Like most Pinnacle projects, the work was completed efficiently — minimizing disruption for the property owner.
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A low-slope roof on Mendon Road in Cumberland had reached the point where the flat surface simply could not hold water out any longer. A near-flat roof needs a true waterproof membrane, not a shingle system, so the answer was a fully-adhered EPDM rubber roof detailed for the way water actually behaves on a low pitch. Pinnacle Roofing & Skylights stripped the old surface and installed a new rubber membrane built to stay sealed for the long run.
Scope of Work
Our crew cleared the failed surface down to a sound deck and prepped it so the new system would bond cleanly. We laid a base layer across the field, then rolled out the black EPDM rubber membrane and fully adhered it to the roof, working out air pockets so the sheet sat flat and tight. Seams were bonded and rolled to form a continuous watertight surface, and we detailed the flashings at the brick chimney, the perimeter, and every penetration — the transitions where a low-slope roof is most likely to fail. For more on the flat-roof systems we install, see our Commercial Roofing page.
What We Installed (And Why)
The new roof is a fully-adhered EPDM rubber membrane over a prepared base. EPDM is a single-ply rubber sheet that is a longtime standard for flat and low-slope roofs because it stays flexible through New England’s hard freeze-thaw swings and resists the ponding water that a near-flat surface cannot drain quickly. Fully adhering it — bonding the sheet across the entire deck rather than just anchoring the edges — keeps it from lifting or fluttering in wind and holds it tight to the roof for the life of the membrane.
On a low-slope roof, the seams and flashings are where everything is won or lost, so that is where we concentrated. We bonded and rolled every seam into a continuous surface, then wrapped the flashing up the brick chimney and tied it into the membrane at the perimeter and penetrations. Water sitting on a flat roof will find any weak transition, so integrating those details into the rubber — instead of relying on sealant alone — is what turns a sheet of EPDM into a roof that genuinely stays dry.
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Good To Know: Why does a flat roof need rubber instead of shingles?
Shingles are designed to shed water down a slope quickly; on a flat or low-slope roof there is not enough pitch to move water that fast, so it lingers and works at every joint. A shingle roof would leak in that setting. EPDM rubber solves it by acting as one continuous waterproof membrane with bonded seams — it holds water out even where it pools, and it flexes with temperature swings instead of cracking. On a near-flat roof, a membrane is not an upgrade, it is the right tool for the job.
Why This Approach Works
A fully-adhered EPDM membrane with bonded seams and integrated flashings matches the roof to how a low pitch actually behaves. Adhering the rubber across the whole deck resists wind uplift, continuous rolled seams keep standing water from finding a joint, and wrapping the chimney and penetrations into the membrane closes the leak paths that sink most flat roofs. EPDM’s flexibility rides out Rhode Island’s freeze-thaw cycles, so the result is a low-slope roof that stays watertight with very little fuss.
Why Pinnacle
Low-slope rubber roofing is a specialty of ours, and we carry the credentials to prove it: Pinnacle is a Mule-Hide & Gaco Licensed Applicator and Firestone Building Envelope Certified, so our EPDM membrane and flashing details are installed to manufacturer standard. Working across Rhode Island since 2012, we hold RI Commercial License #261 and back every job with a BBB A+ rating and a 5.0-star Google profile built on 100+ five-star reviews. On a flat roof, that experience is the difference between a membrane and a leak.
Cumberland, RI
Cumberland is a growing northern Rhode Island community with a mix of homes, additions, and mixed-use buildings — and plenty of low-slope and flat roof sections that need a true membrane rather than shingles. Those surfaces take the brunt of standing water and freeze-thaw cycles every winter. Pinnacle is proud to keep Cumberland properties dry with EPDM rubber roofing built for low-pitch conditions.
Need a roof estimate in Cumberland? Use our instant estimate tool, book a free appointment, or call us today.
Storm damage? See storm damage restoration — we handle the insurance process with you.
401-267-ROOF (7663)