Everything You Should Know About EPDM Roofs
Roof replacements are more common than many people think since extreme weather conditions can damage roofs in many ways. However, choosing a new roof material is not simple since picking the wrong one could make you spend a lot of money on repairs in the future.
Commercial and residential property owners often go for different types of roofs, but the advantages some roofing solutions used for commercial buildings offer could be what you need for your house. Have you ever heard about EPDM roofing? If you haven’t, you landed on the right page.
EPDM rubber roofing is one of the most popular options for medical facilities and commercial buildings, and that’s because of its durability and affordability. Is an EPDM roof what you need for your property? Dive into this page to find out!
What is an EPDM Roof?
EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, and it consists of a synthetic rubber solution used for roofs due to its durability. People can even use EPDM for vehicles, cold rooms, or decks.
Ethylene and Propylene are the main materials of EPDM roofs, and they come from oil and natural gas. There are three ways to install an EPDM roof membrane, so you can hire a professional roofer to fully adhere it, mechanically attach it, or ballast it to your property.
Adhering your roofing system is the method that takes the most time among the three, but it’s also the one that could make your EPDM rubber roof last the most. This process is as simple as gluing the EPDM sheets of your roof to the property’s roof surface.
Do you want a safer and faster installation method? You can mechanically attach it to the roof surface. When you do this, you screw the roof’s fasteners into its deck. We recommend you try this alternative if you live in an area with cold weather since it makes the process simpler for roofers.
Ballasting your EPDM rubber roofing system is the least common method listed here but also the most affordable one. Regardless of that, maintenance services for ballasted EPDM roofs are often more expensive than how they would be with other installation methods.
What Is EPDM Roofing Material Made Of?
The main EPDM roofing material is Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber. You can crosslink these materials by sulfur vulcanizing them. Manufacturers can alter the vulcanization process to make EPDM meet the specific needs of a project to a certain degree. Nonetheless, this depends on the EPDM polymers available for the job.
Why is EPDM a good material for roofs? Because it can withstand heat, steam, hail, and ozone with no problem. Property owners often install EPDM roofing on low-slope roofs to prevent water from damaging the place. Hence, it’s good to get an EPDM rubber roof in a place with extreme weather conditions.
How Long Can An EPDM Rubber Roof Last?
Roofing is not often something affordable, so you need to pick an option that won’t make you replace it in a few months. This is one of the reasons people often pick EPDM rubber roofing over other options available on the market since these roofs can last from 25 to 30 years.
It’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean all EPDM roofs in the country will last 30 years. Many factors can make the roof last less or more time. Firstly, you will only see your roof last 30 years if it’s properly installed, so you can’t hire a subpar roofing company to do the job.
Apart from that, the amount of sunlight the roof gets and the weather conditions it has to endure can reduce the roof’s lifespan. It’s not that the roof is not ready to endure those situations, but doing it daily may deteriorate your EPDM roof throughout the years.
Can I Install An EPDM Roof Membrane On My House?
Absolutely! Anyone willing to install EPDM roofing on their houses can do it, but there are some things they should take into account before trying it. The first one is the reason most people don’t install EDPM roofs on residential properties: aesthetics.
These roofs are only available in white and black, and while those colors can match your house design if you go for a B&W layout, EPDM is not the most appealing material on the market. Regardless of that, people don’t install EPDM roofing for how it looks but rather because of the benefits it offers.
You should also know that EPDM is mostly used for properties with low-slope roofs, so check out if your house is one of those. We recommend you install an EPDM rubber roof in your house if you live on a big property. The reason for that is the cost per square foot of this material tends to be more affordable for bigger projects.
Benefits of Getting an EPDM Roof
Are you interested in installing EPDM roofing on your commercial or residential property? We think it’s a great idea! However, you should know all the benefits installing these roofing solutions give you.
These are the main advantages of paying for EPDM roofing:
Durability
As we mentioned before, durability is one of EPDM’s greatest strengths. We know we said several factors affect the lifespan of your roof, but the same happens with other roofing materials. EPDM roofing has off-the-charts benefits.
Apart from that, EPDM is made to resist weather conditions such as extreme heat, heavy rain, and even hail. You won’t have to worry about paying for repairs every time the weather gets difficult, which will also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Flat and low-slope roofs need a lot of weather protection, and that’s the reason people use EPDM for them.
There are many affordable roofing materials on the market, and while they save you a lot of money in the first place, they make you spend all the money you saved on inexpensive installations in repairs, maintenance services, or even replacements. Fortunately, EPDM is both inexpensive and durable, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Heat Reflection/Heat Retention
EPDM roofs are available in black and white, but you should take some time to decide which option is better for your house. The color of your EPDM roof membrane doesn’t only affect the looks of the place but also its energy efficiency.
When you install a black EPDM roof, you enjoy its heat retention feature. The reason for that is this color can soak up the sun and keep the heat from it inside your house. We recommend you go for this option if you live in a place with cold weather.
White EPDM roofing offers the opposite of that, and it’s a perfect pick for southern areas and with warmer weather. When you get a white EPDM roof, it reflects the sun’s heat, which keeps your house cool even if you don’t have the AC on.
Affordability
Affordability is one of the main factors you should think about when deciding the best roofing material for your commercial or residential property. You may need to pay for other things at the moment, so you can’t go over your budget to try an outrageously expensive material for your roof.
You don’t need to worry about going over your budget with an EPDM roof membrane, though. EPDM roofs can cost you from $4.50 to $14.75 per square foot, but everything depends on how wide you need the roof to be and how challenging the installation process gets.
The least you could pay for an EPDM rubber roofing project is $6,000, and the most would be $18,000. While that may seem a lot at first glance, a slate roof can cost around $30 per square foot, which is way more expensive than EPDM.
Are There Any Drawbacks to EPDM Rubber Roofing?
All roofing materials have pros and cons, and EPDM is not an exception to that. Nonetheless, there aren’t many drawbacks to trying EPDM for your property, and the cons it has don’t represent a major setback that could keep you from installing the roof.
The main disadvantage of installing EPDM roofs is they are not as appealing as other options on the market. You can’t play that much around them as you could do with other materials that allow you to customize them to make them look better. Additionally, you can only get this roofing solution in black and white.
Fortunately, aesthetics is not something you should care that much about if you are using EPDM for a medical facility or a commercial building. On top of that, the benefits this material offers are enough to shadow its looks.
You should also know that EPDM is not a DIY-friendly material, so you can neither install it nor repair it yourself.
Different Types of EPDM Roofs
EPDM roofing is available in a variety of different types, including:
- Traditional EPDM: This is the most common type of EPDM roofing and is available in both black and white.
- Self-Adhesive EPDM: This type of EPDM roofing comes with an adhesive backing, which makes it easier to install.
- Reinforced EPDM: This type of EPDM has a layer of reinforcement, which makes it stronger and more durable.
- Fire-Retardant EPDM: This type of EPDM is specially designed to be fire-resistant.
- Pre-Fabricated EPDM: This type of EPDM is pre-made panels that are easy to install.
Bottom Line – Should I Try an EPDM Roof?
EPDM brings many benefits to the table, and while it’s mainly suitable for commercial facilities, you could also use it for your home. Should you try an EPDM roof? Well, nothing stops you from doing it. However, we only recommend you do it if you have a low-slope roof or if you need a waterproof roofing solution for your property.
We work in Rock Hill, SC, and offer top-tier roofing services to anyone in the area. Call us anytime you need a roof replacement or installation service!
Find the Right EPDM Roofing Contractor in Rock Hill, SC
Once you’ve decided to install an EPDM roof, it’s important to find a qualified EPDM roofing contractor to do the job. The best way to find a good contractor is to ask for recommendations from friends and family or search online for reviews. It’s also important to make sure that the contractor is licensed and insured.