Attention Flat Roof Peoples

[Bixby17]

Hi, I'm still working on figuring out my house and thought about asking this question here.

I am not going to redo my interiors until I am confident in my roof.

I got a really high estimate for redoing my roof. Then I got another estimate from someone who specializes in TPO roofs. I found out about these through a friend of mine who built a from scratch flat roof house a few years ago.

TPO, I believe stands for Thermoplastic Polyolefin.

Most roof materials in houses of my era are tar and gravel. And the problem with those is that where there are seams of different materials, you can have leaks. Also, with many of those roofs, any standing water will make the manufacturers warranty go away. Just about all flat roofs have standing water, so that is a problem.

There are lots of manufacturers of TPO products. Basically, they can come in various colors, but in this environment, most people get white roofs for energy reasons. GenFlex and VersiWeld are some of the manufacturers.

The roofing guy I talked to says he recommends this product for all flat roofs except for those where there is a lot of activity, such as apartment complexes with a lot of ACs on the roof. The issue that these roofs can have is with puncturing, and sometimes AC guys can be a little rough on the roof, such as putting screwdrivers in them while they are working.

A normal roof has a lifetime of about 10 years, with the need for rechecking the roof in 5 years. The roof guy that I talked TPO about says that depending on the thickness, the warranty on these roofs can be from 15 to 30 years. The material used is basically the same stuff that is on Minute Maid Park and Reliant Stadium.

TPO roofs are supposed to cost the same as traditional flat roofing material. The estimate I got was much less.

Anyone have any experience with these?

[Dan the Man]

We use TPO on many of our commercial projects. I like the product itself, but it is only as good as the installer. It will end up leaking if the seams and penetrations are not dealt with correctly. Get a roofer who is a certified installer and has a proven track record.

[GREASER]

Call Starfish Roofing. Ask them about flat roofs.

[domus48]

Not knowing what your square footage is so that a quick p.s.f. cost could be evaluated doesn't assist with this question but nevertheless you are pretty much spot on with all of your comments. The only item I would suggest you study is:

Roof warranties are typically tied to labor only. Also the condition of the substrate can impact a warranty if such goes beyond labor

[Bixby17]

To Do: Study roofing types; secure pricing from several firms who have a reasonable operational history; re-study roofing types based on estimates received; do not opt for any roof system applied over your existing roof ("You'll save money this way"); assuming you've 2000 s.f. you can expect to lay down anywhere from 14K to 28K (if there is no substrate work

[domus48]

"What is the reason for not opting for a roof system applied over your existing roof? Curious."

Unless the existing roof system is in good shape, it would not be prudent to overlay roof systems -- the inevitable is only being delayed. That said, if the existing roof system -- and substrate, fascia, drip edge, etc. -- are in working condition (and there is not two roof overlays already) you can opt for an additional layer. Depending on roof type.

You may wish to check with Rivas Roofing.

[Pumapayam]

Anyone have any experience with these?

I had mine installed in 2006, there is a thread about it on here too.

I am happy with it now, but it took at least 3 more visits for them to replace the roof correctly without it leaking.

[Bixby17]

I had mine installed in 2006, there is a thread about it on here too.

I am happy with it now, but it took at least 3 more visits for them to replace the roof correctly without it leaking.

Was the problem with the TPO product installation? What aspect of it was causing problems?

[sevfiv]

fyi - topic was moved by suggestion to Home Building and Repair due to the content of the thread.

[TXvoodoo]

I used Starfish roofing for my roof, almost 4200 square feet and it has been great. I wasn't completely happy with their work but the quality of the roof is fine. Fairly inexpensive (as far as some of the other bids) and they went right over the top of my tar and gravel. I opted for a white roof for energy purposes and worried if it would look horrible but now we don't even notice it. The energy savings have been tremendous. Feel free to send me a message and I would be happy to show it to you or talk to you over the phone.