Client
Lock Haven VFW Post 1630
Project Type(s)
Commercial Roof Replacement
Rubber Roof Replacement
EPDM Roof Replacement
Flashing Repair
Location
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Project Overview
For more than a decade, the Lock Haven VFW Post 1630 building struggled with persistent roof leaks that threatened its structure and operations. As a veteran-led company, RTG Solutions stepped up to help fellow veterans by donating time, labor, and materials to provide a long-term solution. The existing rubber roof was carefully removed and replaced with a fully adhered EPDM system featuring new insulation, precision-sealed flashing, and custom edge metal.
When a flat roof keeps leaking season after season, the failure is almost never one hole. Normally it means that there are serious issues at the seams, perimeter, transitions, and penetrations, which then getting punished by weather until it becomes a much bigger problem.
Our team at RTG Solutions completed a full rubber roof replacement on approximately 1,600 square feet of roof area to give the post a true reset, not another temporary patch. We removed the existing roofing components where needed, rebuilt the assembly with new insulation, and installed a fully adhered 60-mil EPDM membrane. The goal was straightforward: restore the roof as a reliable weather barrier and tighten up the edge and flashing details that decide whether a flat roof holds up over time. The project not only restored the integrity of the roof but also reflected RTG’s deep commitment to community service and support for those who served our country.
Location
Lock Haven sits in the part of Central Pennsylvania where roofs cycle through wet springs, summer heat, wind events, and long freeze-thaw stretches. Flat and low-slope roofs feel that stress first at the perimeters and transitions, especially parapet walls, coping, edge metal, and any penetration that interrupts the membrane.
On a building like a VFW, leaks threaten interior finishes, utilities, and the basic usability of the space. This replacement was designed to handle real-world conditions: water, snow, wind-driven rain, and temperature swings that make weak details fail fast.
Roof System and Materials
We approached this as a complete EPDM roof replacement with an emphasis on the details so the VFW wouldn’t have to deal with repeat problems. The existing membrane and roof components were removed, including sections of fiberboard, so we could rebuild the assembly in a controlled, spec-driven way instead of stacking new work on top of questionable material.
The new roof assembly included 1/2-inch high-density polyiso insulation mechanically attached over the existing built-up roof where applicable, then finished with a 60-mil Genflex EPDM membrane adhered to the substrate. EPDM is a proven system for commercial flat roofs when it is installed with disciplined seam work, clean flashing, and perimeter control, which is where many “new roofs” still fail later.
We also addressed the roof edges and transitions, because a flat roof does not fail politely in the middle. It fails where the membrane meets the building. That meant coping and edge work that was built to behave in wind, snow, and thermal movement. We cut existing coping stones flush with the parapet wall to allow proper installation of new coping metal, installed new edge metal at the transition between the upper and lower roof areas, and completed flashing at key conditions including the lower-roof chimney.
About the Client
Lock Haven VFW Post 1630 is a place built around service and community. It is also a building that needs to function so its members who served this country have a place to serve our community. When a roof leak becomes routine, the mission becomes harder, because the space becomes harder to maintain and harder to keep open without constantly reacting to the next problem.
As a veteran-operated company born and bred in Lock Haven, nailing this project was of critical importance! We stepped in to help fellow veterans by putting real resources behind the solution instead of sitting on the sidelines giving advice. Our RTG team happily donated time and labor, and the manufacturer contributed donated materials, which helped make a true roof replacement feasible for the post. The result was not simply “a new roof,” but a roof system the heroes in the building could depend on.
Project Scope
- Replace the existing rubber roof system on the old section of the VFW (approximately 1,600 sq ft)
- Remove existing EPDM membrane and associated materials as required, including sections of fiberboard
- Install 1/2-inch high-density polyiso insulation, mechanically attached where applicable
- Install a fully adhered 60-mil EPDM membrane (Genflex)
- Complete flashing at parapet and transition conditions, including edge metal between upper and lower roof areas
- Cut coping stones flush to the parapet to support correct installation and fit of new coping metal
- Flash the lower-roof chimney and other penetrations to restore watertight continuity
- Install new coping metal and related perimeter details to protect the roof edge long-term
- Execute clean closeout with safe access practices and controlled site conditions
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Quality Highlights
A flat roof replacement either resets the building’s risk profile or it just postpones the next leak. The difference is almost always the same: edge details, flashing discipline, and whether the system is rebuilt with continuity in mind. That is what we targeted here, so the VFW can spend its time serving the community instead of chasing water.
Perimeter and transition work that prevents repeat leaks
We treated the parapet, coping, and transition edges as primary failure points, not cosmetic add-ons, and rebuilt them so water is pushed out and away instead of being allowed to creep behind the system.
A properly built EPDM roof assembly, not a surface-level redo
New insulation plus a fully adhered 60-mil EPDM membrane creates a clean, continuous weather barrier when installed with disciplined flashing and seam control, which is exactly what this roof needed after years of recurring issues.
Community-first execution with a real outcome
This was a project where the building’s function mattered as much as the construction. We delivered a durable, spec-driven solution while keeping the work practical for a community organization that depends on the space.
