Tpo Roof Failures

One of the major issues with tpo roofs has been premature aging and seam failures due to prolonged exposure to intense heat.

Tpo roof failures. Now tpo is more like epdm rubber with heat welded field seams. Reported problems included seams coming apart leaks and membrane failures especially when exposed to excessive heat over a prolonged period of time. Tpo membranes have shown no consistency relative to failure mode. It s no longer a truly heat welded system but is a hybrid of welded plus glued roof.

This problem has been specifically documented in the southern states that get a lot of heat and sun throughout the year. At 1 66 per square foot generic tpo is 13 more expensive than high quality brand name pvc so the price war is lost. Tpo roofing membranes have been noted to have an issue of accelerated weathering when subjected to high thermal or solar loading. The consequences of backwater laps are leaks and blisters which can lead to roof failure care explains.

Membrane failures were particularly frequent in the states that experience the most heat and uv radiation all year round. And if you believe in patterns we have found that tpo failures usually occur in those brands that rv consumer group rates as two stars and lower. A roof s life is finite but it doesn t have to be short lived. When that happens it can cause significant damage to roofing systems including debonding and curling of insulation and cover boards loss of thermal performance and compressive strength and deterioration of and mold growth on moisture sensitive and organic materials.

A vice president of one of the largest roofing contractors in north carolina. Over the years because of the faulty chemical formulas in the past many tpo roofs have failed and needed to be recalled. The roof itself should be examined twice a year and drains cleared and roof debris removed. Britek is a major brand name of rv tpo roofing and is also a dicor product as we show in our photo story the problem with tpo isn t the product it s the application.

Tpo also lost its competitive advantage by using peel stick flashing. With cold applied modified bitumens improper storage of materials can result in moisture infiltration built into the roofing system and under application of adhesive can result in poor lamination and roof leaks. We are seeing a lot of failed 45 mil membrane roofs and expect the 60 mil roofs to follow soon.