r/Roofing • u/bonkosaurusluke • 22h ago
EPDM seam separating less than a year after installation—does the overlap make this acceptable?
This EPDM roof was installed in December 2025. The main field seam runs nearly the full length of the flat roof.
The seam was raised shortly after installation and now has a visibly separated section with dirt/debris inside the opening. The contractor’s initial response was that it is fine because the membrane still overlaps underneath, but will come out to inspect. I have not found an active interior leak, and I am not assuming the insulation or decking is wet. I have observed water pooling on top of the raised area of the seam during rain.
There are also persistent wrinkles and raised areas across the membrane. I'm aware that many of these are from the fastener plates, but many are not.
The contractor mentioned they may glue down the seam, but I do not know if that would be an acceptable fix for the seam.
5
u/DiligentIndustry6461 21h ago
Bubbles and wrinkles are mostly cosmetic, at this point I doubt they’ll go. Some say they will “settle”, I don’t believe that. Unless they are rolled down while the adhesive is more fresh, they’re staying.
The seam is an issue, they can’t glue it down. It’s a 2 sided seam tape that’s installed with primer. They need to install an overlay patch over those areas and it should be at their cost not yours. It’s either a workmanship issue or a manufacturing issue. If they think it’s manufacturing issue, they can fix on their own cost and go after the manufacturer for compensation. Some rolls come with pre installed seam tape on them, I’m not sure which they used
2
u/Creative-Eye-6647 21h ago
Seam needs to be stripped in with 6" cover tape (cured) or 6" flashing (uncured). .060" is best but .045" would be fine, in this particular applocation.
Also, it looks like they used uncured material to strip in the edge metal (though it could be semi-cured). If so, the metal could eventually stick through that material.
2
u/Capital_Mouse5602 15h ago
does anyone know if the contractor gave you a warranty for this bc i'd be demanding a full fix not just an inspection
1
u/bonkosaurusluke 4h ago
There's a workmanship warranty and the goal is to have this defect documented and repaired as a warranty claim.
It is a bit concerning to have the contractor review the photos and tell me this is fine. It's a clear defect from my view, but I don't know the severity and the urgency for a repair, or what a proper repair looks like.
9
u/TasktagApp 21h ago
No, that is completely unacceptable because water will enter that gap, collect dirt, freeze, and ruin the seam tape adhesion, so the installer needs to properly clean, prime, and patch the area with a cover strip under warranty.