How To Hot Mop A Roof

Hot mop roofing is a very dirty and somewhat dangerous job it s essentially putting molten asphalt tar over a roof.

How to hot mop a roof.

The heat of the asphalt can easily burn the installers so additional care has to be taken during the installation process. But one system that never goes out of style is the traditional built up hot mop roof. Nail 45 degree cant strips at all inside corners 12 inches on center using a hammer and roofing nails. A modified bitumen cap sheet is then applied to the asphalt and both layers are nailed to the roof.

This is great news especially because the average tile roof will take anywhere between a week to up to 10 days to be completely installed. Hot mop roof basics. When the time comes to re roof your home the hot mop option is a common one. Apply plenty of roofing cement to fill the void and smooth the cement so water can run off unimpeded.

The asphalt is applied to the roof using a heated mop. To begin the hot mop process a layer of hot asphalt will be spread on top of the roof s base sheet. I learned how to do built up roofing bur during my early years in the trade and my company continues to do it to this day. However we do occasionally see it on porch roofs on homes or other flat roofing area s also referred to as.

It cannot be applied over a gravel topped or mineral surfaced roof however. The installation of a hot mop roof is a messy experience. The hot asphalt is laid out evenly with a large heated mop over the surface. During my 30 years in the roofing business i ve installed many types of roofing and seen a number of products come and go.

Hot mopped asphalt roofing hot tar. An application of aluminum fiber coating quickly seals many small leaks and can prolong the life of a roof. Basically asphalt blocks are melted into a cauldron or bucket once melted it is poured onto the roof and a team of installers will mop it into place. At the same time a 90lb felt or modified bitumen cap sheet which is a type of asphalt that is modified with rubber or fiber is applied onto the hot asphalt.

This hot mop roofing application is seen almost entirely in commercial buildings. The hot mop roof bur installation job can be completed within 2 to 4 days depending on the size of the roof and the number of installer we ve put on the job. Off the cuff typical range of roof lives not counting repairs if physically pierced maybe 8 20 for built up tar and felt hot mop 10 20 for peel and stick 12 25 or even up to 30 for tpo epdm uv protected pvc like hypalon 30 50 for hdpe. Use a staple gun to layer rosin paper lengthwise over the roof and cant strips.

If short handed staple one end.