TPO issues

Hi,

Anybody know why Dow Roofing Systems has stopped manufacturing TPO membrane back in January 2011?

Is TPO membrane recommanded for ''green roof''?

Any special procedures for installing TPO membrane for ''green roof''`?

What are the typical issues with using TPO membrane for green roof in cold climate?

Thanks for responding.

tom, what I'm seeing from the 00-01 installs, I don't expect much better. You cannot weld to them. Surfaces look rough. I do not expect more than 15 years, which is just unacceptable in my book for a new roof.

MikeH....Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was well aware of the failures pre-2000....I believe it was aprx. 1998?, (may be off a few years), that we succumbed to GAF's marketing of their attempt...Think they called it "Everlast", (or something like that). I believe the only others have been Genflex & Firestone, we've used. I believe it was a co. called "Trocal"? that provided material fot the new Denver Int'l airport in late 80's/early 90's, that immediatley failed. Like you, I haven't experienced any failures since 2000 +/-.

TomB Said: MikeH.....Can you enlighten me w/more TPO issues? Ive never really been fond of TPO, but since weve dramatically down-sized, Ive utilized it on the few commercial/flat roofs that do come our way.....But now Im re-thinking....The few jobs we do each year in our community, do add up.....Its all relative...Five yrs from now we could potentially have 3-4, little 100sq +/- projects failing every year...That wouldnt be good :ohmy:

Im actually a proponent of BUR...It works. We have 25+ yr. old roofs, still performing today. Only negative issue ever had was w/mod. bits now & then. However, its just isnt feasible for us, in these times

TomB,

My TPO experience began in 1988 when Goodyear released their non-reinforced TPO. That stuff isn't even worthy of discussion, however, the dog-ear corner piece I welded at my first training session is still sitting on one of the shelves in the "samples and literature" room. It looks great. LOL

Everything else that this company has installed prior to the year 2000 has failed. Failure causes include: total surface deterioration, delamination, underside deterioration, seam separation, hairline fracturing at seam edges, failure of factory reinforcment laps, wide spread cracking, chemical deterioration, UV degredation, and repetative motion cracking.

To date, I have not had a complete failure of a post 2000 installation, but some of them do not look very good.

This stuff if a low dollar product, chemically designed to provide a warranty that runs out, just before the water runs in. It took the mfr's a decade and a half of real world experience to figure out just how cheap they could make it in order to have it last as long as the warranty.

Products installed include Goodyear, Carlisle, Steven, Genflex, Fireston, Manville. As I did not install a Firestone or Manville TPO until after 2000, I do not have a "failure" with those products.

roof_dawg; Too much dirt, (clay filler), at times. LACK of lap adhesion. Got to where we'd only use Bi-tec for APP.

TomB, what issues did you have w/ mod bit? Too much adhesive was the only issue I've encountered since we've been installing it.

I'm also interested in hearing more drawbacks to TPO as I've been using that lately instead of mod bit on large roofs.

MikeH.....Can you enlighten me w/more TPO 'issues"? I've never really been fond of TPO, but since we've dramatically down-sized, I've utilized it on the few commercial/flat roofs that do come our way.....But now I'm re-thinking....The few jobs we do each year in our community, do add up.....It's all relative...Five yrs from now we could potentially have 3-4, little 100sq +/- projects failing every year...That wouldn't be good :ohmy:

I'm actually a proponent of BUR...It works. We have 25+ yr. old roofs, still performing today. Only negative issue ever had was w/mod. bits now & then. However, it's just isn't feasible for us, in these times

DOW originally bought out JP Stevens and then closed their mfg. plants about a year later. They then had Johns Manville private label a sheet for them until last January when they ceased all North American operations of single-ply membranes. The Manville sheet is a good one, prolly one of the best TPO's out there today. We switched to Firestone and GAF and are satisfied with both. The Stevens thing is heading toward a class action suit. They've got a TON of failing sheet out there and people are stepping up their warranty claims. I don't know if DOW is honoring their warranty or not. I've spoken with an attorney in Lakeland who's looking at the case from both a consumer and contractor point of view. If anyone out there wants to contact him just email me and I'll give you his digits. Stevens was a terrible company with absolutely worthless people working there. My only regret was all the product I bought from them. I really liked my local distributor and that was the only reason I stayed with them. He has now sold out his company to JGA so going after him is difficult. I had lunch with him last month and he gave me the attorney info, evidently he's got claims against Stevens also.

JET

T.A.R.P Systems are just not cutting it!

They may have changed the formula because the newer TPO roofs are perfoming better and it's easier to weld.I don't like it. it's too sturdy and has no chemical resistance.Hypalon is the worst of single plies i've seen so far .i was on a 2 year old roof the other day and it was showing signs of mud cracking already.

Because, as I've been preaching for about 10 years, here, there and everywhere someone would listen, TPO is chit. I have had very few last more than 10 years.

I would RUN from this product as a "green roof", and only as a white roof when the customer just flat out refuses to spend a little extra on a good product.

Problems? Complete polymer deterioration, cracking, delaminating, unweldable, scrim exposure, dimensional instability.... yeah, this is some "good" stuff, at least if you're in the market of replacing it.