# Would appreciate some input from roofing community



## BjRllc18 (Jun 26, 2019)

I've been working in the remodeling industry full time for the better part of the last 35 years and self employed for the last 19 years and worked my way through college as a carpenter before 8 years in a professional capacity before I figured out I like being a carpenter more than a social worker. 
So, I got a pretty full range of skills and experience. Recently, a tree fell on my rental property after a windstorm and I've been in a pissing match with the insurance company to pay for the fix which included 5k for a TPO roof replacement on a low slope section of roof and the insurance company was only going to pay $1500.00 for. Thus the pissing match. But it also meant I had to go with the least expensive roofer I could find in case I had to eat the cost instead of using my usual roofing sub that I trust and we have worked together for years. So, they installed the TPO and they did a questionable application of the TPO onto an existing, double walled 6" hot furnace flue that is through the roof (see attached pics). I asked for a correction on it and they assured me this is the way it's done. But at a minimum, I am not convinced it is:
1. Not a fire hazard 
2. Has potential to leak where it's taped onto to hot flue. 
I have done TPO and PVC on my own jobs with my other roofing sub and am confident they would do something different. But my sales rep through them is on sick leave for a bit and I need to resolve this to get reimbursed from the insurance company. I'm inclined to think I should build a faux chimney wrap around it with the TPO run up the sides with flashing over the lip and a cricket on the up hill side of it.
What do folks here think about the way they did this application on the hot flue?


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## TitanRoofing (Jul 1, 2019)

The method is proper, but the execution is very poor quality. 


>>You are correct about improper termination at the top. It should have a pipe clamp with TPO caulking on top.

>> Pipe wrap should have transitioned onto the deck with a minimum 1/2" weld. It looks like it was done in field membrane instead of unsupported/non reinforced membrane, which is what's meant for the detail work (Field membrane has a fabric scrim that makes it impossible to heat and stretch to make that transition). Really, it's just poor quality, poor craftsmanship and should be redone. The odd patch in the middle tells me they didn't measure correctly or lack the skills to properly flash a cone pipe like that. It should have been a one piece wrap that welds onto itself rather than getting tied together by that patch. 

>> If it's a mechanically attached system, it should have plates and screws to terminate at the pipe ( I don't see them, but they might be there). 

>> I don't see cut edge sealant around the target. If the field membrane gets cut, it exposes the fabric scrim that will absorb water over time and lead to premature system failure. Anything thats been cut, needs cut edge applied to it. 

I'm in WA also, so I know this market well. $1500 is an extremely low bid for any single ply work. I just did a 12 square recover for $39.5k. Flat roofing is skilled labor and needs to be done properly and we get compensated well because of it.If you're unfamiliar with any of the terms, just google search it and everything will make sense.


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