TPO Seam Inspections: What the Contractor Should Document
A useful TPO seam inspection identifies where the contractor checked, what was found, and how any repair was verified. “Seams checked” without a roof map or exceptions leaves the owner unable to distinguish a completed inspection from a quick look.
What the inspection actually establishes
The JM TPO application guide calls for checking cooled welds and addressing voids. This is skilled quality-control work; an owner should not try probing the membrane. The inspection method must suit the actual manufacturer's system.
Ask the inspector to distinguish visible observations, seam testing, and any destructive sampling. A photograph of an intact-looking overlap does not document all three. If testing is limited by access, equipment or an occupied work area, those limits belong in the report.
A location record you can request
| Field | Useful entry |
|---|---|
| Location | Roof zone, seam segment and nearby fixed landmark |
| Condition | Open area, suspect weld, prior repair, or no exception observed |
| Action | Repair completed, further assessment, or inaccessible |
| Verification | Method, date and person responsible |
For example, “north roof, west of unit 4; suspect segment marked; repair and recheck pending” is more actionable than “minor seam issues.” This is an illustrative record, not a diagnosis of your roof.
Close the unresolved items
Require a status for each marked location before accepting the inspection as complete. If only selected seams were checked, keep that sampling limit in the final record. Do not treat a favorable seam result as a conclusion about insulation moisture, drainage or the entire assembly.
Use the findings to discuss the affected commercial roof system, with repair locations and remaining questions attached to the scope.