At times, clients will come to me and ask what a single ply roofing solution would look like and what the cost might be on average. Well, first we need to break down the actual system. What does ply refer to? Ply is the thickness or layer for a laminated or folded material. Many times, it applies to either paper or wood. Single plywood would indicate you have one layer, while triple ply would be three layers.
In a single ply system for roofing, it can refer to a single membrane, that has both flexibilities as well as UV resistance. The whole thing can be put down in one layer using an adhesive compound or physical fasteners. For the single-ply system, it can come in a variety of materials such as TPO as well as PVC.
TPO
What is TPO? There are so many acronyms in roofing, at times it feels like it is hard to keep up. TPO is simply Thermoplastic Polyolefin and it is made from polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber polymerized together to form just one layer. Commonly, it is installed in a fully adhered fashion with adhesive or, if more stress is expected due to high winds or bad weather in the region, extra precautions can be taken and the membrane can be mechanically attached to the system through metal fasteners. The membrane will be exposed for the lifetime of the roof.
Where is the TPO membrane attractive? Any region that gets very hot! You can find this roofing system in California, Texas, and Florida. Are you in the Jacksonville area, looking for a commercial roofing solution for your commercial building? Go to the experts in the Jacksonville Beach area. Taylor Made Roofing located right there in Florida is very familiar with TPO as well as many other roofing solutions. Give them a call at 904-849-7758 and they can advise you. Commercial roofing in Nassau County Florida can be difficult, so go with the team that grew up near Fernandina Beach.
The reason a TPO solution is very attractive for hot regions is with more cooling degree days, specifically, when your heavy-duty commercial cooling system is working, outnumber your heating days, you want something that is going to reflect back UV radiation and not just absorb it. Heating days are few with commercial properties in Florida, so make sure your roof reflects that and you do everything you can to keep the surface cool. In the end, your commercial buildings will be able to lower their cooling costs, and also reduce their carbon footprint. You can save the environment while you also save some money.
Now, when looking at all the TPO options, you may wonder which one is right for you. There is a wide variety which includes smooth, extremely smooth, fleece back, freedom, and extreme fleece back. With all of these options, which one should you go with? These topics will be explored in future articles. Stayed tuned for more information on TPO solutions in Florida for roofing.
