Building Enclosure logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Building Enclosure logo
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
  • SECTIONS
    • Columns
    • Project Profiles
    • Trade Shows
    • Sponsor Insights
  • SYSTEM DESIGNS
    • Low-Slope Roofs
    • Pitched Roofs
    • Metal Roofing Materials
    • Waterproofing
    • Sustainability
    • Insulation
    • Exterior Claddings
    • Wall Systems
    • Building Envelope
  • BLOG
    • The BE Blog
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Quiz
    • Videos
    • Polls
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Newsletter
    • Photo Galleries
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Directory: Blue Book
    • Directory: Roofing Resource
  • PRODUCTS
  • TECHNICAL
    • Codes
      • Waterproofing
      • Roofing
    • Details
      • Waterproofing
      • Roofing
  • CONTINUING ED
  • ABOUT
    • Advertise
      • Editorial Calendar
    • Contact
    • eMag Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Low-Slope RoofsProject Profiles

Repair Project Extends the Life of Existing Coal Tar Roof

By BNP Media Staff
February 4, 2010
In today’s tight economic times, more building owners are searching for ways to extend the service life of their existing roofs. Capital expenditures and financing typically required to replace roofs can be difficult to obtain at this time.

Numerous leaks in an auto plant roof had resulted in rust damage to the metal deck. Although less than 4 percent of the roof deck was in this condition, problems were widely scattered throughout the building’s 1,800,000 square feet of total roof area.


In today’s tight economic times, more building owners are searching for ways to extend the service life of their existing roofs. Capital expenditures and financing typically required to replace roofs can be difficult to obtain at this time. Fortunately, there are products available to help in the life extension of existing roofs.

In the case of an aged coal tar or asphalt built-up roof, the annual maintenance budget is probably a lot higher than most owners would like it to be. The replacement cost is prohibitive. More than likely the vast majority of the roof is performing well, and any problems are coming from a relatively small percentage of the total roof area. There may also be the scenario where you may be dealing with inefficient repairs - the same roof areas are worked over again and again.

In those areas where the deck was replaced, the newly installed Hyload membrane was securely tied into the field of the existing roof, resulting in an effective long-term repair.

Hyload Inc. offers products that provide effective long-term repair solutions for aged coal-tar and asphalt-based built-up roof systems. Hyload’s products are totally compatible with the existing roof. The membrane sheet is a thermoplastic material with coal-tar and KEE elvaloy polymers. This formulation provides long-term waterproofing protection with thermoplastic capacity to heat-weld the seams for greater seam strength, durability and longevity. The membrane can be applied in hot asphalt, cold adhesive or self-adhered. Properly installed, it can extend the service life of the existing roof a long, long time with minimal disruption to operations.

Hyload offers a wide variety of environmentally friendly adhesives that are specially formulated to tie into all conventional low-slope roof materials and systems. Hyload also offers white membranes and coatings that comply with all reflectivity rates. In addition, Hyload can provide assistance in developing specifications that can break the expensive repair cycle, giving you an effective, long-term solution. 

Leak areas that resulted from blistering, ridging, or floating plies were effectively repaired with a watertight tie-in to the adjacent existing roof areas that were still performing well.

Opting for Repair

An automotive plant in Indianapolis was looking for help with a 1,800,000-square-foot aggregate-surfaced coal tar built-up roof that was more than 20 years old. For the past several years the plant had spent $500,000 annually on a traditional approach for ongoing leak repairs. The common method used primarily involved a coal-tar saturation application. These repairs were neither effective nor long-lasting. The owner had been told that the roof was finished - deteriorated beyond any hope of effective repair. Although much of the roof was still serviceable, there were several scattered problem areas. The most significant problems on the roof involved approximately 60,000 square feet of total roof area that had leaked to the point of deck deterioration. These sections of roof were safety hazards and were flagged off to traffic due to the rusted and weakened metal deck. Additionally, there were numerous blisters, ridging and other problems that all contributed to many leaks throughout the facility. The replacement cost was estimated to be $20 million.

Because of this large capital cost, the plant facilities management team was open to an alternative long-term repair approach. Hyload Inc. provided a long-term repair solution for less than 10 percent of the replacement cost. Because the Hyload Coal Tar Elastomeric Membrane (CTEM) and adhesive products are totally compatible with coal tar, tie-in specifications were easily developed to address all the problem conditions.

The rusted sections of decking were totally cut out and removed. New decking, insulation and recover board were installed, then covered with a self-adhering Hyload membrane. The replaced area was stripped and tied into the spudded field of the existing roof using Hyload’s adhesives and strip-in plies. In the areas of blistering and ridging, the problem areas were spudded and covered with Hyload membrane set into adhesives. All edges were dressed with a sealant to create a watertight repair.

The repair solution not only provided long-term waterproofing protection, but the ease of application. No heavy equipment was required, and the lack of fumes allowed the contractor to work in different areas of the roof without interrupting plant operations. The Hyload material is environmentally friendly and is compatible with all roofing materials. The material is currently the only product on the market that is compatible with coal-tar and is effective for repairing coal-tar problems such as “floating plies.”

The success of this repair program has eliminated the leaking that plagued the plant for years. It has taken a roof that presumably was finished and extended the life for an additional 10 to 12 years of service. The same techniques can be employed as needed to additional roof areas should problems occur in the future. A large capital outlay was avoided and dry conditions were restored. Management is very pleased.
KEYWORDS: BUR commercial roofing

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

 

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • bar graph shows LEED v4/LEED v5/LEED v6 in various colors

    When Will LEED v4 / v4.1 and LEED v5 Expire?

    The latest version of the LEED rating system, LEED v5, is...
    Sustainability
    By: Daniel Overbey
  • Celebrating Women In AEC-2026

    Celebrating Women in The AEC Industry Part 1

    A round-up of women in the design, engineering and...
    Building Envelope
    By: Lindsay Lewis
  • KEE membrane application on a roof

    A Beginner’s Guide to Single-Ply Roofing Membranes

    While PVC and TPO appear extremely similar, the chemistry...
    Low-Slope Roofs
    By: Peter Gross
Manage My Account
  • Sign up for the Newsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Registration Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Building Enclosure audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Building Enclosure or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • 2 construction workers and a DEXcell panel
    Sponsored byDEXcell Roof Boards

    Designing Low-Slope Roofs for Resilience

  • Bell Bank headquarters in Fargo, North Dakota
    Sponsored bySto Corp.

    Drained and Back-Ventilated Rainscreens vs Pressurized-Equalized Rainscreens

  • A construction worker using DEXcell roof boards
    Sponsored byDEXcell Roof Boards

    The Hidden Strength of Low-Slope Roof Systems: Why Roof Cover Boards Matter

Popular Stories

construction industry workers in hard hats stand around a city scape

Construction Industry Revolts Over New CSI Licensing Plan

a man wearing a mask installs insulation into a wall system

Quiet Rooms and Healthier Air: A Second Look at What Goes Inside the Wall Cavity

Canalino Elementary School and Canalino Family School exterior

Daylighting Design to Support Rapidly Growing Trend in Modular Building Construction

Building Enclosure Newsletter

BE Poll

Events

June 17, 2025

Addressing Condensation in Low-Slope Roof Assemblies

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 IIBEC CEH; 0.1 IACET CEU

On Demand In modern roofing systems, vapor retarders and air barriers do more than just minimize air leakage—they’re essential to maximizing performance and longevity. This engaging course dives into the next generation of moisture control: permeable vapor retarders and air barriers. Discover how these cutting-edge technologies are transforming low-slope roofing assemblies by improving energy efficiency, managing moisture, and boosting wind uplift resistance.

April 9, 2026

Strategies for High-Performance Below-Grade Waterproofing

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW ; 1 IIBEC CEH; 0.1 IACET CEU

On-Demand Designing a high-performance building enclosure requires more than just surface-level protection; it demands a rigorous, performance-based mastery of below-grade water and gas mitigation. This discussion will provide an expert-level analysis of below-grade waterproofing within the comprehensive framework of the high-performance building enclosure.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Plaster and Drywall Assemblies Manual

Plaster and Drywall Assemblies Manual

This is a comprehensive manual that goes beyond codes and standards, providing expert guidance in design, detailing, material selection and troubleshooting for plaster and drywall.

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Metal - Grand Bay-5_clean_Gulfstream Painting_Lazer.jpg

    How Protective Coatings Can Extend the Life of Your Roof

    See More
  • King's Corner: Extending the Life of the Roof

    See More
  • 2.jpg

    Organizations to Hold Discussion on Ensuring Safety of Existing Buildings

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 007145828X.jpeg

    Manual of Low-Slope Roof Systems Fourth Edition

See More Products
×

Enhance your expertise with unparalleled insights.

Join thousands of building professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing