Things to Consider when Choosing a Material for your Flat Roof

29 Sep Things to Consider when Choosing a Material for your Flat Roof

When it comes to safely covering a flat roof, you’ve got a number of different options to choose from – even though traditional roofing options like shingles, asphalt, concrete tiles, and corrugated metal are no longer suitable.

For a flat roof, you’ll need to make a decision from various common materials, including PVC, TPO, and EPDM. We’ll cover the various benefits associated with each choice below.

PVC

PVC is probably the most common and popular option for flat roofing materials. Some contractors have even been known to only install PVC membranes on flat roofs. These options are made up of a single layer of thermoplastic material, which is both durable and strong – featuring a minimum point of breaking that weighs in at around 300 pounds of pressure per square inch. The seams of a PVC roof are generally heat-welded together to form a watertight connection that protect a home or room from the elements.

One of the biggest benefits of PVC roofs – especially those that are white in colour, is that they are very energy efficient – that is because these materials reflect the energy of the sun instead of absorbing it.

EPDM

Another popular option for flat roofing is EPDM – commonly known as a rubber roof. These solutions often come at a very low price – ideal for people on a budget. However, EPDM roofing isn’t always as popular as PVC solutions, as the joints in EPDM seams aren’t as strong as they are in PVC. At the same time, EPDM has been known to have a habit of absorbing heat, which can work to drive up the bills for utilities for the person owning the property.

TPO

Finally, in our list of the three most common choices for flat roofing materials, TPO is perhaps the least commonly used. However, it is another form of single-ply roofing membrane that can be used to chemically bond ethylene, rubber, and propylene, as well as various other filler materials. In the recent years, TPO flat roofs have been growing significantly in popularity thanks to their energy-efficient nature. TPO roofs, like PVC roofs, reflect the energy of the sun when purchased in light grey and white colours, and they are more readily available in a range of designs than their PVC and EPDM counterparts. What’s more, TPO roofs are often very affordable, despite their inherent durability.