That’s a tough spot—scorch marks are no joke, and insurance headaches just add to it. When you said,
it really made me wonder: do you find one method easier to supervise than the other? I always worry about wind picking up mid-torch, but then again, cold-applied seems so weather-dependent. How do you usually decide which risk is more manageable?“I’ve seen just as many leaks from cold-applied stuff when the weather turns mid-job,”
“I’ve seen just as many leaks from cold-applied stuff when the weather turns mid-job,”
Honestly, I’d rather deal with a bit of wind than sudden rain or a cold snap halfway through a cold-applied job. At least with torch-down, you can usually see if the wind’s picking up and pause. Cold-applied always makes me nervous in spring—weather changes so fast here, and once moisture gets in, it’s a pain to fix. I get why people like it for safety, but I’ve had fewer headaches with torch-down when the crew’s experienced.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had more issues with torch-down than cold-applied—maybe it’s just my luck or the crews I’ve hired. Couple years back, a neighbor’s place caught a small fire from torch work, and that spooked me. Cold-applied can be tricky with weather, sure, but at least you’re not worrying about someone accidentally setting your roof (or worse) on fire. Around here, insurance companies are starting to ask more questions about torch jobs too. Just feels like the risks are shifting these days.
That’s a fair point about insurance—I've noticed underwriters getting pickier about torch work lately, especially on older buildings. Cold-applied does seem safer in that sense, but I’ve had adhesion issues in colder months. Has anyone found a workaround for cold weather installs, or is it just a no-go?
- Totally get the insurance headache—my agent flat-out said no to torch-down last time I asked.
- Cold-applied felt safer, but yeah, when I tried it in January, half the seams didn’t stick right.
- Ended up using a heat gun on the worst spots... not perfect, but better than nothing.
- Not sure there’s a magic fix for cold installs. I just waited for a warmer stretch, but that’s not always possible.
- Honestly, you’re not alone—seems like cold weather just makes everything harder with these roofs.
