them.

Determining the location of damage

Traces of damage to the integrity of the coating do not always appear during periods of active snow melting and rainfall. Although the ceiling, the cladding of the attic, and damp rafters that are wet due to liquid precipitation are reasonably considered to be one hundred percent indicators. It happens that atmospheric moisture that has penetrated under the coating first “cruises” along the waterproofing for some time, and then seeps into a crack that finally meets on its way. According to popular wisdom, water will always find a “hole” for itself, and is even capable of “sharpening a stone.” How can one fight against its influence from wood? rafter system, lathing and mineral wool thermal insulation.

For the sake of long-term service of the roof, inspections must be carried out regularly 4 times a year. They are needed for the timely identification of existing and emerging breakthroughs, which sooner or later will definitely make themselves felt. To ensure that the consequences of small punctures, cracks, and potentially dangerous swellings do not take on an emergency nature, the roof is inspected each time in two stages, these are:

State study roofing structure from the attic with a thorough check of the wet spots and the degree of damage to the system parts.
Inspection of the roof covering from the outside with a detailed inspection of defects and inspection of areas of possible water penetration.

It should be taken into account that wet spots identified from the attic do not always coincide with existing holes found in outside roofs. The causes and consequences of leaks are practically combined or are closest to each other on flat roofs. This is not typical for pitched structures: in reality, water penetrates higher than it leaves its destructive traces. The researcher of his own stingrays must certainly remember this circumstance.

Roof repair technologies

A roof inspection allows you to understand whether a home craftsman can repair a soft roof on his own, or whether it is better for him to resort to the services of builders. Fundamental snags with current defect elimination operations soft coverings No. If the owner has not forgotten how to hold a tool in his hands, he is able to repair a roof covered with flexible tiles, membrane and bitumen-polymer roll material.

Situation #1 – Replacing Shingles

Minor roof leaks with shingles are corrected by replacing damaged elements. The most common reason for the formation of holes in it is walking in frosty weather, when the bitumen coating becomes brittle. You can make a hole by clearing snow with a shovel or dropping the tool on the surface. In addition, poorly secured shingles can be torn off by a strong gust of wind.

Gaps in the coating tend to grow larger, resulting in part of the shingle or an entire shingle being torn off. Even if the owner is not embarrassed by the loss of aesthetic indicators, the element must be changed. And to carry out the repair competently, you should familiarize yourself with the technology for repairing soft tile roofs and the sequence of actions for replacement.

It is not necessary to install new shingles that include three pieces with tabular ends. Sometimes replacing just one petal is enough. However, it is very useful to have a few in stock with a similar color coating. They are needed precisely so that the coating can be restored at any time.

Let's look at the sequence of work to replace 1/3 of the shingles, i.e. parts with a torn petal. To replace it, we need to remove that part of the tile that is covered by the elements laid on top. You cannot attach a bitumen piece over a piece of shingle that has not been removed. After all, the surface relief resulting from the “overlay” can become new reason rupture of the coating.

Algorithm for repairing bitumen shingles with one torn blade:

We determine the repair area and installation points of roofing nails intended for removal. It is advisable to mark them with chalk so that during installation you do not loosen a part of the coating that is not needed for repair.
Carefully lift two rows of tiles above the area to be restored. Because the first row to close the damaged row is the nails driven into the lower part of the untorn part of the tile. Under the second row of the damaged coating there are still upper fastenings.
We install a small flat pry bar so that it wedges the tiles laid on top.
Use a nail puller to remove the fasteners of the torn petal.
Similarly, we dismantle the nails that secured the element to be removed.
Using metal scissors, cut off the damaged part of the tile.
We remove the cut part, being careful not to damage adjacent elements.
We cut off a third of the spare shingles for replacement, and lubricate the back part with bitumen mastic.
We install our repair tab in place of the removed part, align it with the neighboring elements and hammer in the nails, moving 3-5mm away from the previous place in the direction convenient for driving.
We attach our tab on four sides.
We treat the heads of newly installed nails and fasteners of adjacent tiles with bitumen-polymer resin or mastic.
Apply mastic to the back of all raised tiles.
We press the repair area against the sheathing and are pleased to understand that the current repair of the soft tile roof has been successfully completed.

Both in the case of multiple damages and in the case of replacing the entire bitumen shingle, they act according to the given algorithm.

If a roof covered with flexible tiles leaks along the junction lines, then the reason should be sought in cracking of the sealant, peeling of the waterproofing carpets attached to the penetration, or again in a violation of the penetration technology. In such situations, the shingles in the repair area, most often around the pipe or along the parapet line, are unfastened. And after eliminating the defect using the described method, they are placed in place.

Situation #2 – membrane roof repair

Gaps and holes in the roofing membrane result from improper use. Move on the roof with polymer coating permitted only on footpaths laid specifically for its service. The paths are constructed from an elastomeric strip with an anti-slip texture, produced by the manufacturers of this roofing material. To remove snow from the membrane, use a plastic or wooden shovel.

Small defects in membrane roofing can be repaired by installing patches:

Based on the actual dimensions of the hole, we make a patch, the outline of which should cover the damaged area by at least 5 cm in all directions. We round the edges of the patch.
We thoroughly wipe the area to be repaired with a damp cloth to remove dirt and dry it with a hair dryer.
We weld the patch to the surface in one step. We place the nozzle of the welding device diagonally to the seam line. The welded surfaces are immediately rolled with a silicone roller. We direct all movements from the imaginary center to the periphery.

If the surface around the hole is heavily contaminated, the patch can be placed under the coating and welded using a similar method. A manual welding machine can be rented from a specialized company or a tool store.

If there is no welding device at hand to eliminate the defect, it is permissible to seal the hole with butyl rubber-based tape:

We cut the damaged material so that there are no frayed edges or flaps left.
If there is damaged waterproofing under the membrane, we cut it too.
We clean and dry the area of the roof and waterproofing carpet to be repaired. There should be no soap stains or greasy marks on the membrane.
We repair waterproofing by applying a patch with rounded edges to a waterproofing sheet that has been pre-treated with bitumen-polymer mastic.
We glue the patch from butyl tape, first removing the protective film from its back side.
With effort, we “walk” over the patch with a silicone roller or just with our hand with a dry cloth.
The edges of the patch are treated with polyurethane sealant.

Materials used to repair the membrane must be compatible with the coating. Before applying the patch, the surface should be treated with primer.

In addition to holes and cracks during operation, flaws in the installation of the membrane may appear. The most common manifestation is peeling of the strip along the welded seam. In such cases, the coating is not patched, but the poorly welded strip is removed and a new one is laid. It is recommended to duplicate the new seam on top with a welded strip of material approximately 10 cm wide.

Situation #3 – elimination of defects in bitumen roofing

The fight against defects in bitumen and bitumen-polymer coatings is carried out along all fronts characteristic of soft roofs using characteristic repair methods. Common types of damage include:

Punctures, breakthroughs, holes that appeared as a result of illiterate operation.
Cracking of the coating in the abutment zones, formed due to movements of the building structure that were not taken into account by the designer.
Blisters that have arisen above places where the insulation is moistened. The reason may be laying the coating on top of wet insulation or puncturing the vapor barrier layer from the inside.
Shallow depressions in a roof covering formed when it is attached to an unrepaired concrete or cement-sand base with potholes.
Leaks around roof penetrations, the prerequisites for the appearance of which are most often poor-quality pasting of the adjacent area with a waterproofing carpet or its mechanical damage.
Sliding of roll coverings laid on vertical planes of adjacent walls, pipes, parapets.
Peeling of the roofing carpet from the base due to insufficient adhesion to it, which occurred due to the lack of soil or poor heating of the back side of the rolled material.

It is not for nothing that holes in the roofing carpet, caused by incorrect operation, are at the top of the list of situations that need to be repaired. Damage to rolled material is often mechanical in origin.

Options for eliminating minor defects:

Small breaks and punctures do not require complete replacement coverage, a patch is enough. The dimensions of the patch should cover the hole by 10 cm in all directions, its edges should be rounded. The patch is applied to the cleaned primed surface from above, if the base was cement-sand screed or non-insulated reinforced concrete slab. The patch is placed under the cut material if the basis for installation was wood flooring, plywood, OSB sheet and similar materials. Large cracks can be repaired using the same method.
Fine cracking is eliminated by filling the damaged area with bitumen-polymer mastic, applied in two layers. Coarse-grained topping is applied on top of the second layer of mastic.
Small swellings should first be cut crosswise and the wet layers of the roofing cake should be dried with a hairdryer. The corners of the cut are turned outward in the form of petals and scrupulously cleaned of dirt. The dried back of the petals is heated with a propane torch, placed in place and rolled with a roller. A patch of identical rolled material is placed on top of the cut.

Impressive swellings and ruptures in area dictate the need for a major overhaul of the built-up soft roofing with the replacement of layers of the roofing pie that have become fairly wet. To prevent things from reaching major alterations, regular inspections should be observed. It is recommended to schedule repair work on days when the thermometer does not fall below +5ºС and does not rise above +18ºС. Deviations in both directions from the designated temperature limit are reflected in the elasticity and strength of the material.

If depressions no more than 1.5 cm deep appear on the surface of the rolled roof, repairs are carried out according to the principle of eliminating bubbles:

The material is cut in the form of an envelope, the cut ends are folded and dried.
Cement-sand mortar is poured into the hole and allowed to dry. Mastic should not be used to level out cavities.
Mastic is applied to the pouring surface.
The dried petals of the cut are returned to their place and glued.
A patch is applied on top, the dimensions of which overlap the incisions by 10 cm.

Minor leaks in the area of roof penetrations are dealt with by opening finishing material and replacement of waterproofing pasting. Often an autopsy reveals that only the sealant layer is damaged. It just needs to be updated.

The situation is much more complicated with the elimination of leaks in the area of roof junctions and passages, if the problems are associated with peeling, cracking and destruction of the coating. Troubleshoot such problems as follows:

We free the junctions from a protective apron - metal or asbestos-cement around the chimneys, bitumen along the lines where the walls and parapet meet the roof.
We remove the old waterproofing carpet and dry the surface.
We glue a new waterproofing carpet onto the mastic so that 30 cm of it falls on the vertical surface.
We secure the edge of the new waterproofing to a vertical surface with a metal strip or apron.
We seal the seams.

We also repair peeling roof coverings if the area of the defect does not cause any particular concern and does not suggest the idea of completely replacing one or two adjacent strips. In areas of peeling, you should try to separate the coating from the base and adjacent strips as much as possible. The base and separated material should be thoroughly cleaned and dried, and after drying, coated with primer. Downsides The separated coating is heated again with a gas burner and fused onto the base.

Actions to re-glue the peeled coating are carried out if the strip separated from the base does not have more significant damage. If there are large breaks and punctures, the entire sheet must be separated from the base and a new strip laid.

Situation #4 – repair of roof penetrations

A soft roof can also leak due to poor-quality casings used to arrange communications crossing the roof. Rubber or plastic devices can simply burst. Damaged equipment attributes are subject to unconditional replacement:

We separate the covering around the penetration from the base.
Remove the waterproofing collar.
We dismantle the casing.
We install a new device.
We cut a new collar from the waterproofing carpet, using the old one as a template if it is irreparably damaged.
We clean the surface around the penetration and treat it with mastic.
We put the collar on the casing.
We again treat the repaired area with mastic.
We put the covering, separated from the base, back in its original place.

In fact, replacing communication accessories is carried out according to the same scheme as the initial installation. Watch a video that will help you study in detail the principle of repairing penetrations through a soft roof:

Presented examples of repair of soft roofing coverings will help get rid of most of the characteristic defects that plague owners of private houses. Compliance with recovery rules guarantees excellent results. And the owner can do everything with my own hands without the participation of roofers.

Flexible materials used for roofing private houses are distinguished by their high maintainability. This is very important for those who are planning to make repairs. soft tiles. In this article we will talk about what methods there are to repair soft tiles with your own hands, and what the sequence of work will be in a given case.

Most often, the roof needs repair after leaks are detected, which can occur in the following cases:

Due to violations during the design of the structure.
Due to errors made during the installation of the roofing.
Damage caused during the operation of the roof.

Only the first point can cause difficulty - special skills may be required. In all other cases, there will be no need to completely disassemble the roof; there will be little work, so even an inexperienced person can handle it.

Finding defective areas on the roof

In order for the roof to last as long as possible, visual inspections must be carried out systematically, every three months. Such an audit will help to timely find emerging and emerging breakthroughs. Even small punctures, cracks and swelling can cause an emergency.

The roof inspection is carried out in two stages:

Assessing the condition of the roof from the outside attic space for damage to structural components.
External inspection roofing material in places where there is the greatest likelihood of water ingress.

Roof repair methods

After the audit it will become clear whether we can home handyman carry out repairs of flexible tiles. The owner will only need the ability to operate the usual construction tools necessary to repair the roof.

Replacement of soft tile shingles

Minimal leaks of flexible tiles are eliminated by replacing damaged areas. The element should be replaced, even if it affects the aesthetic appearance of the roof. Defects tend to grow larger, which can cause a piece or entire shingle to come off over time.

There is no need to install new shingles. Sometimes you can get by with replacing only one petal. There should be several pieces of such covering left on the farm so that damaged roof elements can be replaced at any time.

Below is an example of work to replace the third part of a shingle (one torn blade). It is worth noting that it is impossible to fix a bitumen element over a damaged shingle, since such an overlay will lead to the appearance of a new leak in the future.

The sequence of roof repairs made from flexible tiles will be as follows:

We find the location of the damage and the points of the roofing nails that will need to be removed. It is better to mark them with chalk so that in a hurry you do not have to detach the wrong part of the covering for repair.
Slowly lift the two rows of tiles running above the area to be repaired.
Use a small flat pry bar to wedge the top tile.
Using a pry bar, remove the nail from the torn petal.
In the same way, we remove all the nails with which the removed element was secured.
Using metal scissors, cut off the damaged area of the tiles.
We discard the cut piece, taking care not to damage adjacent elements.
We take a spare shingle and cut off a third part from it to replace it, cover the reverse side with bitumen mastic.
We mount the prepared element in a prepared place, level it with adjacent elements, hammer in nails, and it is worth moving 3-5 mm from the previous location in any direction.
We fix the patch at four points.
We open the heads of new nails with bitumen-polymer resin or mastic.
We cover the back side of all the tiles that were lifted with mastic.
Press the repair area firmly against the sheathing - this will the last stage repair of flexible tile roofing.

The repair sequence will be the same whether there are many single damages or it is an entire shingle replacement.

If a roof with flexible tiles has a leak at the joints, the cause may be cracking of the sealant, peeling of the waterproofing carpets attached to the penetration, or the same non-compliance with the rules when creating penetrations. In these cases, tiles in damaged areas are usually removed, and after repair work they are installed in their original place.

We restore membrane roofing using technology

Holes in the roofing membrane are caused by improper use. You can move on a polymer-coated roof only along specially installed paths. Maintenance paths are made from an elastomeric strip with a non-slip coating. To remove snow from such a membrane, it is better to use a shovel made of wood or plastic.

The largest damages can be repaired by installing patches:

First, a patch is prepared according to the dimensions taken from the damaged areas. It should be enough to cover the defective area by at least 5 cm around the entire perimeter. The edges need to be rounded.
Now thoroughly wipe the area to be restored with a rag soaked in water, remove all dirt, and dry it with a hair dryer.
At the end, we weld the salary to the prepared base in one go. We place the welding machine nozzle diagonally to the seam. After installation, softened surfaces should be immediately rolled with a silicone roller, with all movements directed from the center.

If the base around is very dirty, the patch can be installed under the coating and then welded in the same way. If you do not have a welding machine, the defective area can be sealed with butyl rubber tape.

In this case, the work must be performed in the following sequence:

The damaged material is cut so that all flaps and cut edges are removed.
If the waterproofing under the membrane is also damaged, then it also needs to be cut.
WITH problem area and moisture-proofing carpet, remove all dirt and dry. Make sure that no soapy or greasy stains remain on the membrane.
We apply a patch with rounded edges to a moisture-repellent canvas previously covered with bitumen-polymer mastic.
Remove from reverse side butyl tape protective film and glue it.
We roll the patch with force with a silicone roller or smooth it by hand with a rag.
We seal the edges of the patch with polyurethane sealant.

In addition to cracks and other minor damage, defects in the installation of the membrane may occur during operation. Most often, the strip peels off in places where the seam is welded. In this case, the coating cannot be repaired - it is removed and a new strip is laid in its place. On the new seam in the upper part, it is advisable to weld an additional metal strip 10 cm wide.

How to repair damage to flexible tiles

Damage to bitumen and bitumen-polymer materials can occur anywhere in gables, and specific repair methods will be used in each case.

The most common defects that occur are:

Cracks, punctures, holes formed due to improper use of the roof.
The appearance of cracks at junctions due to the designer’s neglect of the movements of the structure being erected.
Bloating. They appear where the thermal insulation begins to become moistened over time. This problem usually occurs due to laying the coating on wet insulation or due to the appearance of internal punctures in the vapor barrier.
Minor depressions in roofing material caused by its attachment to an unprepared concrete base that contains potholes.
Leaks around the perimeter of roof penetrations. Occurs due to poor coverage of adjacent areas with an insulating carpet or due to mechanical damage.
Convergence of rolled roofing material from the vertical plane of adjacent walls, pipes, parapet.
The lag of the roofing carpet from the base due to poor grip. This deficiency may occur due to the lack of a primer layer or insufficient heating of the back side of the rolled material.

Defects in the roofing carpet caused by improper use are the most common.

Such defects can be eliminated using one of the proposed methods:

For minor tears and punctures, there is no need to replace the entire coating element, since it is enough to simply install a patch. Its dimensions should be 10 cm in all directions greater than the size of the damaged area, and its edges should be rounded. Fixing the patch on concrete base should be done only after it has been cleaned and primed. If the patch is laid on any wooden flooring, then it is placed under the trimmed part of the material. Large cracks can be repaired in the same way.
Small cracks are removed by filling the defective areas in two layers with bitumen-polymer mastic. Upper layer sprinkle with coarse powder.
Small swellings are first cut in the center, after which this area is dried with a hair dryer. Petals that were formed as a result of cross-shaped cuts should be turned outward to allow thorough cleaning of dirt. The dried bases of the petals are heated with a burner, placed in place, and rolled with a roller. After this, a patch made of the same rolled material is mounted over the cut.

In case of large-area swellings and ruptures, there is a need for major repairs of the roof made of soft tiles. In order not to bring the roof to such a state, it will be necessary to systematically inspect it. It is best if the entire list of work is carried out at a temperature environment from 5 to 18 o C. Other temperature indicators may affect the elasticity and strength of the material.

Sometimes depressions of up to one and a half centimeters can appear on a rolled roof.

In this case, the repair will consist of removing bubbles according to the following principle:

The damaged area of the material is cut with an envelope, after which the bent ends are dried.
Cement mortar is poured into the cavity and waited until it hardens. It is prohibited to use mastic as a leveling layer.
Mastic is applied over the dried fill.
The tidied petals are returned to their original place and glued.
Next, a patch is installed on top. Remember that its dimensions must exceed the area of the damaged area by 10 cm.

If a small leak occurs along the roof penetrations, they are eliminated by opening finishing coating and subsequent replacement of waterproofing pasting. Quite often it turns out that only the sealant layer is damaged - in this case it simply needs to be replaced.

It is much more difficult to get rid of leaks at roof junctions and passages.

These defects can be eliminated in the following way:

Remove the protective apron from the junction.
We get rid of the old waterproofing carpet, and then dry the base.
We take a new waterproofing carpet and glue it onto the mastic so that a 30 cm piece of it lies on a vertical surface.
Using a metal strip or apron, we fix the edge of the new carpet.
At the final stage, the seams should be sealed.

The technology for repairing a soft roof in the event of peeling of the roofing also involves carrying out some work. In such places, you should try to tear off as much of the covering area and adjacent strips as possible from the base. After this, the base and the separated part of the material should be thoroughly cleaned, dried and coated with primer. At the end, the lower part of the removed coating is again heated with a gas burner and it is laid with fusing on the base.

How to repair roof penetrations

Leaks on a soft roof can also occur due to the installation of low-quality casings, with the help of which the intersections of the roof with communications were installed. Elements made of rubber or plastic may simply burst.

Damaged structural elements must be replaced as follows:

We remove the material around the perimeter of the penetration from the base.
We dismantle the waterproofing collar.
Remove the casing.
We are installing a new structural element.
We make a new collar from the waterproofing carpet, cutting it according to a template from the old collar.
We clean the base around the perimeter of the penetration and cover it with mastic.
We place the collar on the casing.
Again we cover the area to be repaired with mastic.
We put the roofing covering that was initially separated back into place.

Simply put, replacement of communication elements is carried out in the same way as the original installation.

The examples of repair of soft roofing coverings indicated in the material will help you solve most of the problems associated with the appearance of defects that so prevent the owners of private houses from living comfortably. By following roof restoration technologies, you will achieve a positive result. Most importantly, the owner is able to perform the entire list of repair work with his own hands.