A facilities coordinator on a university campus gets a hot work permit request for a roof repair, and the first question from the fire office is what sits under the torch. That question is where the Soprema conversation starts, because Soprema makes SBS modified bitumen sheets that are applied in more than one way, and the application method decides what permits, fire watch and weather the repair needs. In South Bend, IN a repair on a bitumen roof can be torched, mopped or applied cold, and the right choice depends on the deck, the insulation, the neighbors and the calendar. Before we light anything, we read the existing roof, ask what is below it and agree with the building owner on the safest method that will hold.
Torch, self-adhered or cold
Soprema sells torch-applied sheets under the Sopralene Flam name and self-adhered sheets as Sopralene Stick, among other products. Torch-applied sheets are heated until the bitumen on the underside flows and bonds, which gives a strong lap when the crew is careful and the substrate is sound. Self-adhered sheets stick to a primed surface without flame, so they suit places where open heat is a worry. Cold-applied adhesives sit between the two. Each has a window: primers and adhesives need a dry, warm surface, and torch work needs dry weather. We choose the method with the owner, record it in the repair log and list the temperature and surface conditions on the day so the file shows why that method was used. A mild afternoon in late March can allow a self-adhered repair that a cold morning in January would not, and we would rather return on the right day than set a patch that peels at the first hard freeze.
Hot work and the fire watch
Where a flame is needed, the procedure is simple and not negotiable. We get the permit, clear combustibles from the work area, keep extinguishers within reach and post a fire watch during the work and for a set period afterward. On the Notre Dame campus the fire, police, water and power services all belong to the university, so a hot work permit on a campus building is a matter between the crew and the university itself. We give a clear sequence of work and avoid hot work near wood blocking, foam insulation or open penetrations unless a barrier is in place. On Notre Dame or any other site, the plan is written before the first sheet is unrolled. If the permit cannot be had, we switch to a cold-applied or self-adhered method.
Liquid flashing at the awkward corners
A bitumen roof has many places where a sheet will not lie flat: pipe clusters, strut supports, curb corners and tight areas around skylights and penetrations. Soprema makes liquid-applied products, such as the Alsan RS resin system, for those spots, and they are brushed or rolled into place, then reinforced with fabric. They cure in place and form a continuous detail around odd shapes. That is the strength of liquid flashing: it follows the geometry. Its weakness is preparation, because the surface must be clean, dry and compatible. We test adhesion on a small area, apply in the right temperature and photograph each coat so the owner can see what the detail looks like when it is finished.
Campus roofs after a heavy week
Campuses are made of buildings from different decades. Indiana University South Bend lists the 1961 Northside Hall, the 1989 Schurz Library and a Student Activities Center finished in 2004, and an owner with that range of buildings cannot read one roof from the condition of the next. We assess each roof on its own record. After a lake-effect week, with South Bend averaging 64.5 inches of snow in a year, we look at drift zones against walls, ice at the drains and any bitumen sheet that has been stressed by a thaw followed by a freeze. For a college or university, the cleanup schedule also has to fit classes, events and dorm hours.
After a microburst
On October 12, 2016, two EF0 tornadoes struck the county, and a microburst swath ran from Northside Boulevard to Longfellow Road. Bitumen roofs that survive wind still show the aftermath in torn flashing, lifted cap sheets at the edge and gravel or granule loss that exposes the plies underneath. After a tornado or microburst, we walk the roof, photograph the damage, cover openings and set a plan for permanent repair. We record the event date and the conditions observed during the roof inspection, giving the owner a clear sequence for the claim file. The strongest gust on record at South Bend, 92 mph in August 1996, is the reason edges matter: an edge that was tight years ago may have loosened since, so we test the perimeter and the cap sheet laps by hand before we call any part of the roof sound.
What the owner keeps
When the work is done, the owner receives the roof plan with every repair marked, the permit and fire watch record where hot work was used, the product names and the photo log. If the building is occupied, as a residence hall or library might be, we send a tenant notice in advance and arrange work around the occupants. When the thaw is over we return to test the laps and flashing. A bitumen roof from Johns Manville, Holcim Elevate or another maker is recorded in the same format.
The closeout records the surface preparation, chosen application method, and each area completed, so maintenance staff know what can be walked and what needs protection before another trade arrives.
Commercial Roofing Questions
Do you use a torch on every Soprema bitumen repair?
No. Torch application is one option, and we use it only when the building, the insulation and the permit allow. Self-adhered and cold-applied methods work on many repairs and avoid open flame. We discuss the choice with you before the visit and write the final method into the repair log.
What does a fire watch involve, and who is responsible for it?
A fire watch is a trained person who stays on the roof during hot work and for a period after, looking for smoldering material. Our crew provides it, and the building's own fire office may ask to inspect the area. We follow the site's permit rules and record the times in the log.
Can liquid flashing replace a failed pipe boot or curb detail?
Often it can, if the surface is sound and clean. Liquid products flow around odd shapes and cure in place, and fabric reinforcement adds strength. We test adhesion first and avoid applying them in wet or very cold conditions. If the underlying material is deteriorated, we replace it first.
Our dorm and library are occupied. How much disruption should we expect?
Plan for some noise and some smell, mostly during the first days of a repair. We send a notice in advance, stage materials away from entrances and intakes and schedule the loudest tasks outside class hours. Residents should expect clear access routes and a contact who can answer questions.
How do we tell storm damage from wear on a bitumen roof?
Storm damage tends to be localized and fresh, such as a torn flashing, a lifted edge or a cluster of impact marks. Wear is spread out and gradual, such as granule loss or surface crazing. Dated photographs and a roof plan make the difference clear for the insurer.
Related Roof Work
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Phone: 555-555-5555
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