Epdm rubber roofs are used most often on a flat roof (such as a shed, garage, or side extension) and are an excellent option for any new roof.
However, an epdm rubber roof can fail when the roof membrane is punctured, causing leaks through the holes and other nasty problems.
Thankfully, you probably won't need professional roofers to fix your epdm rubber membrane issue. That's right, you can fix it yourself by following the guide below.
Table of Contents
For small patches, you can handle the entire patch job yourself. For larger areas, you may need a roofing contractor to relay your epdm roofing, but this will depend on how bad the current epdm membrane is.
If you think the job is one you can handle, then you'll need to pick out an epdm repair kit. If you don't want to buy a complete repair kit online, then you can create your own.
Either way, your repair kit will need to contain the following materials and tools:
Follow the instructions below for repairing epdm rubber roofs.
Epdm membranes contain carbon, which produces a carbon film over the epdm rubber roof as the membrane ages. This has to be cleaned before you can patch over the puncture area or else the adhesive won't stick the new patch to the old rubber roof.
Prepare the roof by cleaning the roof surface using an epdm cleaner to remove the carbon film and any dirt. The clean area should extend beyond where the repaired patch will be, to ensure the adhesive patch sticks when installing it.
Use the cloth rags and cleaner to clean the entire area surrounding the leak.
Before you cut the patch, take your tape measure and measure around where the damaged area is. This will ensure the new patch membrane is large enough to cover it.
When cutting (using your utility knife) be sure to cut the patch so that it's around 2 inches larger than the damaged roof membrane in all directions.
To avoid foot traffic catching the new patch and pulling it up, smooth out the edges so they're rounded. They're much harder to pull up by accident than corners are when foot traffic passes by.
Create a primed area that's larger than the patch again. Apply the epdm rubber roof primer directly on to the roof surface (not the patch itself). Use a paintbrush or roller to apply it, making sure you paint or roll the primer everywhere surrounding where the new patch will go.
This will ensure the epdm roofing membrane is properly coated and ready for the installation of the new patch.
Before moving on to the next step, make sure the primer is completely dry. If it isn't tacky to the touch, then it's ok to move on to the next step of the installation.
Depending on your patch materials, you'll either need to follow the advice for pressure sensitive or glue down patches below. Check your package instructions before proceeding.
Pressure sensitive patches simply need you to apply pressure to it to stick. Start by removing the film or paper backing on the patch you cut out earlier.
Then, making sure you cover the area that needs fixing completely (every edge of the puncture area must be covered), press the patch down firmly.
Take your roller, and roll it over the patch in all directions to remove air bubbles. It's important you take this step to allow the patch to stick to the epdm rubber roof and properly seal over the existing damage.
Taking this step now will reduce the likelihood of needing future repairs for your epdm roof.
Glue down patches are slightly different - here is where you'll need to use the epdm rubber roof adhesive to stick the patch to the surface of the roofing.
Make sure the adhesive is designed to stick epdm to epdm, or else the adhesive won't keep the new patch in place for very long.
Take your epdm adhesive and apply it to the surface of the roofing membrane and the underside of the new patch. Allow the new patch to flash off.
For those that don't know, flash off means waiting for the flashing time to pass before you can apply two adhesive surfaces to one another. The flashing time is dictated by the manufacturer, so read the back of your epdm membrane adhesive carefully.
Touch your hand to the areas you've applied the adhesive - if it is no longer really sticky, then you can go ahead and press the glue down patch on to the rubber roof.
Use a roller again to remove air bubbles and ensure a proper bond.
Now that the patch is applied and all the edges are down, it's time to fill in the seams to bond the material fully to the roof membrane.
Apply a long line of epdm sealant around the edge of the patch. The idea is that you fill the seams in a thick coating of the sealant to ensure it is stuck to the roofing membrane surface properly.
Once applied, take a flat plastic tool and smooth out the seams of the sealant so it feathers on to the roofing surface below. Once the seam is smooth to the roof, the repair is finished!
Repairing your epdm roof doesn't take a lot of materials or know-how. So long as you follow the guide above, it's a simple repair.
However, repairs become more complicated the bigger the damage (because the more materials you'll need to fix it). If installing the fix using the epdm rubber material patch yourself is too complicated, then it may be a sign that you need professionals to help.
This might require an installation of a whole new epdm rubber roof, or a more complex repair.
Hopefully, though, the problem is minor and you can use our guide today to solve the issue!
