As a Portage EPDM roofing contractor, we install fully adhered and ballasted EPDM on low-slope commercial roofs, with taped seams and new flashing at every wall and curb.
Portage EPDM roofing suits low-slope roofs that face hard winters and need simple repairs later. Here is how we sort a fit from a roof that needs other work first.
EPDM wears out at its edges and seams long before the middle of the sheet. These are the four failures we repair most.
Glued seams on older roofs lose their bond after years of freeze and thaw, and water pries the lap apart.
We clean and prime the lap, install seam tape and a cover strip, and check every other seam on that roof.
Shrinkage in the field sheet drags flashing away from parapets and curbs, leaving a gap at the base.
We cut out the stretched flashing, set new EPDM flashing with termination bar, and seal the top edge.
Split or loose pipe boots that have hardened in the sun and pulled away from the pipe.
Pre-molded boots replace the old ones, with clamps and lap sealant at the top.
Low spots from crushed insulation or a sagging deck, where standing water speeds seam wear.
We map the low areas and build tapered insulation into the reroof so water reaches the drains.
Attachment, thickness, and seam method decide how an EPDM roof holds up to lake wind and snow.
Glued to the cover board across the whole roof, this method resists wind uplift and handles crowded roofs with many penetrations.
Loose-laid rubber held down with stone goes on quickly, though it adds weight and makes leak tracing slower.
Factory-applied tape and primed laps replace the liquid adhesives used on older roofs, with a cover strip over each lap.
Heavier sheets last longer under foot traffic. Insulation thickness is set by the R-value the building needs.
EPDM shines on buildings with tough winters, crowded penetrations, and owners who want repairs to stay simple.
Cold weather leaves rubber pliable, so the membrane rides through deck movement and freeze-thaw swings without cracking.
Soft sheets fold around pipes, drains, and curbs, and pre-molded boots handle the round ones neatly.
Punctures and torn spots take a primed patch of matching EPDM, so repairs years from now stay simple and quick.
Call and tell us how old the roof is and where water shows inside. Peeling laps get taped and covered once the seam is dry and primed.
Five stages carry an EPDM roof from the first core to the final seam check.
Cores and a moisture survey show how much insulation is dry, how many layers are down, and whether the deck needs repair before anything new goes on.
Deck rating, wind exposure, and the number of penetrations decide the attachment. You get the choice in writing with the sheet thickness and insulation.
Old roofing comes off in sections sized to one day. Wet boards go, deck spots are repaired, and new insulation goes down tapered toward drains.
Sheets are adhered or laid loose, then every lap is primed, taped, and capped with a cover strip. Walls and curbs get fresh flashing with termination bar.
Each lap is checked by hand along its full length. The final walk with you covers boots, drains, edges, and the photos for your file.
When rubber is the wrong fit, one of these systems usually takes its place.
White, hot-air welded membrane for roofs that need a reflective surface over cooled space.
TPO Roofing in Portage →
Thicker sheets and protected supports for plant roofs with stacks, fans, and constant service visits.
Industrial Roofing in Portage →
Metal panels for pitched sections, shop buildings, and retrofit framing over a tired rubber roof.
Commercial Metal Roofing in Portage →EPDM roofs often reach 20 to 30 years. Thicker sheets, full adhesion, working drains, and regular seam checks push toward the long end. Around Portage, lake wind, snow, and freeze-thaw cycles test the seams and flashing first, so those details set the timeline.
Seam separation, shrinkage that pulls flashing off walls and curbs, punctures, and leaks at pipe boots. Roofs with glued seams split most. We tape and cover failed laps, replace stretched flashing, and patch punctures with matching rubber.
Fully adhered rubber is glued down, resists wind uplift, and handles crowded roofs. Ballasted rubber goes on faster under stone, adds weight, and slows leak tracing. Buildings exposed to lake wind usually get adhered sheets; ballast only goes where the structure is rated for it.
Once seams fail in many places, the sheet has shrunk away from the walls, or a moisture survey finds wet insulation across large areas. At that point new EPDM or TPO goes on after the old layer comes off.
Rubber handles the cold itself well. The damage comes from water that seeps into seams, boots, or flashing, freezes, and pries them wider each winter. We check those spots every spring and reseal them before the next freeze.
Small repairs can, on dry, clean days with primers rated for the temperature. Seam tape and patches need a dry surface to bond, so wet or icy laps get a temporary seal and a full repair once conditions allow.
Send the address and the age of the roof if you know it. We will survey the moisture and price new EPDM in writing.