Shrinkage
Rubber Pulling Off the Walls
Old EPDM shrinks over the years and bridges the corner where roof meets parapet. The tight sheet tears at that bend and water runs down the wall.
EPDM Roofing
Greenwood EPDM Roofing Contractor
Rubber Membrane That Stays Flexible Through Freezing Winters
As a Greenwood EPDM roofing contractor, we lay black rubber membrane in wide sheets on offices, schools, and churches, with taped laps and fresh flashing at every wall.
- Wide Sheets, Fewer Laps
- Flexible in Cold Weather
- New Wall and Edge Flashing
Is It a Fit?
Is Greenwood EPDM Roofing Right for Your Building?
Greenwood EPDM roofing fits low-slope roofs that see light traffic and long winters. Compare your roof with both columns.
EPDM Fits When
- The roof is flat or low slope with few units
- Cold-weather flexibility matters more than reflectivity
- An older EPDM roof is due for full replacement
- The structure can carry ballast stone if you want it
- Few people walk the roof between seasons
Check First When
- Cooling load is heavy and a white roof would help
- Kitchen or process exhaust lands on the roof
- Only a few seams have opened on a younger roof
- Insulation under the rubber has soaked through
- Heavy foot traffic crosses the roof every week
Roof Conditions
EPDM Roofing Problems We Solve in Greenwood
An aging rubber roof gives clear warnings. These four show up on most of the EPDM roofs we walk.
Seams
Dried-Out Seam Adhesive
Roofs from the glued-seam era open at the laps once the adhesive turns brittle. You can lift the edge with a finger along whole runs.
Ponding
Water Pooled on a Sagging Field
Crushed insulation lets the rubber sink into shallow bowls. Those pools hold dirt, freeze in January, and stress the laps that cross them.
Ballast
Bare Spots in Ballast Stone
Wind and foot traffic push stone into piles, leaving the membrane exposed to sun in some places and overloaded in others.
EPDM Options
EPDM Roofing Options for Greenwood Offices and Schools
EPDM goes down three ways. The deck, wind exposure, and structure decide which one your building gets.
Fully Adhered Sheets
Bonding adhesive glues the rubber to cover board across the whole field, leaving a smooth roof that holds well at edges.
Mechanically Fastened
Plates along the laps hold the sheet to a steel deck. It suits large plain roofs and installs in cooler weather.
Ballasted With Stone
Loose-laid membrane held down by stone on structures that carry the weight. Repairs mean moving stone back and forth.
EPDM Seam Repair
Open laps on a younger roof get cleaned, primed, and covered with cover strip when the rest of the rubber is in good shape.
Benefits
What EPDM Roofing Gives Greenwood Buildings
Rubber roofs have stayed common on Indiana schools and offices for practical reasons.
Flexes Through Freeze and Thaw
EPDM stays pliable on cold mornings, so the field sheet moves with the deck instead of cracking when temperatures swing through the winter.
Large Sheets Mean Fewer Laps
Wide rolls cover big sections with few seams. Fewer laps leave fewer places where water can find a way under the membrane.
Easy to Patch for Years
Cuts and punctures take a cleaned, primed patch of the same rubber, so small damage stays a small repair.
Quiet Over Occupied Rooms
Adhered membrane over cover board makes little noise when wind and rain hit the roof, which helps above classrooms, offices, and sanctuaries.
Rubber Roofs
Rubber Pulling Away From Your Parapet?
Shrinking EPDM tears at walls and corners first. We check the laps, the wall flashing, and the insulation, then price a repair or a full replacement.
Schedule Free InspectionOr call (463) 288-8923
Our Process
How We Replace an EPDM Roof
An EPDM job follows five decisions from first walk to finished laps.
Inspect Your Roof
We pull on laps, look for shrinkage at walls, and cut cores where readings show water. The findings decide whether repair or replacement makes sense.
Seam Repair or EPDM Roof Replacement?
A handful of open laps gets cover strip. Seams failing everywhere, brittle rubber, or wet insulation point to removing the old sheet entirely.
Adhered, Fastened, or Ballasted
The deck, wind exposure, and structure set the attachment. Stone ballast only goes on structures that carry the load.
Laying Sheets and Taping Laps
Sheets relax before bonding, then laps get primer and seam tape rolled down firmly. Corners and walls get new rubber flashing.
Edge Metal and Walkthrough
New termination bar, coping, and edge metal finish the roof. We review drains and wall details with your facilities contact.
Roof Checks
What We Check on Rubber Roofs
Four details tell us whether an EPDM roof needs seam work or a new sheet.
Lap Edges
We run a fingertip along each lap looking for lifted edges and dried adhesive. Long runs of open seam push the estimate toward replacement; a few short gaps stay a cover-strip repair.
Wall Corners
Shrinking rubber shows first where the roof turns up a parapet. Bridged corners and tears at the base of the wall tell us how far the sheet has pulled.
Boards Below
Soft spots and moisture readings guide core cuts. Dry boards can stay under a new sheet, while soaked boards come out before any rubber goes back down.
Ballast Depth
On stone-ballasted roofs we look for bare rubber and piled stone. Uneven ballast leaves some areas exposed to sun and others loaded heavier than the design.
Related Work
More Roof Systems for Greenwood Owners
Compare EPDM with the other systems we install before you decide.
TPO Roofing
White welded membrane for roofs with heavy cooling loads and many rooftop units.
TPO Roofing in Greenwood
Industrial Roofing
Systems picked for exhaust, heavy curbs, and phased work over running plants.
Industrial Roofing in Greenwood
Commercial Metal Roofing
Standing-seam metal for shops and ag buildings, or new panels over a tired flat roof.
Commercial Metal Roofing in GreenwoodEPDM Questions
EPDM Roofing Questions From Greenwood Owners
Plain answers about rubber roofs, their cost, and their care.
The Basics
What Is EPDM Roofing?
A synthetic rubber membrane, almost always black, laid in large sheets over insulation on low-slope roofs. Laps are joined with seam tape, and the sheet is glued, fastened, or held down with stone.
Black Rubber or White TPO?
Black EPDM handles cold and light traffic well. White TPO reflects heat and handles crowded equipment roofs. Cooling load and foot traffic usually settle the choice.
Cost
What Sets EPDM Roofing Cost?
Roof size, sheet thickness, attachment, insulation, and removal of old layers lead the list. Wall flashing, penetrations, and edge metal add labor on busy roofs.
Does Ballast Lower the Price?
Loose-laid rubber skips most adhesive and fasteners, so material costs drop, but the structure has to carry the stone and future repairs take longer.
Care
When Does an EPDM Roof Need Replacing?
When shrinkage tears it at walls, laps open across the roof, or insulation underneath is wet. A few open seams on an otherwise flexible sheet get repaired instead.
How Often Should Rubber Roofs Be Checked?
Twice a year, in spring and fall, plus after hail. Clear the drains, press along the laps, and look at wall corners where shrinkage shows first.
Free Estimate
Hire a Greenwood EPDM Roofing Contractor
Tell us about the rubber roof on your school, church, or office. We test the laps and insulation and price the repair or the new sheet.