What Are Most Commercial Roofs Made Of?
Generally, commercial roofing is made with one of the following roofing systems:
- Metal Roofing
- PVC Roofing
- TPO Roofing
- Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Roofing
- Modified Bitumen
- Spray-On Silicone
Each different type of commercial roofing system has its own benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, it’s important to take into consideration your specific wants and needs when deciding on which commercial roofing system is best for you.
Metal Roofing
Commercial metal roofing systems have begun to increase in popularity due to their numerous advantages, although they still have some disadvantages that are important to know as well. Some of the notable advantages of having a metal roofing system are their longer lifespan (40-70 years), easy installation, energy efficiency, fire and weather protection, low maintenance cost, and modern look to name a few.
On the other hand, the drawbacks of metal roofing systems are that it is more expensive than other roofing systems, they are noisy during rain and other weather conditions, they’re prone to denting, and they are tougher to access when wet because of how slippery they get.
PVC Roofing
The pros of having a commercial PVC roofing system are not hard to acknowledge. For starters, PVC is extremely durable and will not need much maintenance over its long lifetime of over 20 years. In addition, PVC is fire retardant, resistant to wind, chemicals, is watertight, and environmentally friendly! Lastly, commercial PVC roofing systems are easy to install and cheaper to repair because they are single-ply and come in thick sheets.
The disadvantages of PVC roofing are the material and installation costs, and that it can be difficult to install. Choosing a reputable roofing contractor like Watermark Exteriors is key to having a properly installed PVC roofing system.
TPO Roofing
TPO roofing systems have many of the same benefits as PVC, however, TPO comes at a lower cost, which is a huge advantage TPO roofing has over other commercial roofing systems. The low cost, high durability and flexibility, low maintenance, easy installation, and energy efficiency are some of the best advantages to choosing TPO as a commercial roofing system.
The drawbacks of TPO are that it is a relatively new material, so it hasn’t quite stood the test of time like other roofing systems that have been around longer have. Additionally, the quality of TPO materials varies, as well as the thickness, which affects durability.
EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Roofing
Like PVC and TPO roofing systems, EPDM also shares the many benefits of choosing a single-ply roofing system such as economic friendliness, fire resistance, durability, and low energy cost. However, EPDM is more expensive than TPO on average, it’s not visually appealing, and it becomes more fragile near the end of its life.
Modified Bitumen
The benefits of modified bitumen commercial roofing systems are similar to the previous roofing systems mentioned. Some of which is its seamless connections, leak resistance, UV and heat resistance, tear resistance, weather resistance, many style options, ease of installation and repairs, and low environmental impact. Conversely, modified bitumen roofing systems have a low lifespan of 10-20 years, lower water resistance than TPO or EPDM, and emit a foul odor after installation.
Spray-On Silicone
Spray-on silicone is used for the restoration and protection of flat roofing systems, such as metal, EPDM, TPO, and modified bitumen to name a few. The benefits of spray-on silicone include ponding water resistance, flexibility and durability in weather, high solids content, UV protection, and being environmentally friendly. On the contrary, some cons of spray-on silicone are that it is slippery when wet, attracts dirt and is difficult to apply while spraying.
