Several Layers Stacked on the Deck
Built-up roofs were often covered again instead of torn off. Extra layers add weight, trap moisture between them, and leave no room for another recover under code limits.
Old RoofBuilt-Up · Tar
Wabash, Indiana
Wabash Commercial Roofing Contractor
Single-Ply Roofs That Replace Worn Built-Up Layers on Older Buildings
As a Wabash commercial roofing contractor, we tear off old built-up roofs on Wabash commercial buildings, repair parapets, gutters, and decks, and install new TPO or EPDM.
New RoofTPO · EPDM
Working In Wabash
Wabash Commercial Roofing on Older Buildings
Wabash commercial roofing work often means removing layers of built-up roofing on buildings that have been patched for years. Cores show how many layers sit on the deck and how wet the insulation is before anything is priced.
Older buildings bring parapet walls, internal gutters, and decks with past repairs. Those get fixed first, so the new single-ply membrane goes onto a dry, solid base.
- Old layers removed to the deck
- Parapet walls repaired and flashed
- Internal gutters relined
Roof Conditions
Commercial Roofing Problems on Older Wabash Buildings
Older commercial roofs in Wabash carry decades of patches and layers. These conditions show up most when we walk them.
Parapet Walls Letting Water In
Brick and block parapets crack at coping joints, and old flashing pulls away from the wall. Water enters at the top and runs down inside the wall onto ceilings below.
Internal Gutters Rusting Through
Built-in gutters behind parapets rust at seams and corners and overflow into the building. A new roof relines them and ties the membrane into the gutter edges.
Blisters and Soft Areas
Trapped moisture in built-up layers swells into blisters that crack in summer heat. Soft areas underfoot usually mean the insulation below has been wet for a long time.
Patched and Weak Deck Sections
Decades of leaks rot wood decks and rust steel ones, and past repairs leave mixed materials. Tear-off exposes those areas so they are replaced before new insulation goes down.
Water Sitting Behind Parapets
Low spots along parapet walls hold water where scuppers sit too high or have clogged. Tapered insulation and reset scuppers move that water off the new roof.
Repair Or Replace
Recover or Full Tear-Off: Commercial Roofing Choices in Wabash
On older Wabash buildings, layer count and moisture decide most jobs. Here is how repair, recover, and full tear-off compare.
| What You See | Patch And Flash Repair | Recover Over It | Full Tear-Off | What Decides It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One dry built-up layer with a few blisters | Usually fits | Sometimes | Rarely | Dry cores and one layer on the deck. |
| Two or more layers already in place | Sometimes | Rarely | Usually fits | Code limits on adding another layer. |
| Wet insulation between old layers | Rarely | Rarely | Usually fits | Trapped moisture has no way to dry. |
| Parapet flashing failing on one wall | Usually fits | Rarely | Rarely | Field roof still dry and firm. |
| Internal gutters rusted through | Sometimes | Rarely | Usually fits | Gutter condition along each wall. |
| Deck soft in several areas | Rarely | Rarely | Usually fits | Deck repairs need open access. |
Roof Systems
New Commercial Roofing Systems for Wabash Buildings
After the old layers come off, one of these systems goes on most older Wabash buildings.
TPO Roofing
White TPO welded into parapet and gutter flashing, a fit for Wabash storefront blocks and offices that want a reflective roof.
Kokomo TPO Roofing
EPDM Roofing
EPDM rubber adhered over new tapered insulation, with flashing up parapet walls and around scuppers on older Wabash roofs.
Kokomo EPDM Roofing
Commercial Metal Roofing
Metal panels for Wabash shops, warehouses, and additions with sloped roofs, or framed over flat roofs to add pitch.
Kokomo Commercial Metal RoofingTwo Ways To Start
Water Coming Through a Wabash Parapet Wall?
Leaking Now?
Ceilings staining under a Wabash parapet or gutter right now? Call us, describe where it shows, and we will check the wall and gutter above it first.
Call UsPlanning A New Roof?
Planning a tear-off on an older Wabash building? Book a free inspection with cores and a layer count.
Schedule Your Free InspectionHow The Work Runs
Replacing an Old Built-Up Roof in Four Stages
Older buildings add a few steps, and each stage below handles them in order.
Stage 1
Inspect Your Roof and Count the Layers
Cores show every layer, the insulation condition, and the deck. We also check parapet walls, coping, and internal gutters from the roof and from inside the building.
- Cores through every layer
- Parapet and coping check
Stage 2
Tear Off To The Deck
Old layers come off in sections down to the deck, and debris leaves by chute or crane away from entrances. Each open section is dried in before evening.
- Layers removed by section
- Debris path away from doors
Stage 3
Repair Deck, Walls, And Gutters
Rotted or rusted deck is replaced, parapet joints are sealed, and internal gutters are relined. Tapered insulation then builds slope toward scuppers and drains.
- Deck replaced where weak
- Gutters relined
Stage 4
Install And Flash The New Membrane
TPO or EPDM goes on over the new insulation, then up parapet walls and into gutters with new flashing and coping metal. A final walk covers every wall line.
- New single-ply membrane
- Final walk along each wall
Nearby Towns
Towns We Also Serve Near Wabash
Besides Wabash, we cover Kokomo and the four towns listed here.
Need a roof somewhere else? Call us or send us a message.
- MarionPhased plant roof replacements while production keeps running.
- LogansportOccupied buildings re-roofed in sections around tenants and stock.
- PeruMetal panel roofs matched to each building's slope.
- RochesterPlant roofs with equipment flashing and walkway pads.
Questions
Commercial Roofing Questions From Wabash Owners
What Replaces an Old Built-Up Roof on a Wabash Commercial Building?
Older built-up roofs on Wabash commercial buildings are usually replaced with single-ply TPO or EPDM over new insulation, once the old layers are removed to the deck. Parapet walls, internal gutters, and patched decks often need repair first.
The new system is picked after cores show what sits under the surface and how the roof drains.
What Should a Commercial Roofing Contractor Near Wabash Check First?
Layer count and moisture. A contractor should take cores to see how many layers sit on the deck and whether the insulation between them is wet, then inspect parapet walls, coping, and internal gutters.
Those findings decide between a recover and a full tear-off, and they belong in the written proposal with photos.
What Drives Wabash Commercial Roofing Cost on Older Buildings?
On older buildings, price climbs with the number of layers to remove, the amount of wet insulation, deck repairs found after tear-off, parapet and gutter work, and the new system and insulation chosen. Debris removal from downtown sites and access also count.
A free inspection with cores prices those items for your building.
Is Commercial Roofing for Wabash Businesses Done While the Store Is Open?
Usually, yes. Tear-off runs in sections so only part of the roof is open, debris moves away from entrances, and each section is dried in before evening. Noisy days are scheduled with you, and interior protection goes up where deck repairs are planned.
Can a New Roof Go Over the Old Built-Up Layers?
Only in limited cases. If cores show a single dry layer and a solid deck, a recover board and new membrane can go over it.
Two or more existing layers, wet insulation, or soft deck call for a full tear-off, both to meet code limits on layers and to give the new roof a dry base.
Get Started
Hire a Wabash Commercial Roofing Contractor
Send us the Wabash address and what the roof and walls are doing, and we will book a free inspection with cores.