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Leaky Roof Deck!

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Roofmaster417 
#1 ·
Hi folks! My first post here, and in need of advice.

We bought a nice, older home early 2010 from an estate. Turns out the flat roof deck leaks. There is one corner where the floor is spongy/soft, so we have stayed off it. Did not have an issue with leaking until this recent autumn's rains.

I know it will eventually need to be ripped out, and redone, but I need to get by on the cheap for a few years till we can pull that off. Down payment, furnishings, etc. make it cost prohibitive to entirely replace.

So, it's about a 12'X20' roof deck, one portion of the home. The previous owners put some kind of rubber/reflective coating on it to make it look good, but it lasted one summer, now leaking.

For now, I want to use some sort of adhesive/sealant, and put plywood over the top, tar it, then add a layer of rolled roofing. Am I wasting my time and money, or would you think this would hold us for a couple years? There is a slight slant to the deck, to drain the water off, so there would not be much standing water. What materials would you recommend, or should I try this option at all?
 
#4 ·
I agree with Tinner, It is always better to tear the roof off especially if it has leaked., when the roof is off then you can determine if you need to replace the possible saturated decking.,insulation etc.,when people install materials over a leaky roof then alot of issues can return to haunt you.,generally things get worse. I really limit my recovers, some may say that it is a cost thing which I understand.,but when these things go south they really go bad.You know your financial situation better than anyone so I won't tell you what to do., I would be a little leary of leaving the existing roof then going over the roof with plywood.,several things come to mind one of those being, how many layers are on the roof ?Multiple layers give your structure some stress factors, What is your climate ? If your north ice and snow are a factor, lots of added weight, So if a tear off isn't your choice then here is something to consider,If you have multiple layers that has leaked then plywood is installed over the existing roof, then whatever material you will be installing.,that is alot of weight.,then throw about 8" of snow and ice in the mix and you have a weight issue.:)
 
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