Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) has been
on the worldwide commercial roofing market for 40 years. In this time span,
over 1 billion square feet of the material have been installed. The material
has established a proven track record of performance in all climatic
conditions, particularly in field membrane areas.
Thermoplastic olefins (TPOs) are a blend of
thermoplastics and elastomers. The chemical formulation consists of a
thermoplastic base - polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) - and an
elastomeric base - the ethylene-propylene rubber polymer of ethylene propylene
diene terpolymer rubber (EPDM).
The most critical point of the roof assembly is the roof edge. This juncture is the most susceptible to wind uplift failures and moisture infiltration. The majority of roof damage created by high-velocity winds is initiated at the perimeter or corners of the building and infiltrates throughout the field of the system.
Section 1507.2 of the International Building Code (IBC) covers the requirements for the application of asphalt shingle roof coverings. The section states that asphalt roof coverings shall be applied in accordance with the standards set in this section and the manufacturer’s installation requirements. The following text provides a brief interpretation of these codes.
Rooftop garden construction consists of two equally important phased applications: the waterproofing application and the garden assembly. The ultimate success of a rooftop garden depends largely on the proper design and installation of both of these applications.
Recently, building owners and insurance companies have begun heightening regulations to ensure that roof systems remain in place in severe weather events. Lately, the focus has been on the number of fasteners necessary to meet geographical wind uplift requirements. The focus should also be on the type of fastener applied, as this is as critical to the success of the roof system attachment as the number of fasteners applied.
Differential movement occurs when independent structural components are adjoined at different parts of the building. These conditions can occur in roof systems at flashings, penetrations, adjoining roof areas and mechanical penthouses.
Prefabricated roof curbs have been in use since the roof has been utilized for something other than keeping weather out. And in this one sentence lie the benefits and the detriments we face in the roof curb business everyday. The primary function of the curb is to keep weather out while supporting/flashing the equipment on it.
The perimeter edge is one of the most vulnerable points of a low-slope roof system. This area is continually susceptible to wind-uplift damage and moisture infiltration.
The roofing industry is now at a point where we should collectively define a uniform standard for the determination of moisture content in roof systems. It is time to move past the days of the "educated toe," i.e., subjective claims of how the system felt as it was walked across. A standard would benefit all sectors of the industry preventing frivolous lawsuits and unsubstantiated claims driven by the pursuit of profit.
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