Roofing Supplies

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 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.

EPDM roofing

An excellent rubber roofing solution for flat roofs where inflexibility, weathering and failing joints often cause roofs to leak is EPDM roofing . If you’ve been struggling with a flat roof leak, or you have a flat or gently sloping roof project, you’ll be happy to discover EPDM rubber roofing. With billions of square feet installed, EPDM has been proven to give many years of leak free service. The best part is, it’s easy to install.

EPDM is ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber with a benefit of not tainting run off water. This means the water coming from the roof can be re-used for sanitation purposes. Since an element of the green movement is to harvest rainwater, EPDM roofs are popular in green projects. Like TPO roofing, EPDM roofing is a membrane product. It is commonly used in big box stores with large open areas. Chances are if there’s a Walmart nearby it has an EPDM roof.

EPDM has been in use as a roofing material since the 1960’s. Efforts to recycle it began in the 1990’s. Presently there are more than 1 billion square feet of EPDM new roof coverings installed every year, with over 20 billion square feet already installed. EPA standards in 2007 raised the recycle bar to call for 50% of roofing materials used in any new project to be recyclable. An EPA study conducted in 2007 was used to determine if EPDM could be recycled to that level. The results were positive, but with some question remaining as to whether the recycled material could be used and produced in enough quantity to be feasible.

The EPDM Roofing Association, or ERA, is a trade association for EPDM. According to this group, “Since the early 1960’s, EPDM single-ply rubber membrane roofing products have gained wide industry acceptance and respect by providing long-term, economically efficient, dependable roofing solutions for the construction community. Their attributes include long-term warranties, low life-cycle costs, reduced labor costs, minimal maintenance and user-friendly code approvals. The sustained growth of EPDM roofing systems is attributed to the development of complementary technologies that have made it possible for EPDM roofing systems to be beneficial in a wide number of applications. Architects and contractors have come to depend on this proven track record of performance. As environmentalists and code regulators place more emphasis on the long-term performance of building materials, EPDM has become an increasingly obvious choice. The need to provide the construction and roofing communities with current and accurate data documenting the many benefits of EPDM roofing systems led to the formation of ERA.”

Wind resistance is one EPDM benefit heavily pushed by the EPA. EPDM roofs can be designed to resist winds of 120 MPH or more. For buildings in hurricane areas, that’s of huge benefit.