Although a profitable specialization for roofing contractors, roof maintenance can be challenging and time consuming. The presence of mechanical units, drains, pipes, pitch pockets, skylights and a variety of roof types may require the use of a number of specialized repair tools and products on a single job.

But it doesn't have to. Eternabond, Hawthorne Woods, Ill., offers several commercial roof restoration and repair tapes with its MicroSealant technology. The tapes can be applied on virtually all roof systems, along with gutters, ductwork, skylights and other roof accessories.

"It's the staple item in both our roofing and maintenance business," says Louis Hunt, general manager of Roof USA Service Centers in Phoenix, Ariz. "The tape is remarkable in its versatility and flexibility."

The tapes are offered in convenient custom sizes and eliminate the need for other tapes, sealants, mastics, and in many cases, hot air welding. "It's one and done," says Charlie von Plato, owner of Metal Roof Specialty Coating in West Chester, Pa. "It's so simple to use on any surface."

Plato has used Eternabond tapes for nearly five years and applauds their capabilities to bond tenaciously to the roof and permanently stop water intrusion. He has used the tapes for patch and repair work on several commercial and industrial buildings, such as the Amtrak building in Groton, Conn., the Sheraton Hotel in Newark, N.J., and the ProSign building in Downingtown, Pa.

Among the full line of products is RoofSeal, a specialized tape that creates a permanent repair in an easy, one-step application (with the exception of cleaning the surface). It remains flexible to temperatures as low as 70 degrees below Fahrenheit, making it virtually impossible to thermally shock the roof and cause a leak.

"These tapes feature great strength, which has saved my clients a lot of money on extensive roof maintenance," says von Plato. "The labor is inexpensive because there is no time spent on priming or roof preparation, and the tape is guaranteed to bond to surfaces for 10 years."

Another commercial roofer, David Hudachko, operations manager of Tomkat Roofing Inc. in Streator, Ill., likes Eternabond's exceptional bonding to weathered PVC roof systems. The company serves much of the Midwest and Hudachko has used the tapes for roof maintenance on several strip malls, as well as other commercial roofing projects.

"Our company has found that these tapes work extremely well on hypalon, built-up roofs, EPDM and TPO roof systems," says Hudachko. "It's great for contractors to be able to offer building managers a less expensive, easy solution. When the contractor can easily apply the product on nearly any kind of substrate, the labor is minimal."

"Maintenance is an important part of the industry," continues Hudachko. Promoting the importance of regular maintenance, Tomkat Roofing conducts regular moisture scans using a Tramex leak seaker to detect water leakage.

Although all Eternabond tapes offer integral waterproofing performance on virtually all roof types with no additional steps, the company's WebSeal tape waterproofs especially well because of its special woven backing that is specifically designed to hold all roof coatings. This tape creates a watertight seal on all seams, flashings, screw heads and accessories prior to application of the roof coating, and is a faster method of waterproofing compared to conventional three-course applications. The tape also eliminates dependence on the roof coating as a primary or secondary waterproofer.

Eternabond also offers WindowSeal, a window-wrap that can be used in low temperatures. The product fuses with the surfaces it comes in contact with, creating a flexible, easy-to-install moisture-tight, air and vapor barrier. Another product available is DoubleStick, designed to be sandwiched between two surfaces-even two surfaces made of dissimilar materials. It creates a tight, permanent, waterproof seal. It can be used in corners, seams and built-up roofing system maintenance.

Tomkat Roofing has experienced the benefits of the repair tape on two projects: sealing flashings on a new wall in a Pizza Hut and sealing holes on a Nestle factory roof. "The tape is not only great for troubleshooting, but it works well in a variety of maintenance situations," says Hudachko.

Tim Trujillo, president of Trujillo Enterprises Inc., Bernalillo, N.M., has a maintenance team of about 10 people. The company's inspection involves analyzing the condition of the roofing membrane, examining perimeters, pipes, drains and seams. "It usually starts out as an emergency leak situation that could have been prevented with proper maintenance attention," says Trujillo. "But when the customer realizes that they could have saved money by monitoring the roof, they see the value of scheduled maintenance checks."

Trujillo's maintenance team has used Eternabond tapes on large commercial jobs such as the Marriott Pyramid Hotel in Albuquerque, N.M., Bernalillo Public Schools in Bernalillo, N.M., and Western New Mexico University in Silver City, N.M. "We've used it on everything from air conditioning units to skylights," says Trujillo.

"Its convenience is demonstrated when you can rely on it for nearly any roof repair job," continues Trujillo. "I take the Eternabond tape with me to every job site because I know that I'll be able to use it for any type of roof repair. You don't have to go to the job site and then purchase tools; you can rely on the tape to repair the system, no matter what it is."