Edge metal
Metal edges and flashed drain bowls set into the membrane plies.
Flat Roofing
Modified Bitumen Roofing Englewood, NJ
A roofer in Englewood can install, repair or replace a modified bitumen roof, the layered asphalt membrane often called torch-down, after checking the deck, the drainage and what is left of the old roof. One call to (551) 355-3321 reaches a nearby flat roof pro.
A modified bitumen roof is built from rolls of polymer-modified asphalt, typically a smooth base sheet under a cap sheet surfaced with granules. The two main types are SBS, which is rubbery and flexible in cold weather, and APP, which is more plastic-like and is usually torched. With two or three plies, the finished roof is thick and puncture resistant.
The application method is one of the first decisions on a modified bitumen job. Torch-down uses an open flame to melt the back of the sheet onto the layer below, which makes strong laps but calls for strict fire safety near wood and insulation. For homes and buildings where open flame is a concern, self-adhered or cold-process sheets are the usual answer.
A few details help the roofer plan. Note any blisters or bubbles, cracking in the cap sheet, bare spots where granules have washed off and laps that are lifting at the edges. Say whether the roof has been coated or patched before, because old coatings and mastic affect repairs.
Many modified bitumen roofing calls in Englewood also turn up a need for flat roof replacement or flat roof repair.
Looking for Englewood modified bitumen roofing? Call (551) 355-3321 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
How a modified bitumen roof is installed
A mod bit roof goes on in layers, starting with a sound base.
Start with the deck
Before planning, the roofer cuts a small sample to see what is underneath and checks for soft decking. Those findings decide whether the old roof must come off.
Prep the base
The deck is stripped, repaired and cleaned so the new layers lie flat. Insulation or a cover board is added, with tapered sections where water needs help reaching the drains.
Put down the first layer
A smooth base sheet goes down first, fastened or adhered depending on the deck. The roofer offsets the laps so no seam sits directly over another.
Apply the cap sheet
The top ply goes on with the chosen method, granules facing up for sun protection. On torched laps, a steady bleed-out of asphalt at the edge shows a good seal.
Flash the details
Base flashing runs up walls and parapets in two plies and is fastened at the top under metal counterflashing or a termination bar. Edge metal, drain flashing and pipe flashings complete the system.
Keep a fire watch
After torch work, a fire watch confirms no hidden heat remains in insulation or wood. The roofer also confirms that drains are clear and the roof sheds water.
What is included
What a mod bit roof includes
Base sheet
The first ply of polymer-modified asphalt laid with laps offset from the cap.
Granulated cap
The finished top layer with protective granules with fully sealed laps.
Tapered insulation
Insulation and cover board built to current code levels.
Base flashing
Two-ply flashing up walls and parapets fastened at the top.
Related service
Torch Down Roof Repair Englewood, NJ
Repairing a torch-down roof usually means cutting out the bad section and fusing new modified bitumen over it. Blisters are cut open, dried, resealed and covered with a patch of new cap sheet that laps well beyond the cut. Fresh granules over the hot asphalt help protect the repair.
In Englewood, many torch-down repairs sit close to wood framing, so fire safety is part of every job. Near combustible materials, a cold-process or peel-and-stick patch can replace torching. Either way, the roofer should stay on fire watch after any flame work.
Related service
Built Up Roofing Englewood, NJ
A built up roof is made of several plies of felt mopped together with hot asphalt or coal tar pitch, then flood-coated and covered with gravel. Bare patches without gravel age quickly in the sun and are often where leaks begin. These roofs can last a long time, but blisters, splits and failed flashings show up as they age.
Repairs on a built up roof in Englewood usually involve scraping back the gravel, patching with felt and bitumen or modified bitumen, and replacing the gravel. Replacement often means a tear-off, since the gravel and the weight make recovering difficult. Many are replaced with modified bitumen, TPO or another single-ply system.
Local help
Modified Bitumen Roofing Near Me
In Englewood, modified bitumen is common on low-slope roofs that see foot traffic or need a tough surface. Across Englewood and nearby towns like Englewood Cliffs, Leonia, Tenafly and Bergenfield, older buildings may still have built-up roofs under a layer of mod bit, which is why the core cut matters, so the right method depends on what is up there now.
For modified bitumen roofing in Englewood, NJ or nearby towns like Englewood Cliffs, Leonia, Tenafly and Bergenfield, call (551) 355-3321 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Englewood
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Englewood, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Englewood and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about modified bitumen roofing
How does mod bit compare to tar and gravel?
Both are asphalt roofs built in layers, but they are made differently. Built up roofing uses many plies of felt mopped with hot asphalt or coal tar and is topped with gravel, while modified bitumen uses fewer, thicker polymer-modified sheets with a granulated cap. Mod bit is lighter and more flexible, which is why it has replaced built up roofing on many buildings.
Should I coat my modified bitumen roof?
Coating an aging cap sheet is a common way to add years to a mod bit roof. Loose granules are cleaned off, blisters and open laps are repaired and a primer may be needed to keep asphalt from bleeding through. A white coating also lowers roof surface temperatures in summer.
Is torch-down roofing safe?
Fire risk with torch-down comes from the flame during installation, not the finished roof. Safe practice includes not torching directly on wood, keeping extinguishers on the roof and watching for smoldering after the flame is off. On homes, self-adhered or cold-applied modified bitumen avoids the flame entirely.
How long does a modified bitumen roof last?
A two-ply modified bitumen roof commonly lasts around 15 to 25 years. Good drainage, intact granules and sound flashings push it toward the long end. A reflective coating applied before the cap sheet wears out can extend its life.
Can modified bitumen be installed over an existing roof?
What is already up there sets the answer. One dry existing roof can often stay in place under a cover board. If there are already two roofs, blistering throughout or wet insulation, a tear-off is the right move.
More questions? Call (551) 355-3321
Related services
Flat Roof Replacement
Tearing off or recovering a worn flat roof and installing a new membrane, insulation and edge metal, so ponding and repeat leaks end for good.
Learn moreFlat Roof Repair
Fixing open seams, blisters, splits, ponding and failed flashing on flat and low slope roofs, with the patch made from material that bonds to what is there.
Learn moreTPO Roofing
TPO membrane roofs installed over new insulation or in place of a worn flat roof, sized to the deck, the drains and the way the roof is used.
Learn moreCommercial Roof Replacement
Full replacement of membrane, built-up and metal roofs on commercial buildings, planned around rooftop units and drains.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to an Englewood roofer about modified bitumen roofing
Call (551) 355-3321 to talk to a roofer serving Englewood, NJ.