Preparing for Rubber Roof Maintenance in Autumn 2024
Once again, autumn is upon us, bringing many challenges to roofers as they navigate the requirements of both installing and maintaining rubber roofs in lower temperatures, higher humidity, and the additional risk of managing falling debris.
Installing rubber roofing in autumn typically brings several challenges for roofers, including unpredictable weather conditions, shorter days and slippery working surfaces; this is alongside the added annoyance of debris and leaves, as well as temperature fluctuation which could take its toll on factors such as adhesive drying times.
However, in this blog post, we’re here to explain how these factors impact your EPDM roofing installation, and how you can both prepare for and negate these factors with forethought and planning.
Temperatures
In autumn, temperatures start to drop in readiness for winter; this impacts several factors during the EPDM installation, including the drying time of the water-based and contact adhesives, and the malleability of the EPDM membrane.
A temperature between 7°C and 25 °C is recommended in ideal installation conditions. This allows for ideal adhesive curing times, whilst not putting excess stress on the membrane if exposed to temperatures below or above its recommended working temperature. We would always recommend avoiding the installation of EPDM on extremely cold days to avoid the risk of adhesives not curing, or the EPDM membrane becoming damaged.
Debris and Falling Leaves
One aspect we always enforce during our EPDM training sessions is the importance of installing EPDM on a clean and dry substrate. Autumn brings with it the challenge of falling leaves and debris which could fall between the substrate and the EPDM membrane being applied (especially if debris gets trapped between the two and is bonded). If debris is trapped between these two layers, this could result in bubbling as the organic material breaks down; this could also compromise the effectiveness of the bond used, which could lead to the system failing.
Our recommendation is to avoid installing an EPDM roof in situations where falling leaves may present a big challenge: assess the situation, and always be aware of any organic material which could compromise the system.
Moisture & Humidity
Autumn brings with it higher levels of moisture and humidity in the air, which can play a major role in the efficiency of the seams between spliced EPDM membranes. EPDM primers can begin to lift if they are not designed with a moisture tolerance, therefore it is important to check if the primer you are using can be used in humid conditions. Our Techno EPDM primer is versatile and can be used in environments where high moisture levels or humidity is an added complexity.
Caring For Your EPDM Roof in Autumn
There are many different checks you can make to ensure your EPDM rubber roof is performing well in autumn, including looking for cracks, punctures, bubbling or pooling. If any damage is present, remedying this can be easy, as long as these defects are caught early. Our blog post “Tips on Repairing your EPDM Roof” will help guide you through the necessary steps to repair your roof should damage occur.
Conclusion
Installing and caring for an EPDM roof in autumn requires attention to detail and a proactive approach to installing/maintaining the health of the membrane. With additional factors to consider, an autumn installation begins the trend of complexities involved when undertaking an installation until the end of Winter.
We offer a range of materials to ensure you have everything you need to install and maintain your EPDM roof year-round. This includes our how-to guides, installation videos, and our EPDM training sessions held at our High Wycombe premises. We’re always on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding your installation. If you need additional information, give us a call, or email us.
If you’re looking for the products you need for your next EPDM project, we offer our friendly EPDM roofing calculator, Roofus, which will generate a quote based on the specific requirements of your project.
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