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Know Your Roof: TPO (Single Ply Membrane)

Aug 4, 2018

Brief Summary – TPO stands for Thermoplastic Polyolefin. It is a type of single ply roofing membrane. These kind of membranes have a lower cost compared to traditional B.U.R. TPO systems make sense for buildings with high turn over like some restaurants because they do have excellent grease resistance. As we can expect with lower prices comes lower life expectancy.

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Email: info@crownroofing.ca

Know Your Roof: TPO

TPO is an acronym that stands for Thermoplastic Polyolefin. TPO is a type of single ply roofing membrane. Single ply membranes are growing in popularity due to their cost.

How is TPO Installed?

TPO membranes come in large rolls that must be carefully setup in a prepared roof. The membrane seams are heat welded with a hot-air gun. The welded or fused seam is stronger than the field of the membrane. The seam strength is generally 3 to 4 times stronger than traditional rubber roofs seams. This is very important because the biggest cause of failure in most other Single Ply membranes are the seams.

Benefits

TPO is resistant to contaminates such as grease and urban pollution. This resistance is the biggest incentive for restaurants, food manufacturing and other buildings exposed to these environmental hazards.

When installed by trained professionals like Crown Industrial Roofing, has some limited ability to stretch and expand as necessary. This flexibility means a more resilient roof that flexes with the building.

TPO are generally a less expensive solution compared to EPDM and BUR style roof for the initial install. Which makes it a great choice for a cash strapped operator or a high turn over building.

Concerns

TPO roofing does have a lower life expectancy compared to EPDM and BUR. Properly installed and maintained, TPO roofing system will last you 15 – 20 years.

Because it is a very thin membrane, it is susceptible to damage and punctures due to debris and tree branches. This is not a good option for buildings in a forested or debris prone areas.

Since TPO systems relatively easy to install, there are a lot of hacks and fly by night operations offering them to business owners. This has resulted in plethora of business owner getting shoddily installed single ply system which do not provide the expected protection or life span.

In Conclusion

TPO systems are a great option for some buildings because of their contaminant resistance and flexible nature. These membranes do not last as long as other roofing systems but their cost of installation is lower. Like any other roofing system, they require regular inspections and maintenance to fulfill their life span. Single ply system should only be installed by Professional and Experienced Roofing company like Crown Industrial Roofing. We can help you select the right roofing choice for your business and environment.

Call Today for all your TPO system needs (Inspection, Maintenance, Repair, or Replacements)