# Is White Granulated Modified Bitumen rubber?



## politicalpro (Feb 23, 2011)

Dealing with a roofing issue on my condo building.  Have had over 8 leaks in a year on a new building and feel the developer is giving the owners the runaround.  In my condo docs, it says the roof "is composed of a membrane roof system on wood deck.  The membrane is a rubber membrane seamed with heat application".

The work order for the roof says "Install white granulated modified bitumen roof system".

My question is: does white granulated modified bitumen meet the standard outlined in the condo docs?


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## joecaption (Feb 24, 2011)

No one here can see it or feel it.
The trouble with a flat roof it will always leak sooner or later.
I would have suggested at least using a rubber membraine roofing material instead, far less chance for leaks and would last for about 30 years or more.
With 8 leaks on a new roof the guy does not know what he's doing and needs to go.


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## oldognewtrick (Feb 24, 2011)

A white granulated modified bitumen is not a rubber roof system. Also, rubber or E.P.D.M. is not a heat application. Heat applications will be TPO's or PVC's  single ply's that are heat welded. They could have spec'd a torch down modified bitumen, which could be white, granules. In any case the failure is not the membranes but the installers ability to seam the sheets or flash the penetrations properly.


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## handyguys (Mar 2, 2011)

oldog/newtrick said:


> In any case the failure is not the membranes but the installers ability to seam the sheets or flash the penetrations properly.


:

I have done a modified Bitumen torch down with white granules and as oldog said its not a 'rubber' roof. No edpm or rubber roof that I know of would have white granules.

Regardless - either, and other products, could be used with success on a flat roof when installed correctly. The problem is not with the product used but in the capabilities of the installer.


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