Shingled Slope To IB Flat Roof issue with the Flashing

I need some advice. Hopefully this is the right place. My wife and I are the second owners of a home. That had an IB System Flat Roof Membrane (50 ml) put on over 8 years ago. Well over the next eight years everything was fine, and within 5 of those years my wife and I took over ownership of the house. However, within the last year and a half we've noticed leaking spots appearing above us on the drywall ceiling. And thought huh? I thought flat roofs were suppose to be leak free. This later lead to a lot more drywall damage. We also have a stack that comes out of the flat roof, that has caused leaking as well.

It turns out that our flat roof, which is the roof over our 4 seasons porch, and is an extension of the original house. Has had major water damage to the roof decking and insulation that sits below the IB roof system. I found this out because the original contractors who installed it came out and cut a hole to see what had happend.

Here's the dilema, we have no more installation warranties with them. And no material warranties. I called IB System and they felt it was due to improper installation.

So went back up on the roof to shoot this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl72R8ZM9Xs

And discovered that where the shingled roof slope meets with the flat roof. It has major transition issues. They some how installed the flashing above our first layer of shingles and below the second layer of shingles. So, I'm not sure what to do next? But, it's my opinion that they installed it improperly and should of put the flashing below both the two layers of shingles. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

The contractor's who did the original installation blame it on my shingled roof slope. Which keep in mind is bad and in need of ripping off and putting a new layer of shingles on. However, that part of our house has no leaking issues. The only water damage that has occurred is below the IB flat roof system.

So, any advice would be great. Sorry for the long post. Thanks, Tony

From what Andy used to say about IB, I thought they would have had a little stricter limitations on the yahoos they sold material to. It's a shame for the owner.

If the flat guy had done it right, and right to me means they tore off some of the shingles, extended the membrane up the slope at minimum a vertical distance of 12", then sealed it to the deck and installed an 8-12" wide CF under the shingles and over the termination, this house could be re-shingled with no adverse effects to the membrane roof.... as long as the next idiot didn't walk all over the nails that rolled to the flat roof.

Another huge IF in the world of roofing.

Rocky and others have it right. IMO The old owners appear to have been pinching pennies to make the sale. Found the price they were looking for and roof was installed. It is where the two layers of shingles and flat tie in, the most critical often overlooked on a low price install, When the roof was installed eight years ago the shingle were not in as bad of shape . Tear it off and start over. If you value your home....Do not shop price only . B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

ALL roofs are supposed to be leak free. Not just flat roofs. The problem with roof leaks is that if left unattended, they will grow like weeds and so will the damage from them.

Especially on a flat area because once the water is trapped underneath the roofing it just spreads out and can sometimes leak for days even after it has quit raining.

The time to act on this problem was 18 months ago when you first noticed the problem. I'm not trying to be an arse but you really have no one to blame but yourself for the "extent" of the damage. If you had hired a good roofer a year and a half ago most likely the majority of the damage could have been prevented.

This is just one of many negatives that can and will happen when the roof is not torn down to the bare wood and replaced properly.

All you can do now is replace the flat roof, repair all the damage it has caused and replace a minimum of the entire side of the shingled roof thats above it, if not the whole roof.

Sincerly, Willie Roof Repair Specialist since 1985

Tony, GSD is correct when he says that both roofs should be replaced at the same time. What was the MFG's warranty in the first place. If it's a 20 to 30 year warranty you can probably wait 10 years or so before you change the flat roof. You stated that the shingle roof was shot and it's on a low slope also. That's 2 very good reasons for that flat roof to be leaking at the tie-in. On the re-cover of the shingles it is not necessary to go under both roofs as long as the tie in goes up high enough under the shingles. It look awful close with your video but with a stater shingle installed first it should have worked, which leads us back to your 2 original problems. If You have a roof that is shot, one of the first places its going to leak is at the tie-in area. You can't blame your roofer for that. Secondly, you mentioned that you have a low slope roof. Here again the first place a leak is going to show up is at the tie-in area or any penetrations. If your roofer who put on the IB system on and only tied into your existing roof not knowing how new or old the existing shingle roof to be, probably was a financial decision at the time the IB system was put on. If the mfg'er has a long warranty, even though it is now voided, and the material is in good shape with no obvious holes, then tear-off the shingle roof and replace that only.

You can't blame your roofer for something 8 years old, shot, and on a low slope that he didn't work on. Then again you can blame him for not selling you a whole new roofing system 8 years ago and charging you the appropriate cost.

My advice is to reroof the whole house, flat roof and shingle roof.

The shingles need replaced and the flat roof is 8 years old. you might as well spend the extra and get it all done at once. Yes you could repair the flat roof, but then in a few years you will have to replace it anyways and then the same problem could happen. so get it all done at once and be done with it.

yes the termination was done wrong, the membrane should have been under all the layers of shingles.