Thread: Suspect rubber roof

A home I just inspected had a rubber (EPDM) membrane over the low pitched roof. The roof was done by the homeowner - supposedly a contractor (most of whose work on this home was very good). The seams on the roof were sealed with a foil covered tape. The foil was peeling back. The roof surface also showed wrinkles and pooling water (see photos).
My question is: is the foil just a backing on an approved type of seam tape or is this an unapproved material. Given the various conditons I called for the roof to be examined by a qualified roofer.
Also, the same type of foil covered seam tape was used to seal the edges of a small tin roof on a front bay (see photo). This was highly suspect.
Any comments, anyone?

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If the same contractor did the sloped roof, I'd say it's wrong for sure. I was thinking that maybe he just did it for UV protection of the seams, but the over exposure of the sloped roof shingles proves he shouldn't install roofing materials.

I'd call roofing like that a temporary patch at best. I would definitely call for repair, even if it hasn't started leaking yet.

I took a nap, and woke up, and it was over 100 years in the future...Wow.

I have inspected thousands of flat roofs and have never seen any seam tape like this used on EPDM.

Definitely a temporary repair and poor installation.

I also have never seen foil type tape used for seams,EPDM has it's own glue and seam sealer that is applied to the laps and never on the surface. It bonds so well you can't pull them apart.

They use products like that to cover seams on metal porch roofs around here:

Quick Roof™ instant waterproof repair for regular and rubber roofs

Dom, that product specs a fully cured epdm surface nothing about foil backed. That tape may not be the same product. With a epdm roof it's all about the seems.