Cold Seam Welds

Issue: An inexperienced roofing crew member improperly welded membrane seams, causing deficient or “cold” welds, which can lead to massive leaks if not corrected.

Benchmark Service: Construction Phase Services

Solution: Benchmark field consultants routinely probe seams to ensure proper welding has taken place before the roofing crew leaves the job site. Benchmark’s on-site consultant notified the project manager about the defective hot air welds and worked with the contractor to ensure personnel operating hot air welders were properly trained and supervised.

Possible Impact: Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence as contractors provide on-the-job training using hot air welders. Defective or “cold” welds, if not identified and repaired, will eventually result in open seams or voids allowing moisture to enter the roof system, thereby resulting in wet insulation (reduced R-value), potential product contamination, and in some cases, will negatively impact wind uplift resistance.