In 2001 there were at least 4 fundamentally different tpo formulations in service on roofs in the us this is a conservative number as some manufacturers had more than 4 formulations or generations of tpo in production and service.
Why does tpo flat roofs fail.
The other biggest positive to using tpo is its color.
This means that a tpo roof is as uv resistant and as heat resistant as epdm and as heat weldable.
The biggest positive to installing tpo roofing on your flat roof is the cost.
Tpo is touted to have the benefits of two of its direct competitors epdm and pvc roofs but without the drawbacks and extra costs.
They began experimenting with tpo which to this day is about 10 more expensive than epdm and 10 30 less expensive than pvc cost of membrane only.
Tpo only became widely available in the early 1990 s.
25 or so years ago large epdm manufacturers decided to compete with the likes of sarnafil durolast and fibertite and take away their market share of high end flat roofing.
But such a low slope holds snow and water much longer than a steeply pitched roof and therefore needs a very different material to stay watertight.
Tpo is one of the cheapest materials on the market today costing less than epdm or other types of rolled rubber roofing.
Failed promise of tpo.
While standard sloped roofs typically have shingles that are overlapped like.
If you are looking to install a single ply roofing membrane that will be energy efficient and are evaluating your options consider tpo thermoplastic olefin roofing.