Modified Bitumen Roofing in Pittsburgh, PA
Modified bitumen is asphalt blended with rubber-like or plastic polymers, made into rolls and installed in two plies with a granule surface on top. That makes it tough under foot traffic and forgiving on small roofs that are mostly edges, like a back porch or a row-house roof crowded with a chimney and a hatch. It can be torched, mopped, cold-glued or self-adhered. On attached city homes with wood cornices and neighbors a few inches away, we prefer cold-applied or self-adhered systems that keep an open flame off the roof. On commercial roofs, mod bit is a good fit where there is regular foot traffic to equipment.
What's included
- Tear-off to the deck
- Base sheet and granulated cap sheet (two-ply)
- Cold-applied or self-adhered systems on attached homes
- Torch-applied only where it is safe to use
- Flashings at walls, chimneys and curbs in mod bit
- Reflective white granule cap where heat matters
- Edge metal, gutters and scuppers rebuilt
- Walk paths for roof decks and equipment access
- Written warranty terms
Sound like your roof?
- You use the roof: a deck, a hatch, equipment
- The old tar and gravel roof is failing
- A small roof with lots of edges and a chimney
- Granules washing off an old mod bit roof
- Blisters and splits in the cap sheet
Modified Bitumen Roofing — FAQs
For foot traffic, usually yes. For one-piece coverage and easy repairs, EPDM often wins. See the comparison.
Open flame near wood cornices and attached neighbors is a real fire risk. Cold-applied and self-adhered mod bit avoid it.
Typically 15 to 20 years, longer with good drainage and maintenance.
Typically about $5–$10 per square foot on larger roofs; small roofs are priced per job. See the calculator.