What is TPO roofing all about? This is a question that many business owners tend to ask when they are faced with the choice of selecting the type of roof they want for their first commercial building. TPO is considered by many commercial roofers near me to be one of the best choices by far when it comes to resilience and weatherproofing.
Even though there is no one type of commercial roofing system that is good for all applications, TPO comes close, ensuring that as a building owner, you can call the shots when it comes to the design and longevity of your roof, as long as you take a few precautions to keep your new TPO roofing system protected in the long run.
What Is a TPO Roof?
So, what is TPO roofing about anyway? What is this mysterious material that roofers hold in such high regard? TPO is an abbreviation that stands for thermoplastic polyolefin. The term is often used to refer to a type of membrane roofing system that features a single ply construction, and uses the material known as TPO as its most essential chemical component.
TPO membranes can be produced through one of three different methods:
- Extrusion with added lamination;
- Calendering with lamination;
- Various extrusion coating methods.
These membranes are typically white, and like other thermoplastic materials (PVC and EIP, to name two of the most popular ones), TPO involves no chemical crosslinking, and the material can be gradually softened through heating, then allowed to cool until it hardens into a strong, weather-resistant coating that will protect your building from the elements for many years.
Most manufacturers will recommend TPO roofing for a variety of uses and provide commercial buyers with warranties of up to 30 years. Most TPO systems do not receive surfacings, and they can be installed mechanically, fully adhered, or ballasted.
The Uses of TPO Roofing Systems
Because of its single ply construction, TPO can be installed quite easily. So it’s often recommended in cases when clients require roofers to provide them with a quick, easy to install and durable solution to their roofing problems. But TPO is also much more than that. It can typically be used in many different ways and for many different reasons:
- Because warranties are known to last for up to 30 years, it stands to reason that TPO can outlast most types of commercial roofs. This is true, and it’s not uncommon that a well-maintained TPO roof can be recommended for buildings expected to last for a long time without much maintenance work required.
- This is a great type of roof to use when your buildings needs to be protected against heat and elemental threats. You’ll find it can easily withstand storms, snow and water damage. It’s also used when single ply membranes are the only choice, and when other single ply roofing systems, such as EPDM, fail to meet the environmental or durability requirements.
- They are also used when there is a threat of the roof being exposed to various contaminants that would damage other types of roofing membranes.
- Occasionally, TPO can also be used in residential applications, although you won’t find many manufacturers willing to extend their warranties for that purpose.
Undoubtedly, TPO roofing is one of the best types of roofing systems you can use, especially if you want a roof that’s durable, easy to install, and capable to withstand most elemental threats.