Hey guys, in this video series I wanna explain to you some of
the details and techniques that we use to install torch down roofing.
Torch down roofing is a method of roofing used on flat roof systems.
It's a solid system that can provide roofs that last anywhere between
10 and 20, 25 years if done properly.
Of course, just like any other system,
if it's done incorrectly or a few of the details are missed,
the roofs can fail prematurely, and that's why a lot of times flat roofs get a bad rap.
But in reality it is the installation that's defective,
and it's the installer errors that cause the roof to fail a lot earlier than they should.
So I wanna show you a few of the techniques that we've learned throughout the years.
This is something that we're constantly improving on,
meeting with our manufacturers and our technical reps,
doing training with our guys and picking up different techniques along the way,
and literally in the last five to 10 years that we've been in business,
we're almost every other year kind of developing, coming up with
smaller techniques, just to fine tune our art and our craft.
Recently, in the last year or two, we've switched over to using Polyglass
as our primary supplier for torch down roofs.
There's a lot of different suppliers on the market, and all of them are great really,
if they're done properly.
So it's not like Polyglass is the only system or the best roofing out there,
it's really, whatever you decide, make sure you
stick to the manufacturer specifications, work with your manufacturer reps
on getting the details that they recommend for their specific roofing.
We're in Southern California, so we're gonna explain to you the standards
that we have in Southern California.
I know each area of the country
does things a little bit differently, so just keep that in mind.
If you live outside of Southern California, make sure to refer to your
local building codes for installation and best practices.
So working with Polyglass we've come up with two or three systems that
we like to use on our flat roofs that range in quality.
The best system that we've come up with is using their Elastobase.
It's a nail on roll base that has essentially the same film as the
torch down material does, that way when both of them burn onto each
other, you get a super tight seam and joint because you have the
same tar that's burning up and bonding each other.
Now on top of this, what we like to do is install the Elastoflex smooth SA.
This is a self-adhered roll that has a release film on the back.
This gets installed on top of the Elastobase nail base,
which provides us with our mid ply.
Then on top of that, we like to install the Polyglass FR torch down roll.
These three together, coupled together,
provide us with a 20 year warranty that we're able to provide,
and a super solid and tight roofing system that will last for years to come.
We've experimented a lot in the past with different manufacturers,
and in our opinion, this by far is one of the best,
I won't say it's the best, but one of the best systems in the torch down market
when it comes to comparing costs versus longevity of the roof.
There's a lot of stuff that we teach on our channel
and that we believe homeowners may wanna do themselves.
I'm not sure if torch down is one of them.
Torch down is both dangerous, and it's an art form.
Really, how much you heat the torch down rolled roofing itself,
how much pressure you apply to it, is something
that our technicians learn throughout the years,
and it can't really be taught because it's not like you're placing nails every X amount of inches.
It's heating up the roll depending on the weather and the temperature outside.
So just keep that in mind.
Make sure that if you are doing something yourself, keep safety in mind.
You're working with a large open flame on a roof,
and torch down can be an extremely dangerous way of roofing,
so make sure you take all the safety precautions into account.
Make sure you have a fire extinguisher close by and follow all of
your manufacturer's recommendations as well as what we like to follow is
the National Roofing Contractors Association Torch Down Safety Protocols,
so you can look into that, they've got a lot of great information
on safety when it comes to torch down roofs.
In this series, we're gonna cover a multitude of different installation details:
low rise flashing installation, pipe, scuppers, drains.
If there's something that we don't cover and you're interested in seeing,
let us know in the comments below, we'll try to get to it as soon as we can.
If there is something that you like to do differently, if there's a
technique that you like, let us know, we would love to hear from you.
Thanks for watching.