Choosing The Right Roofing System
Mario Williams is a partner at Lone Star Roofing
, a third-generation family owned and operated roofing company located in Texas. A graduate from the University of Texas, Williams is known throughout the state as an expert in commercial and industrial roofing techniques. Here, explains and the benefits and drawbacks of some of the most popular roofing systems available.
Choosing the right roofing system for a specific job has to do with many factors, but a few of the most important things a roofing contractor should take into consideration include climatewhere the building is located and what the weather is like thereas well as how tall the building is, since those are two of the most important factors when deciding on a new roofing system.
Climate
When a person calls and says he or she is looking into getting a new roof, one of the first things we will ask about is climate. We want to know where this person lives in the country, because that will have a huge impact on the course of action we chose to take.
I am based down in Texas, and a lot of people down here are installing EPDM roofs. Essentially, EPDM roofs are just black inner tubes, like rubber. So that is a system that is designed for a northern climate. It works well where it gets very cold. In Texas, however, these roofs are a nightmare because it is obviously a black roof and it when it gets to 110 degrees outside, which is common in the warmer months, that roof gets well into the upper-100 degrees range. You could literally cook on an EPDM roof a lot of times. So these major heat fluctuations are bad for the roof, and they can be bad for the home as well if it drives up the temperature inside. The heat itself is bad for the adhesives that make the EPDM roof stick together, as well, and overall this hot weather can make a roof like that fail prematurely.
So the climate where your home is located is a big deal. What part of the country you are in will determine what type of roofing system is better for your specific job.
Building Height
Another factor to look at when determining what type of roofing system is going to be your best option is to look at how high the roof itself or the building is. If you have a really high roof, then a single ply roofing system will work a lot better than other options. Single ply roofs are TPO, PVC, and EPDM.
The reason that these systems are more favorable for higher roofs is because if you are working on a roof that is really high, then you dont have problems with people throwing debris on the roof. Things of that nature, like when people might be throwing bottles or trash or climbing up and stepping on the roof, arent usually an issue with tall buildings. This is something you want to look at though, when determining what roofing system you are interested in, because single ply roofing systems tend to be thin and they puncture easily. That makes them less than ideal for lower buildings, like single family homes.
On the other hand, though, these single ply roofs are chemically superior and they last longer, which is obviously what everyone wants. No matter if this type of roof is exposed to the sun, rain, or chemicalsthe way it is made ensures that is it going to have a longer lifespan than some other roofing systems.
So combining these factorsa longer lifespan but also a thinner roof that is easier to punctureis why these single ply systems are good in higher buildings. A buildings height lets us take advantage of the positive chemical properties while not having to worry about damage from it being punctured by a kid whos playing around.
by: Mario Williams
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