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How Rubber Roofs Work

By: Rosalind Jackson

Care of Rubber Roofs

One of the biggest advantages of installing a rubber roof on your home is that it will last for a long time with much less maintenance required than with a traditional asphalt or slate roof. Depending on the quality of the rubber roofing system you have installed on your home, your rubber roof may require a very limited amount of maintenance -- some roofing systems claim that they will never crack or leak if installed properly [source: The Home N' Garden Center].

­However, if there is a problem with your rubber roof -- whether as a result of faulty installation or a breakdown in the rubber, it's usually a quick and simple fix. Like any roofing material, rubber expands and contracts as temperatures fluctuate. For leaks and cracks in the rubber, simply cover them with a latex tape or sealant. If a portion of your roof is especially wrought with cracks, you may want to consider patching it with new rubber shingles or with a smaller roll of rubber roofing.

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To be safe, many homeowners with rubber roofs opt to coat the entire rubber roof system in liquid rubber or a similar liquid sealant to prevent upkeep and maintenance down the road [source: Gupta].

Now you are equipped with the basic knowledge of how to install and care for rubber roofs. For more complex rubber-roofing systems, it's probably wise to hire a certified contractor to install it for you; however, flat roof and other simple roof designs can easily be installed on your own.

To read about other home improvement topics, check out the links on the following page.

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Sources

  • ChikyMiky. "Installation of Your Rubber Roof." (Accessed 12/14/2008)http://www.chikymiky.com/roofing/roofing-information-articles.aspx?id=38
  • Firestone. "Over 1,000,000,000 sqm of proven performance." (Accessed 12/14/2008)http://www.firestonebpe.com/roofing/rubbergard/_en/
  • Gupta, Rachna. "Benefits of Rubber Roofing Systems and Rubber Shingles." (Accessed on 12/14/2008)http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-rubber-roofing-systems-and-rubber-shingles.html
  • The Home N' Garden Center. "Rubber Roofing: A Top Alternative." (Accessed on 12/14/2008)http://www.home-n-garden-center.com/rubber_roofing.html
  • InfoPlease. "Goodyear, Charles." (Accessed 12/14/08)http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0821278.html
  • KidCyber. "Rubber From Trees." (Accessed 12/14/2008)http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/rubber.htm
  • Keon, Philip. "Self Installed Rubber Roofing: Proper Prepping Is Essential." (Accessed 12/14/2008http://ezinearticles.com/?Self-Installed-Rubber-Roofing---Proper-Prepping-is-Essential&id=1466590
  • Old House Web. "Roofing: Rubber Roofs." (Accessed 12/14/2008)http://www.oldhouseweb.com/product-showcase/roofing-rubber-roofs.shtml
  • The Roofery. "Rubber Roofing Shingles." (Accessed 12/14/2008)http://www.roofery.com/shingles/rubber.html
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