Roofing Project Case Studies — Albuquerque and New Mexico

Case Study 01 — Northeast Heights

Full Tear-Off and TPO Conversion: 1,400 sq ft Flat Roof, 1970s Home

Albuquerque, NM  ·  Completed August 2025  ·  Material: GAF EverGuard TPO 60-mil

What We Found

The homeowner reported ceiling staining in two rooms and suspected a pinhole leak near the swamp cooler curb. The existing roof was a 3-ply built-up (tar and gravel) system, original to the 1974 construction and never replaced. On inspection, we found:

• Widespread alligatoring across the east-facing field — approximately 60% of the surface showed oxidized bitumen with visible cracking
• 17 blisters (11 active, 6 dry) — indicating subsurface moisture infiltration over multiple seasons
• Swamp cooler curb flashing completely separated from the membrane — the primary leak source
• Two canales with negative slope, pooling water against the north parapet
• One area of soft decking (approx. 8 sq ft) near the north canale — consistent with long-term saturation

What We Recommended and Why

Given the age of the system (50+ years), widespread membrane failure, and subsurface moisture, we recommended full tear-off rather than a recover. A recover over a BUR system with active blisters and saturated substrate would trap existing moisture, leading to premature failure of the new membrane. The soft decking area required replacement before any new membrane could be installed, which required tear-off anyway.

We recommended GAF EverGuard TPO 60-mil rather than modified bitumen for this application because: the large field area benefits from heat-welded seams over laps; the light tan color significantly reduces attic heat gain vs. a dark modified cap sheet; and the GAF 20-year system warranty required it given the total system components we were specifying.

Scope of Work

1. Tear-off

   Full removal of existing 3-ply BUR system, gravel ballast, and deteriorated insulation. 8 sq ft deck replacement in soft zone.

2. New insulation

   2 inches ISO-CI polyisocyanurate board, tapered 1/8" per foot toward two existing canale locations to improve positive drainage.

3. TPO membrane

   GAF EverGuard 60-mil TPO in Tan, fully adhered with GAF's low-VOC adhesive. All seams heat-welded to manufacturer specifications with pull-test verification.

4. Canales

   Both existing canales removed, canale bases re-flashed with TPO boots, new galvanized canales installed with corrected positive slope and repositioned catchers.

5. Swamp cooler curb

   New galvanized curb installed at existing penetration location, integrated into TPO with factory-fabricated curb boot. New cooler positioned and reconnected.

"We were dreading this project but Timberwolf was straightforward from day one — showed us the photos, explained exactly what they were doing, finished in two days, and the roof hasn't had a drop since the first monsoon." — Homeowner, Northeast Heights

Case Study 02 — East Mountains

Hail-Damage Insurance Replacement: 2,800 sq ft Asphalt Shingle Roof

Cedar Crest, NM  ·  Completed September 2025  ·  Material: GAF Timberline HDZ, Weathered Wood

What We Found

The homeowner contacted us two weeks after the July 12 hailstorm that tracked through Cedar Crest and Edgewood. The roof was an 18-year-old Owens Corning Duration installation that had been in excellent condition prior to the storm. Inspection documented:

• 90+ impact marks on shingles across all slopes, consistent with 1.25–1.5 inch hail
• Dented aluminum gutters and flashing — confirming hail size and confirming the damage was storm-related, not wear
• Three functional vents with damaged caps; one ridge vent section displaced
• No structural deck damage — the roof was otherwise sound

Insurance Process

We provided our documented inspection report directly to the homeowner's adjuster, attended the adjuster site visit, and answered the adjuster's technical questions about impact pattern consistency and hail size documentation. The claim was approved for full replacement — the adjuster agreed with our assessment that the damage was too widespread for repair.

Scope of Work

1. Full shingle tear-off

   One layer of existing shingles removed. Deck inspected — no replacement needed.

2. Synthetic underlayment

   GAF FeltBuster installed across full field. Ice and water shield at all eaves (3 feet per code) and valley areas.

3. GAF Timberline HDZ installation

   Weathered Wood color, matching the homeowner's preference. StainGuard Plus algae-resistant coating specified for East Mountain humidity exposure.

4. Flashings and accessories

   All step and counter-flashing replaced with new galvanized material. Ridge cap, hip cap, and starter strip from the same GAF system for warranty compliance. Gutter system replaced in matching kynar bronze.

Case Study 03 — Commercial, Nob Hill Area

Modified Bitumen Re-Roof: 8,200 sq ft Retail Strip, Failing BUR

Albuquerque, NM  ·  Completed November 2025  ·  Material: GAF Modified Bitumen SBS, 2-ply

Challenge

An 8,200 sq ft commercial strip center with three tenants needed a full roof replacement without closing any tenant spaces during the work. The existing tar-and-gravel roof was 30+ years old with multiple patched areas and active leaks in two tenant bays. The property manager's priority was minimizing business disruption while achieving a warrantied system.

Solution

We sequenced the tear-off and installation bay-by-bay, working from one end of the building to the other. Each bay section was torn off, redecked where needed, and fully covered with new modified bitumen before moving to the next section. No tenant lost their weather-tight ceiling for more than one afternoon. Total installation time: 7 working days.

Material selection: GAF Liberty SBS modified bitumen, 2-ply system (base sheet and cap sheet). Torch-applied installation for reliable seams. White granule cap sheet for Energy Star compliance (required by the property's sustainability reporting commitments). GAF 20-year NDL warranty.