Torch Down Roofing - Flat & Low-Slope Solutions
Torch down roofing for the low-slope sections of homes across Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue, where shingles are not permitted.
Est. 1995
Family-Owned
BBB
Accredited Business
Licensed
& Fully Insured
James Hardie
Elite Preferred Contractor
300+
5-Star Reviews
Torch Down Roofing Installation
Where Torch Down Makes Sense
Any roof too flat for shingles: flat-roofed additions and garages, the low-slope sections of split-levels and mid-century homes, porch and carport roofs, and smaller commercial buildings. It’s durable, repairable, and cost-effective — the honest alternative on larger flat roofs is single-ply membrane, which we also install.
How We Install It
Tear-off and deck inspection, then the membrane system built up in layers with torch-welded seams — seam quality is everything on a flat roof, and it’s a trained-crew skill, not a handyman one. Drainage matters just as much: flat roofs fail at ponding water, so slope-to-drain and edge details get engineered, not assumed. Flashing at every wall transition and penetration completes the system.
What Affects the Cost
Roof area, tear-off layers, deck repair, drainage corrections needed, and the number of penetrations and transitions. Free walk-through, real number, no pressure.
Torch down is open-flame work on a house, which is a fire risk the rest of a roof does not carry. Combustibles come off the deck and out of the areas below before any flame is lit, extinguishers stay at the work area, and a fire watch stays on the roof after the torches go off rather than the crew leaving straight from the last seam.
Torch Down Systems We Install
Our safety program has been recognized nationally by the NAHB, and our record with L&I is clean — no safety inspections, no license violations, no claims against our bond. You can check that yourself under contractor license SIDEPI*008N1. More on how we work safely.
See our recent projects for finished examples of this and the rest of our exterior work.
Why Choose Us?
- Angie’s List Super Service Award
- Best of Houzz Service
- Guild Quality Member
- James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor
- ReechCraft Authorized Dealer
- BBB Accredited Business | A+ Rating
Torch Down Costs on a Home
Torch down areas are usually small, which makes access and detailing a bigger share of the cost than the square footage suggests:
- Why it is a membrane in the first place.Asphalt shingles are not permitted below a 2:12 slope under the residential code, while modified bitumen is rated to ¼:12. That is why garages, additions, porch roofs and the low-slope sections of split-levels need a membrane rather than a shingle.
- Size and access of the area.A garage roof reached from a driveway and a second-storey deck over living space are different jobs at the same square footage.
- What is under the old membrane.Low-slope roofs hold water when they fail, so wet insulation and a soft deck are common and only visible at tear-off.
- Drainage and detailing.Drains, scuppers, parapets, curbs and roof-to-wall transitions are where the hours go on a flat roof, and where flat roofs leak.
- Hot work and protection.Open flame next to a house means clearing combustibles, protecting what is below and a fire watch after the torches go off — time that a peel-and-stick or single-ply roof does not carry.
Working on a commercial or multi-family building instead? See commercial and multi-family torch down roofing.
Torch Down Questions
How long does torch down last?
Typically 15–20+ years depending on the system and drainage — and unlike many flat systems, it repairs well, extending service life further.
My flat roof ponds water after rain. Is that a problem?
Yes — ponding is the leading cause of flat-roof failure. Often fixable with drainage correction during replacement.
Torch down or TPO?
Roof size and use, mostly. Torch down suits smaller residential flat sections; TPO/PVC single-ply often wins on larger and commercial roofs. We install both, so the recommendation is about your roof, not our inventory.
What warranty comes with it?
The material manufacturer's warranty plus Side-Pro's 5-Year Workmanship Warranty*. *Restrictions and details apply.
Is torch application safe over an occupied space?
Handled properly, yes — it is a standard method on residential flat sections. Crews are trained on torch safety, we maintain a fire watch after work stops each day, and where a substrate makes open flame a poor idea we use a self-adhered or cold-applied system instead.
Can torch down be repaired if it gets damaged?
Yes, and that is one of its advantages. Punctures and seam failures patch cleanly into the existing membrane, so localized damage does not mean a new roof. We will tell you honestly when a roof has had enough patching.
What Our Customers Are Saying...
Contact Us
Please fill out our FREE ESTIMATE / INSPECTION form or call today to discuss your roofing or siding project with our friendly staff.
Office: 425-486-4777
Fax: 425-483-5727
Address:
17270 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE
Suite 700
Woodinville, WA 98072
Side-Pro Exteriors is a locally owned and operated siding, roofing and exterior renovation company since 1995. We provide roofing and siding replacement across the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, including King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.
FREE Estimates & Inspections
Fill in the form, and a member of our team will follow up with you.
"*" indicates required fields