Big Easy Roofing Company has added torch-down roofing, a heat-applied modified bitumen system, to the roofing types it installs for residential and commercial property owners throughout the Greater New Orleans area, giving owners of flat and low-slope roofs a seamless membrane option engineered for the region's rainfall totals and hurricane exposure. The service is available now through the company's roofing types division.
Torch down roofing, known in the trade as modified bitumen, is built from layers of asphalt combined with rubberized compounds. The name refers to the installation method, in which the material is heated with an open flame so that it bonds to the layer beneath it and forms a continuous, watertight surface without seams that can separate under sustained moisture.
According to Big Easy Roofing Company, the addition responds to a category of property that conventional shingle systems do not serve well. Flat and low-slope roofs on commercial buildings, additions, porches, and mixed-use structures shed water slowly, which leaves standing moisture on the surface after the heavy rain events common along the Gulf Coast. A seamless membrane removes the fastener penetrations and lap joints where water typically finds an entry point.
"Flat and low-slope roofs in this climate fail at the seams long before the material itself wears out," said a spokesperson for Big Easy Roofing Company. "Torch down gives us a system with no seams to fail, and that changes the maintenance conversation for a property owner who has been patching the same roof section every year."
The installation sequence begins with surface preparation, in which the existing deck is cleaned and inspected. A base sheet underlayment is then applied to create a uniform surface and improve adhesion. Modified bitumen sheets are torch-applied over the base, additional layers are built up to increase durability, and metal flashing is installed around vents, chimneys, and other penetrations. The finished assembly is allowed to cool before a final inspection confirms the bond.
Performance data cited by the company indicates that torch down systems carry a service life of 20 to 30 years when maintained, and that the material is fire-resistant. Reflective coatings are available as an optional final layer for owners seeking to reduce heat absorption and cooling load during Louisiana summers. The material also expands and contracts with temperature swings, which reduces the cracking that rigid systems develop over repeated seasonal cycles.
Maintenance requirements are limited to annual inspections, keeping the surface clear of debris that can trap standing water, and addressing punctures or blistering when they appear. Company representatives noted that blistering from trapped moisture, cracking from thermal movement, and puncture damage from foot traffic account for the most common service calls on modified bitumen roofs, and that all three are correctable when identified during routine inspection rather than after water reaches the interior.
The torch down announcement follows an expansion earlier this year, when the company added cedar shake roofing services for homeowners in April 2026. Together, the two additions extend the company's roofing types catalog, which already includes built-up, flat, metal, shingle, single ply, slate, and tile systems.
Big Easy Roofing Company also operates residential and commercial divisions covering roof inspection, replacement, repairs, restoration, coating, asbestos roof removal, gutter work, leak detection, siding installation, and ventilation. The company provides free estimates and offers a 24-hour roof replacement guarantee.
Torch down installation is available to property owners in the company's established service footprint, which spans Baton Rouge, Covington, Gretna, Hammond, Harahan, Kenner, LaPlace, Madisonville, Mandeville, Metairie, River Ridge, Slidell, and St. Rose. Assessments for the new system are conducted as part of the company's standard estimate process.
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For more information about Big Easy Roofing Company, contact the company here:
Big Easy Roofing Company
Jessica Lafountain
504-229-3955
info@bigeasyroofingteamcompany.com
New Orleans Louisiana
