leakroofing
I have a low pitched metal roof and it is leaking.
The roofer I spoke with says to stop the leaks they need to tear the metal off, put down plywood, and use a torch-on-roof system of roofing. He said due to the pitch and such this is the only way to effectively stop the leaks.
Is a torch-on-roof the best solution to solve a leaking problem for a low-pitched roof?
As a contractor, I will share with you an approach that may help.
First of all, you need to document the current leak with pictures, dates etc. When you communicate with your roofing contractor, be calm and polite, explain precisely the problem and ask to witness his/her inspection. Explain that since this is the second occurrence of the leak since the new roof installation, you are concerned that water may have compromised the insulation and framing and is a potential cause of mold or rot and must be addressed. Tell the contractor that you insist on having an infra-red scan inspection of the effected area to detect any current moisture in the cavity before any more repairs are made. If the roofer is not willing to do this, tell them that you are terribly sorry we could not reach a mutually reasonable solution. Calmly but firmly state that you now have no other choice than to have this scan done yourself and that subsequent repairs will be made by another contractor and the total costs will be litigated in a civil action against him/her. Carefully and concisely summarize your conversation and send a letter with your demands via certified mail immediately after your meeting. If the contractor does not respond favorably after written notification, contact the BBB, and licencing bureau of your town or state. If none of this induces the contractor to act, proceed to having another contractor do the scans and repairs. Follow through with civil action, usually small claims on both the contractor and his/her insurance company.
Carefully pull the suspect nails (or all the nails) with a small pry bar or "cat's paw" and replace with new corrugated roofing nails like these:
Or, if appearance is not important, smear a big glob of roof patch over the existing nails' heads.
Best Answer
There are many solutions that work well on low slope roofs. There are EPDM membranes and PVC roofs. Those materials are available in large continuos pieces so it's often possible to have a roof without any seams. I would consult at least two more roofers and see what they say. Additionally, did the current roofer locate the problem source? Even though it's often really hard lot find leak sources, he should be able to have an idea of the possible problem areas. It could be that the roof is fine and the water is coming from elsewhere. Proper flashing is extremely important.