TPO roofing may be recognized if you've ever seen a dazzling white roof. TPO boasts some of the best energy savings for single-ply membrane roofing and is one of the most popular roof options for commercial buildings!
Since more than 40 years ago, West Roofing Systems has been installing single-ply membrane roofing.
TPO ROOFING: What Is It?
One of the commercial roofing products with the quickest market growth is the single-ply Thermoplastic Polyolefin membrane. TPO roofing systems are used to cover flat roofs and consist of a single layer of synthetic materials and reinforcing scrim.
TPO membranes are produced as 10, 12, or 20-foot wide sheets. After that, the sheets are wrapped up and brought to the commercial building.
The naturally reflective surface of TPO has won the industry's recognition for reflecting UV rays. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), TPO accounts for roughly 40% of the commercial roofing market.
ROOFING INSTALLATION WITH TPO
The insulation is put in after the existing substrate has been cleaned or the old roof has been removed. The facility manager or owner has a few insulating alternatives to pick from
Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso)- The most popular type of roofing insulation, Polyiso is more expensive but has a higher R-value rating, making it a wise investment.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) – For insulation in walls, floors, and roofs, EPS is utilized because it has the highest R-value per dollar. EPS is suitable for ground contact and does not accumulate moisture.
Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) – which is typically identified by its blue, green, or pink tint, lies between Polyiso and EPS in terms of price and performance. XPS has a perm value of 1, making it semipermeable.
The TPO membrane can be mechanically fixed to the cover board or joined together using bonding glue. The contractor comes back after the membrane has been rolled out to use a hot-air cannon to fuse the seams together.
THE BENEFITS OF TPO ROOFING
If installed and maintained correctly, a single-ply membrane roof for businesses can last for 30 years. Numerous other advantages of single-ply membrane roofing systems include
Customer Choice of Insulation – As a customer, you have additional alternatives for insulating the roof of your business because single-ply does not take insulation into account.
Class A Fire-Rated – By including fire retardant chemicals during production, TPO membranes and EPDM can attain Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Class A fire resistance designations.
Reflective or Retentive – TPO often comes in white and is quite reflecting. On the other end of the spectrum, EPDM is frequently referred to as "Black Roofs" because of the membrane's inherently dark tint.
Why TPO Roofing Is Cost-Effective
The most popular TPO substance is bright white and has excellent reflecting qualities. This TPO of a bright white roof can reflect heat and UV rays away from the building, reducing the need for air conditioning during the summer.
The best way to fix a TPO roof?
A TPO has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. During this time, the membrane may become pierced, flashings may fail, seams may break apart, etc., leading to a roof leak.
The first indication that a TPO roof needs repair is when water starts to enter the building. This typically occurs when seams become less adherent, allowing water to penetrate the insulation in the roofing.
Once the insulation has accumulated enough water, it finally leaks inside your building via your roofing deck.
A commercial roofing contractor should be contacted at this point to do a roofing inspection.
An inspector for a roofing company will be able to determine:
where your insulation is being accessed by water
The TPO roof's age
The number of layers the roof has
How well-preserved are the seams?
The seams on this roof are almost completely failing. If something isn't done right away (or very soon), the seams will continue to break with each wind blow, letting more water into the insulation.
To determine the saturation level of the insulation, a roofing contractor will conduct an infrared inspection.
After sunset, they'll visit your roof in about 30 minutes. At this point, the water saturated in your insulation will be warmer than the surface of the roof.
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