TPO roofing

TPO Roofing was invented by the chemical company DOW in the early 1990’s. TPO Roofing means “Thermalplastic Olefin” roofing. TPO membranes are a combination of rubber and hot air welded seams made from ethylene propylene rubber. They have excellent resistance to ozone, are algae-resistant, environmentally friendly and safe to install. The material is often advertised as a monolithic (seamless) roof. TPO resists tears, impacts and punctures with good flexibility to allow for building movement. TPO’s are available in white, light gray, and black with thicknesses of either 45 mils (.045″) or 60 mils (.060″). Membrane width depends on the manufacturer but they usually come in widths of six to six-and-a-half feet and are one-hundred feet long.

TPO Roofing is considered a fully-adhered roofing. In other words the roofing membrane is already attached to the substrate material with adhesive, thus it forms a strong chemical bond. TPO is highly heat reflective, fire resistant, and energy efficient. It also resists UV rays and dirt. TPO is popular in the automotive industry where it is known for impact resistance. This crosses over into the roofing industry where hail damage to roofs is a common concern.

roofing contractors and manufacturers love the shift from some lower priced materials like EPDM to more expensive TPO materials. Commercial roofing sales were $3.3 billion overall in 2007 with single-ply products being the largest segment. TPO has been expanding its portion of that large share.

As the green movement grows, TPO is becoming more and more popular, particularly because it is recyclable. It can be recycled as a roofing material but also burned as a fuel. TPO burns very cleanly with no toxic emissions when no flame retardants are present. It therefore has a high potential as a high energy fuel for waste-to-energy programs.

TPO roofs are categorized as “cool roofs.” A cool roof can be defined in a variety of ways by people or by different municipal codes. But basically, a cool roof reflects and emits the sun’s heat back skyward without allowing it to pass into the building or home. The more sun a roof reflects and emits, the cooler the roof. The Cool Roof Rating Council, CRRC, maintains an on line database of cool roof products. Some TPO roofs score high on the scale, some do not, so be advised.

It may seem silly to say, but for many TPO roofing is the way to go.

GAF roofing

GAF Roofing was founded in 1886 and today is North America’s largest manufacturer of residential and commercial roofing. According to GAF roofing, “GAF is your best and safest choice.”

To examine that claim let’s start with some of the reason GAF gives for its lofty status. GAF has manufacturing locations across North America – to serve you better. And that will generally serve you better because it means less time and expense in shipping materials, as well as a nearby point of contact. GAF invented the Timberline shingle which is the #1-selling architectural shingle in North America. If GAF didn’t make good products, people wouldn’t buy them. GAF was Awarded #1 visual brand by Life Magazine, meaning GAF products look as good as they perform. GAF’s Fireshield brand roof restoration system was named “Best Product” by the editors of Buildings magazine. GAF was rated #1 in shingle quality by home builders. GAF was the winner of the Builder’s Choice award. Home builders named GAF’s Cobra ridge vents # 1 in quality. Of course, which home builders and how many would be natural follow up questions. Leading publications and networks such as HGTV feature GAF products. GAF is the premium designer roofing shingles and has twice received the Architects Choice For Excellence award. GAF’s Freedom TPO self-adhering roofing systems was chosen Product Of The Year by Commercial Building Products magazine . GAF was named the most-used brand of shingles and roof vents by remodeling contractors. GAF was named #1 in innovation for shingles and ridge ventilation by home builders, and most-recommended brand by upscale remodelers. Lastly, GAF was the first company to produce an energy-efficient asphalt shingle available in rich colors, called the Cool Color Series.

Take marketing speak with a grain of salt, but GAF does have a positive reputation in the roofing industry.

The residential brand for GAF roofing is GAF-Elk. This roofing brand includes quality shingles, 100% watertight leak barriers, roof deck protection, low-slope membrane roofing, fiber cement siding, ridge cap shingles, attic ventilation, starter strip shingles and accessory paint. They have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for this line. GAF-Elk products are not carried by large chains such as Home Depot, but they do list distributors on their web site http://www.gaf.com.

GAF Roofing also offers stone, decking and siding to help compliment and complete the home. When selected a roof or any product do some comparison. No matter how prestigious| the company or how many awards it has, it’s always best to consider a number of companies.

Rubber roofing

Rubber baby buggy bumpers. I’m rubber you’re glue, what you say bounces off me and sticks to you. Rubber ducky you’re the one. Rubber roofing. What? Rubber roofing? Stop pulling my leg, rubber roofing indeed. Yes there is. If rubber keeps rain and weather off a person when worn as a rain coat or rain boots, why not keep water and the elements out of a house as a roof?

Number one with a rubber roof is a myth . It’s perfectly fine to install rubber roofing over an existing roof. After all, it saves time from removing the old roof. And in areas where the old roof is intact there’s double protection. Wrong! There are good reasons a roof warranty becomes void if it’s installed over an existing roof. So get ready for that removal. It’s step one.

Rubber roofs can be easy to self install. Both rolls and shingles come in a variety of styles and colors. A perfect material for large flat roofs, rubber roofing will last for years, and won’t split or crack. Rubber roofing experiences less stress than other material shingles because it expands and contracts with the roof in response to weather changes. In fact the first rubber roof, which was installed in Wisconsin in 1980, is still in perfect condition after nearly three decades of service.

Adhesive is used to attach both roll and shingle rubber roofing to the roof. Therefore make sure the roof is as clean as possible with nothing protruding which could pierce the rubber. The surface must be dry and clean of oils or dirt. Use a blower or broom to clear away dirt and debris.

When the base is clean, the rubber roof can be rolled out onto the area being covered, and cut to fit over vents and pipes. It’s a mistake to apply adhesive before the rubber roofing is cut and shaped. Imagine securing portions of the roof only to find it doesn’t fit, or to develop a bubble or seam. When the roof is cut and fit then roll back about half to apply the adhesive. Apply it evenly with a roller, then give it time to become tacky.

It is nearly impossible to lift the roofing once it’s stuck to the roof. So once the adhesive has set carefully roll the rubber roofing into place. The first half will have to dry for about an hour before the second half can be secured.

The home or building now has a rubber roof. Wow.

Roofing tools

You can’t go wrong hiring a qualified professional for a roofing project. But with a little bit of time and knowledge, and often with the help of a few friends, replacing a roof can be a rewarding do it yourself project. The key to doing it yourself rather than doing yourself in is the right roofing tools. Most of the following tools can be found at the local hardware store.

A slate cutter does just what the name implies, cuts slate and shingles. It cuts through most roofing materials like a hot knife through butter. Industrial versions cut 1/2” thick shingles easily. Some models have a punch to get them started, which also offers better control in the cutting process.

Instead of throwing the shingles to the ground, which requires a constant trek to the perilous edge, consider a ridge bucket. These buckets are designed to hug the roof so they don’t slip even on a steep incline. It’s safer and quicker to use a ridge bucket to dispose of materials.

Use a hip runner to install ridge cap and hip ridges perfectly straight every time. Of all the roofing tools this is one the contractors always have, but do it your self enthusiasts rarely consider.

Seaming pliers aren’t for sewing. They’re for pulling shingles, especially stubborn shingles that seem to have a mind of their own intent on staying in place. Seaming pliers have teeth to grip the shingle without tearing it. Add a good pair of thick work gloves to save your fingers and hands from scrapes, bruises and blisters caused by gripping and pulling rough shingles.

What has a hammer head on one side and an ax and blade on the other? No, not a movie hero’s weapon, it’s a slater’s hammer. This roofing tool can be used both for removing and installing roofs. Don’t worry about it going to waste after the roofing project, it’s also a handy every day hammer.

Most local hardware stores rent these tools as well as sell them. This way a home owner can use the best quality tools rather than one that’s cheaper to purchase. Knowledge is also a roofing tool, perhaps the most important of them. Local hardware stores, as well as the Internet, are great sources of information on roofing and roofing tools. Between books they carry and staff on hand who can give you advice, they can prepare a person for every step of the roofing process.

Roofing shingles

Roofing shingles are something that most every homeowner has, but few spend enough time thinking about them. The purpose of roofing shingles are to provide a single layer solution to a leak proof top for a home or structure. Roofing shingles are laid from the bottom edge of the roof upward, with each higher row overlapping the lower row . Early shingles were made of wood and were capped at the top with a row of copper or lead sheeting. In modern shingle roofs this cap has been replaced by a row of roofing shingles that includes a plastic underlay.

In the old days wood roofing shingles were considered good. But eventually asphalt and asbestos cement replaced wood as common materials. Fiberglass based asphalt shingles are currently the most popular shingle used in the United States. The obvious issue with wood is fire, and fire is the reason wood and paper backed shingles are used infrequently in modern construction.

There’s another type of roofing shingle that many people have seen but few would be able to name. It’s called a shake, which is a wooden shingle made from split logs. Shake roofs were commonly used in building log cabins, and with many wood frame homes. They’re still in use today, most commonly transported by helicopters, but it wasn’t always done that way. Shakes were tied into packs and transported by pack animals, or even people, before helicopters were invented. Often cut in hilly areas, they were carried down the slope with the help of a long line run from the bottom to the top. This line served as a kind of hand hold so people carrying the shake packs wouldn’t fall.

The main difference between a shingle and a tile is flexibility. Tiles are generally made from ceramic. They’re brittle and ill suited to locations where tree limbs might impact a roof. Shingles are flexible and therefor better able to resist damage from tree limbs. Wood shingles rot, while ceramic tiles don’t., but modern materials such as the asbestos base for most shingles don’t rot. Another difference is the shape. Ceramic tiles have an “S” profile to allow them to interlock for strength while roofing shingles are flat.

One of the more unique materials for roofing shingles is slate. Slate can be easily split into thin sheets. Such sheets, the slate roofing shingles, make for an rustic look for a roof. Slate roofing shingles are installed by a slater, a tradesman trained to work with slate. Because slate is fireproof and an electric insulators, qualities that make it excellent for roofing shingles, slate was used for early 20th century switchboards and relay controls for large electric motors . Imagine that, making a phone call on your roofing shingles.

Roofing material

When a homeowner makes a selection of a roofing material, they should, take the roofing material’s lifespan into account because this determinesthe overall lifespan of the roof. And that has an impact on long term cost.

A roof’s lifespan depends on a number of factors, including roofing style, materials, and the climate in the area where the home is located. It’s generally wise to select roofing products that have nearly the same lifespan to avoid piece by piece repairs throughout a ten to fifteen year period. Generally, roofing materials last for about twenty years. That assumes proper maintenance and no significant weather damage. Some materials have a lifespan of up to 50 years while some others last as little as 10 years. Here is a list of some common roofing materials along with lifespans.

The average lifespan of asphalt roofing is from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Because of the low cost of the materials and the ease of repairs asphalt roofing materials are one of the most common types of roofing materials used throughout the nation.

Fiberglass roofing lasts between 15 and 20 years. Fiberglass roofing requires little maintenance and can be manufactured in many different colors and styles to give the homeowner the desired look. Roofs made from this material are water resistant and mold resistant.

Many homes in the northeastern portion of the nation use wooden shakes and shingles. These roofing materials will generally last for about 15 to 20 years, and can even last for as many as 30 years if the shakes and shingles are well maintained.

With an average lifespan of 40 to 75 years, slate roofing materials are amongst the longest lasting roofing products.

Metal roofing can last nearly 50 years. Metal roofs come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles, and can even resemble tiles and wooden shingles. These roofing products are nearly indestructible from weather and can be installed over the current roof.

A less well known option is rubber roofing. It’s easy to install, easy to maintain, and long lasting. It can be a single sheet cut to fit the roof or shingles. The very first rubber roof ever installed was in Wisconsin in 1980. It’s still doing its job after nearly 30 years.

Roofing materials come in many varieties and styles. Pick the one that’s right for you.

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