Tar Pitch Roof

Pros and cons of roofing tar.

Tar pitch roof.

Coal tar pitch was a by product of processing coal to make coke which in turn was used in making carbon steel and electrodes for the aluminum industry. The code allows its use on roofs with slopes as low as 1 8 in 12. Both coal tar and coal tar pitch contain many chemical compounds including carcinogens such as benzene. It is used as a base for coatings and paint in roofing and paving and as a binder in asphalt products.

History of coal tar roof systems. Coal tar pitch is a thick black liquid that remains after the distillation of coal tar. Built up roofs or burs also called a tar and gravel roof is a well established and popular style of flat roof that is made up of alternating layers of roofing felt or fiberglass and asphalt that is applied with heat which combine to make a long lasting sturdy roofing system. New coal tar pitch roof installations however are extremely rare.

Coal tar pitch is produced by distilling or heat treating coal tar which is a by product of the production of coke or coal gas. Roofing tar will also protect your roof from wind and from snow and water which can collect on a flat roof. These cracks will now open up your roof to the same leak you had originally only now you have an additional problem. Bituminous roofing hits the market back in the pre world war ii years there were two bituminous substances bitumens that dominated the roofing industry.

Historically coal tar pitch was used as a component on the first sealed roads has served as a heating element and was used to manufacture paints synthetic dyes and photographic materials. Roofing tar is a good choice for a flat roof as this kind of material is highly resistant to the ultraviolet rays from the sun. A waterproofing material used since the beginning of time coal tar pitch is a superior and sustainable raw material that is ideal for use within a roofing membrane system. It is solid for all practical purposes at room temperature.

Application tools such as melting kettles mops and mop carts needed to be dedicated to either pitch or asphalt. Built up roofing in which coal tar pitch forms the waterproofing component of the roof membrane. It is typically limited to applications on dead level or flat roofs with slopes of 1 4 in 12 or less. Because of the different properties of asphalt and coal tar pitch roofers were careful not to mix the two materials on the same project.

Roofing tar is often used for tar and gravel roofs or to fix leaks on a roof.