Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region
Traverse City, Michigan
The existing ballasted EPDM roof on Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region’s building in Traverse City has reached the end of its service life and needed a full re-roof. The project began with removal and disposal of the ballast, EPDM membrane, edge metal, and related materials down to the existing insulation.
To improve drainage across the 12,316-square-foot roof, the team installed 12”-wide tapered insulation (1.5”-0”) around the building’s perimeter and added tapered drain sets to direct water more effectively toward the drains. A new white 50 mil Duro-Last membrane was then mechanically fastened and hot-air welded into place, secured with black double-coated fasteners built to twice the industry standard and penetrating the deck at least 1” per Duro-Last specifications.
New 24-gauge, two-piece edge metal was installed to match the building’s existing color scheme, with the membrane lapped over and affixed outside the edge to create a continuous, edge-to-edge waterproofing layer. Custom penetration flashings were fabricated from the same membrane material for a uniform, full-adhered seal at every roof penetration. A stainless-steel ladder rest was also added, holding an extension ladder’s top in place and preventing the base from kicking out during future maintenance access.
For a mission-driven organization like Habitat for Humanity, a roofing system needed to deliver long-term reliability without demanding ongoing maintenance costs down the road. Springfield uses a prefabricated, hot-air-welded membrane, offering a factory-controlled watertight seam that reduces on-site labor and installation risk while extending the roof’s service life. The tapered insulation and drain improvements addressed the building’s ponding and drainage issues at the source, rather than simply covering them – a durable, low-maintenance solution suited to a nonprofit’s long-term facility needs.
Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region now has a fully sealed, energy-efficient white membrane roof engineered to shed water efficiently and withstand Northern Michigan’s weather for decades to come. The improved drainage design reduces the risk of ponding, while the reinforced edge and penetration detailing minimize future leak points. The added ladder rest also gives maintenance crews a safer, more stable point of access for years of continued upkeep.
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