Use tar torchdown roofing for flat roofs

Most homes with flat roofs have a tar-and-gravel roof system. Over time, this can deteriorate and need to be repaired or replaced. A better alternative for a replacement flat roof is the "tar torchdown" roofing system. The system's name stems from the fact that the roofing material is applied with a torch, rather than using a hot tar kettle and hot mop.

Tar torchdown roofing uses layers of fiberglass or polyester sheets, impregnated in a mixture of asphalt and rubber compounds, which are laid on the roof in an overlapping pattern. The overlap areas are heated with a propane torch, which seals the seams. This eliminates the odor associated with normal, tar-roofing operations, and reduces the labor that a tar-and-gravel roof requires. A three-layer torchdown roof should last 15 to 20 years, and is much easier to repair than the tar-and-gravel alternative. It is attractive, weather-resistant and has excellent insulation properties.