PVC vs TPO?

rwolfe

Addressing your questions to me:


I'm not argueing the reflectivity of tpo vs bur. You mentioned in your previous post "Price-wise it's hard to combat a $2500-$5000 hot tar roof; but having to shell that out every 3-5 years IF you get a good installation, the PVC or TPO roof would have more than likely already paid for itself and will last a good 20 years or more".

I was stating that I completely disagree that a BUR lasts only 3-5 years. This is why I made the comment about owners seeking out of state contractors. If your installing BUR roofs that are lasting 3-5 years that's a problem. A big problem. This shouldn't be that hard to understand. My
apologies if it does.

Finally, I love roofing.

Conklin apparently sells pesticides and garden supplies. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just find it Interesting.

tomdaleh

rwolfe

For some reason your post is not visible to me on this site, but I read what you said in my email.

I've never heard of smearing asphalt only. I didn't know that was even an option. I'd certainly not include that in a conversation about roofing. Because it's not. The people that are smearing asphalt and calling it roofing are the same people who are buying modified at home depot and catching roof's on fire.
I think I 'm speaking from a plane than you in terms of what kind of business we do or work for. We do not put roof's on without a Manufacturer's Warranty or without a Contractor's Warranty. Mod BUR or Single Ply.

You'll have to excuse my rudeness with regards to Conklin. It's only because I've been roofing in a bottle for the last 15 years. Never heard of Conklin. Look them up and I see they specialize in Marketing, Networking, Farm Equipment, pesticides and roofing. Interesting combonation. They have chosen a nice PVC sheet to push. Dow makes the KEE sheet for Seamans as well. There is not a better single ply product on the market. Which is kind of what you originally said, but you called it a Conklin product. That's what through me off.

Smearing asphalt should never be compared to KEE. It's like comparing pizza to poop. Doesn't make sense.

tomdaleh

I agree with you 100% on the "smearers"; we still have to compete with those roofers out there who have no manufacturers warranty or otherwise. And its funny how often consumers will roll the dice and go with them only 3-5 years later are back in the same situation and the guy is no where around to service his product.

Everyone I've talked that installs the Conklin Flexion PVC 50 mil single-ply is getting really good long-term results. Over this past Thanksgiving week I had to use the Weatherbond 45 mil TPO, and while it's a quality product in it's own right I'm sure, it just didn't measure up to what we typically install with the Flexion.

I'm continually looking for other products to compliment our lineup, especially for fluid applications in the winter, although I realize they won't necessarily be as environmentally friendly as I like. We do flat roof repairs on all types of flat roofs but only install the white reflective coatings or single-plys. Our Conklin coatings are elostomeric acrylics and as such water based. Our new install market is the "environmentally conscious" consumer.

Appreciate your insights and look forward to hearing more from you.

IDM ROOF

What cost are you seeing these days for TPO and PVC (material)? My largest exposure to PVC is Duro Last. I've been told to expect a slighly higher material cost, but a lower labor cost for Duro Last, as compared to TPO. We are looking at re-roofing a 250,000 sf warehouse in SoCal. Thanks.

peterjames

Most people use 45- to 90-ml single-ply PVC, TPO or EPDM 1-mm-thick pond liner to waterproof the surface. Some people also use built-up heat-applied high-polymer asphalt or SBS modified bitumen with root barriers. Before installing your roof, you can use a technique called Electric Field Vector Mapping to see that there are no leaks. This technique costs just $1 per square foot and is 100 percent accurate in detecting pin-hole-sized leaks, so it is highly recommended that you hire a knowledgeable contractor to provide this service, even if you're installing the roof primarily yourself.

RooferJim

torching right to plywood, thats just F%$ing crazy dude. roofing torches at home depot is also very crazy. You have to have a very careful and trained crew for a good mod bit job. Im my area it is almost extinct because of bad press and clown roofers burning down buildings. The building with the big Citgo sign next to fenway park almost burned down because the roofers came back after lunch half drunk and got the cant strip to smolder, it caught fire at night and set off the sprinklers and wrecked havok with the escalotors in the building. My cousin was on that job, large unnamed union contractor. If you try to roof in Boston without a union card you could end up "swiming with the fishes" so to speak. RIP torchdown

Grumpy

RooferJim I have seen it before MANY times. LOL see guys torching to plywood curbs too. Like you said Just F-ing crazy. The last torch job we did someone caught a pallet on fire. Nobody knows how, reminisent of the "not me" ghost from family circus, come to find out one guy who has been fired was hoarsing around. A torch is not a toy. That's when I really really made the switch to single ply, before we just kinda toyed around with it.

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

davidjl

Our family started in roofing in 1919, seen a lot have done a lot. Check out our support www.lottescompanies.com and www.lottesroofing.com

Did over a million square feet of PVC in the midwest in the 1980, most of which had failures.

Quality products with and quality installations of EPDM and TPO and far better, and not as costly.

Plenty of documentation on EPDM, TPO and PVC on the web, PRO and CON, but from my experience, EPDM, TPO and PVC in that order if your wanting the best performance as well as cost effectiveness for your customers.


Respectfully

David J Lottes

davidjl

http://www.epdmroofs.org/


http://www.watergardencreations.com/main/MajorPVC.pdf


http://www.watergardencreations.com/main/PVCPoison.pdf


http://www.watergardencreations.com/main/Nike.pdf