Did you know that, according to Allied Market Research, the size of the North American roofing market is expected to reach over $40 billion in 2025? This is with a compounded annual growth rate of 5.9% between 2018 and 2025.
Additionally, commercial and residential construction has grown substantially. So if you’re part in this trend and are considering TPO roofing, you might be curious to learn more about this type of roofing.
If you’re a commercial property owner, a property owner with a leaking metal roof, or a homeowner managing maintenance tasks, it can be stressful if you don’t have the information you need about this type of roofing. How do you know if it’s the right roof for you?
Fortunately, in this article, we’ll review everything you need to know about TPO roofing. Finally, you can get the best roofing for your unique needs. Read on to learn more.
If you’ve been researching types of roofing, you might have noticed that TPO and EPDM are two of the popular options available. To make the right decision, it helps to understand the differences between TPO roofing and EPDM roofing, so we’ll cover that here.
First of all, it helps to know what these acronyms mean. EPDM stands for “ethylene propylene diene monomer.”
This is a type of material made from synthetic rubber and is usually used on commercial roofs with a low slope. The main ingredients are natural gas, propylene, and ethylene.
As for TPO, this stands for “thermoplastic polyolefin.” This is a single-ply membrane that’s composed of filler blends and polymer. A fabric scrim reinforces it.
As for the thermoplastics in it, these include BCPP (block copolymer polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), or PP (polypropylene).
Because of these differences in composition, we consider TPO to be the better choice for commercial roofing, metal roofs, and residential roofs that are flat.
Additionally, the installation methods are different. When installing TPO, you use a hot-air gun and chemical adhesives to put everything into place.
As for EPDM installation, you use either mechanical fasteners or adhesive, and you join the sheets with seam tape.
There are many reasons why TPO is the better choice for commercial roofing, property owners with a leaking metal roof, and homeowners with flat roof areas. These include energy savings, insulation choice, along with greater strength and durability.
TPO is a white roofing material. As a result, it reflects ultraviolet (UV) waves instead of absorbing more of them the way that a black roofing material would. This leads to general energy savings overall. And more specifically, your air conditioning costs will be lower.
It’s important to note that EPDM does now come in white, too. However, because standard EPDM comes in black, you’ll have to pay extra to buy white EPDM.
When you choose TPO, you aren’t just saving on energy costs. You’re also saving the planet. Because you’re using less energy when running your power with this white type of roof, you’re making a greener choice with TPO roofing.
In addition to being better for the environment, this can be better for business if you have a commercial building. Business owners sometimes like to let customers know about this green effort, often via social media or newsletter updates.
Considering that many consumers want to buy products that are eco-friendly, this could boost your sales.
If you’re thinking of mounting solar panels on your building’s roof, you can do this when you install either EPDM or TPO membranes. However, the tensile strength of TPO is much greater than EPDM. Additionally, TPO systems are very durable.
This is because of how they are heat-welded together. So if you’re looking for a strong, durable material for your roof that can withstand more weight, you should install TPO.
Because TPO is single-ply, it doesn’t come with the insulation factor. As a result, you have more options available when it comes to the type of insulation you want for your roof. You can find the best insulation type to combine with the TPO roofing.
Another benefit of TPO roofing is its great flexibility. This is incredibly important in the coldest weather conditions. So if you live in an area where it gets quite chilly in the winter, you should choose TPO roofing instead of EPDM roofing.
TPO roofing’s resistance to punctures made by foreign objects is three times greater than what EPDM has. This is because EPDM can tear more easily. When it comes to the prevention of leaks, this is incredibly important.
Additionally, TPO can more easily resist dirt accumulation, mold, fungi, oils, acids, and chemicals.
When you install TPO roofing, it will last somewhere between 15 and 20 years. If a professional comes in to check out your roofing and the saturation is less than 25%, all you have to do is allow the repair company to install a silicone restoration membrane system.
Now that you’ve learned about TPO roofing, you might want to learn even more. Maybe you want to learn about every step in the installation process or you want to find out more about TPO roofing installation costs.
Whatever information you need, we can help. At Roof Lux, we’re experts when it comes to TPO roofing.
Additionally, we’re a roofing company that provides TPO roofing installation services.
If you’re a commercial property owner, metal roof owner, or homeowner with flat roof areas who wants TPO roofing installed, contact us now.
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