Madison Roof & Leak
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

EPDM rubber roof repair in Fort Atkinson

EPDM is a rubber membrane used on flat roofs, bonded rather than welded, with seams made using tape or adhesive. It fails at those seams, at upstands where the material turns up a wall, and through shrinkage over time pulling the membrane away from its terminations. It is durable in the field and repairable almost indefinitely, so a leaking EPDM roof is rarely a replacement job.

Call (706) 696-1888 Jefferson County

What the job involves

  • Repair using compatible tape or liquid detailing
  • Assessment of upstands and terminations for shrinkage pull
  • Check of outlets and drainage where water is standing
  • Puncture repair in traffic and plant areas

Signs you need it

  • Seams lifting or tape peeling at the edges
  • Membrane pulling away from an upstand or trim
  • Visible punctures or splits in the rubber

Why roofs fail in Fort Atkinson and Jefferson County

Fort Atkinson has a winter long enough and cold enough that ice damming, not storm damage, is the dominant cause of roof leaks. The mechanism is heat loss rather than weather: warm air escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof, the meltwater runs down and refreezes over the cold overhang, and the resulting ridge of ice backs water up beneath the shingle courses until it finds a way in. The roof itself is usually in perfect condition. Repeated through a Jefferson County winter, freeze-thaw also works every flashing joint progressively looser, and spring brings hail and straight-line wind on top. The reason this matters is that fixing an ice dam leak by working on the shingles does not work — the problem is insulation and ventilation, and that is a different job.

Fort Atkinson has a population of about 12,368, and the housing stock here sets the pattern for what fails first on a roof.

Questions about epdm rubber roof repair in Fort Atkinson

Does EPDM shrink?

Over many years, slightly — enough to put tension on upstands and terminations, which is where older rubber roofs most often fail. It is repairable by releasing and redressing the affected edge rather than recovering the roof.

Can EPDM and TPO repairs use the same materials?

No. They are different chemistries and the adhesives and tapes are not interchangeable. Using TPO products on EPDM produces a repair that looks fine and fails within a season.

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You will get a straight answer on whether Fort Atkinson needs someone out today or whether it can wait — before anyone quotes you for anything.

Call (706) 696-1888
Call (706) 696-1888