Old Market's older buildings frequently feature parapet walls and roof outlets that were designed and installed long before modern membrane systems existed, and getting these details right is one of the most important parts of any EPDM installation in the area.
A parapet wall requires the roof membrane to be turned up and terminated against a vertical surface rather than simply finishing at an open edge. With EPDM, this generally means dressing the rubber sheet continuously up the face of the parapet to an appropriate height, avoiding unnecessary joins at this vulnerable point, and forming a neat, weathertight upstand rather than relying on separate pieces stitched together.
The termination at the top of a parapet upstand is arguably the most critical detail on the whole roof. It usually needs to be mechanically fixed with a suitable trim or termination bar, and on many Old Market buildings this is finished with additional weatherproofing such as a capping or counter-flashing tucked into the brickwork, so water can't get behind the membrane at the highest point of the wall, which is exactly where a lot of older roofs have historically failed.
Roof outlets need just as much care. An outlet that hasn't been correctly integrated with the membrane is one of the most common sources of leaks on older flat roofs, since it's the one point on the roof specifically designed to have water flowing directly at it. A proper EPDM detail involves forming the membrane tightly and continuously around the outlet, often with a purpose-made outlet fitting bonded securely into the surrounding rubber, so there's no gap for water to exploit.
On older Old Market buildings, it's also common to find outlets that are undersized for the roof area they serve, or partially blocked by years of accumulated debris, which can cause water to back up regardless of how well the membrane itself is detailed. Part of a proper assessment involves checking whether the existing outlets and drainage are actually adequate, not just re-covering around what's already there.
Because parapets, outlets and drainage arrangements on older buildings vary so much from one Old Market property to the next, this kind of detailing work benefits from real experience with historic roof configurations rather than a standard, one-size-fits-all approach.
It's also worth having outlets and gutters checked periodically after installation, since even a perfectly detailed outlet can become less effective if debris builds up around it over time. A brief seasonal check, particularly after autumn leaf fall, helps keep drainage working as intended and reduces the chance of standing water putting unnecessary strain on the membrane.
If your Old Market building has parapets or roof outlets that need addressing as part of an EPDM installation, Brunel Roofing Bristol can assess the existing detailing and explain exactly how it would be approached to keep the roof watertight for years to come.
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