Tpo Membrane Roof Problems

Properly installed roof membranes last longer because they experience fewer problems.

Tpo membrane roof problems.

In the building industry tpo stands for thermoplastic polyolefin a synthetic rubber compound that has been extensively used for roofing since the late 1980s. This means that a tpo roof is as uv resistant and as heat resistant as epdm and as heat weldable. Problems with tpo roofing just the facts. It is made up of a single ply synthetic membrane used to cover flat and low slope roofs.

Tpo membranes can be applied directly over old existing roofing material or a bare roof deck with adhesive or mechanical fasteners. The single ply membrane roofing doesn t have a hard top layer that is meant to protect the layer of synthetic rubber from things like gravel dropped tools or loose. Tpo is a popular single ply membrane from low slope rooftops. This article covers the common problems with tpo warranties and popular brands.

If you are involved with specifying or in stalling tpo membranes i encourage you to be aware of the issues raised. Tpo membrane is a fire reistant and weather proof roof covering that is often used on flat roofs or domed roofs. Since tpo does have common problems you will want to protect yourself from them as much as you can. Tpo roofing can save you a remarkable amount of money on your energy costs and make your home or office building cooler but when the heat gets too high it can cause serious problems.

Made of a petrochemical based materiel old sheets or tpo can be recycled into new ones. Concerns during the 2009 international roofing expo gaf materials corp wayne n j conducted an. Initially tpo was created to compete with pvc. During installation roofing contractors must use the best practices to avoid creases and surface cracking.

Fortunately such problems have easy solutions. Southern states that are generally warmer over the course of the year than northern states show this to be the case. While the popularity of tpo single ply membranes is continuing to grow among homeowners and commercial builders there are a number of problems with this material you should be aware of. Tpo is touted to have the benefits of two of its direct competitors epdm and pvc roofs but without the drawbacks and extra costs.

Many commercial buildings have tpo on their roofs right now. The name is a bit misleading because rather than being a plastic tpo is actually one of a few different types of rubber usually a blend of polypropylene and ethylene propylene rubber. If you are from youngstown oh choose a local contractor that specializes in tpo. Tpo does have common problems though.

Ganizations including several tpo mem brane manufacturers have raised concerns regarding tpo membrane performance. With commercial roofs one of the more common tpo roofing problems is that there is a high volume of foot traffic when compared to other types of buildings or roofing structures.