ROOFING MATERIALS: What the manufacturers are, or aren't, saying

The following is a questioner, and their responses, issued to five representatives of three Major roofing manufacturers. The keep anonymity, we shall refer to the representatives as Mr. A, B, C, D, and E.
Question:
1)What are the benefits of using the following products:

• TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin)
• A- It meets Chicago's energy code.
• B- It's reflective; and, when welded well, it's all as one
• C- Reflectivity
• D- Cost, and easy of installation
• E- Meets Energy Star's requirements. It's cost effective. has better peel and shear than most.
• MODIFIED BITUMEN
• A- It's a redundant system.
• B- Strong puncture resistance; it's great for heavy foot traffic.
• C- Don't see any benefits
• D- Redundancy and durability
• E- Longevity and a proven track record.
• B.U.R. (Built Up Roof)
• A- It's a good roof if done right.
• B- If applied right it's tough to beat
• C- old technology
• D- Redundancy and durability
• E- It's a proven system, and very versatile
• EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer)
• A- Product itself will last forever, 50 years or more. The seam technology has made the product the most reliable, and it has proven itself easy to work with.
• B- EPDM is the most diversified product. you get the most bang for your buck than any other product, and you get the most life out of it.
• C- 40 plus year history, great UV and water resistance, very good track record.
• D- Lightweight, Cost less
• E- Proven system , accommodates extreme building movement.

What are the drawbacks of using the following roofing products :

• TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin)
• A- It hasn't been out that long, it's tiff sheet making it hard to work with
• B- It has lack of standards in the industry. It's new to the market. There's potential for application error down the road, which would happen six months to three years after the roof has been installed.
• C- Only ten years of history, at best.
• D- It's new, there's no history.it's sensitive to foot traffic and mechanical abuse.
• E- relatively new, lack of experience.
• MODIFIED BITUMEN
• A- Many, Many seams compared to other systems leaving greater risk for proper workmanship to ensure a good roof
• B- It is torch applied if using the APP modified, which is dangerous
• C- It does not like ponding water, has a seam every 39", not cost effective
• D- most costly. Torch is a safety concern
• E- to many ways to install presents potential problems for a less the quality installer.
• B.U.R. (Built Up Roof)
• A- The waterproofing comes from the asphalt. The roof is only as good as the mop man. If he has a bad day, the roof will reflect it. The roof has several sensitive issues when applying: EVT Estimated Equiviscous temperature making it much more difficult when installing it
• B- fumes, smell, danger of fire, many possible application error
• C- environmental issues, and great margin for error
• D- smell, losing qualified applicators therefore jobs are not going well
• E- costly when done right, smells, odors
• EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer)
• A- Didn't say there were any issues, just talked about how the seam technology has improved.
• B- It has weather limitations if you use the splice adhesive. If you don't use the splice adhesive, and use the tapes instead, there aren't any issues.
• C- it has issues with heavy foot traffic, and animal fat trow-off.
• D- It's not white, and is fragile to heavy foot traffic
• E- Seam Strength, and minimal reflectivity.

EPDM VS. BUILT-UP ROOFING

Expansion and contraction, ponding, moisture, thermal shock, and temperature extremes are all factors that promote premature degradation of a roofing membrane. The great elongation and low temperature flexibility of EPDM membrane accommodate building movement in various climatic conditions without stressing the material. Its moisture absorption resistance allows the material to be installed in assemblies with lesser slope than other single-plies and makes it tolerable to incidental ponding and deflection. Unlike built-up roofing, EPDM membrane does not contain organic material that can decay as the result of moisture caused by condensation or leaks. EPDM membrane, due to its ability to withstand extreme temperature, can be successfully used in assemblies with greater thermal resistance (thicker insulations with higher R-values). The ability of a roofing membrane to withstand temperature extremes is an important trait of a high performance material because temperature extremes could promote premature membrane aging and reduce the life expectancy of a roof.

WINNER: EPDM

EPDM

(Ethelyne Propylene Diene Monomer)

The greatest test of any construction material is how it performs under actual field conditions. Forty years of empirical experience in field applications has shown EPDM to have the roofing industry's longest average service life. Characteristics that contribute to this superior overall system performance include:

• Cyclical membrane fatigue resistance
• Proven hail resistance
• High resistance to ozone, weathering and abrasion
• Flexibility in low temperatures
• Superior resistance to extreme heat and fire
• Thermal shock durability
• Ultraviolet radiation resistance

Commercial Roofing - Zones 1-8

White thermoplastic roof membranes are thought of by some as a step forward in addressing global climate shift and as a tool to reduce energy consumption. The government mandated its use in some places and everyone was forced to  jump aboard without empirical data: builders, designers, and manufactures alike. Here we are, short of twenty years coming, and the most important thing that has changed is that we have become more educated in how this material performs.

Thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy for providing their research - we now know, “when cool roofs are optional ... the decision should be considered carefully, as cool roofs do not perform equally well everywhere. Climate has the biggest impact on energy savings. Cool roofs achieve the greatest cooling savings in hot climates (Climate Zones 1-3) but can increase energy costs in colder climates due to reduced beneficial winter time heat gains.” Tom Hutchinson of The Hutchinson Design Group in Chicago, IL is a well-respected roof consultant who has worked with two international committees tasked with defining roof sustainability.“It’s gotten to the point out there where people think, ‘if a roof membrane is white, then it’s great,’” Hutchinson says. “In the real world of roof design, that is definitely not the case.”

The fact is that “cool” membrane color can be light if you live in climate zones 1-3 or dark colored in zones 4-8. Dura-Ply Roofing in Addison, IL, is 25 minutes west of Chicago, in climate zone 5, where a dark-colored roof membrane is preferred.

A Dura-Ply Wind Vented Roof System

The Dura-Ply team spent years engineering, and perfecting, a complete roofing solution to provide our customers.  The function of our wind vented system offers greater value over any other product by eliminating common potential roof failures that contribute to diminishing the expected serviceable life cycle of a roof system.

The Wind Vented Roof System Is Designed To:

1.       Eliminate the unnecessary cost of a complete tear-off

2.       Completely dries out a roof, removing trapped water/moisture from under the membrane.

3.       Does away with racking of fasteners.

4.       Provides 40+ years of serviceability, longest in the roofing industry

5.       Stops potential wind damage, equalizing pressures exerted from wind lift.

WIND VENTED ROOF SYSTEM

Welcome to Dura-Ply Roofing Corporation's Blog!

We are using this feed to better educate our customer, and our industry, by offering empirical data that supports, and promotes, the application of a true, sustainable roof membrane (EPDM: EthylenePoly-Propylene Diene Monomer).

Allow me to introduce:

Dura-Ply Roofing Corporation is a commercial/Industrial roofing company located in Addison, IL. We have done business in the Chicago area since 1978, specializing in EPDM rubber flat roofs since 1984, and have since perfected a trouble free, vented EPDM roof system that the industry has confidently proven will last 40+ years. The function of our vented system offers an unparalleled value over any other product by eliminating common roof failures that diminish the expected serviceable life-cycle of a roof system. With a large footprint in the Chicago area, we have successfully installed over 40 million square feet of EPDM. We install a proven system, offer an opportune service, and assure customer satisfaction.