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Flat, or low sloped roofs CAN present unique problems for the building owner. Many material applications for flat roofs are unreliable. Many insurance companies have been unwilling to insure buildings with flat roofs due to some material's inability to withstand the elements, and the problems that arise from the failure of the roof.

We at Schindler Roofing have the solution for any flat roof. One that will finally give you peace of mind, and confidence that your roof is waterproof for MANY years to come.

First let's compare some flat roof materials we are confident you will come to the same conclusion we have when it comes to the right material for your flat roof.

The pictures to the right represent a typical tar and tar with gravel installation after only a few years time. WE DO NOT INSTALL TAR AND GRAVEL for several reasons.

  • Short life expectancy
  • Very high heat gain, not energy efficient
  • Dangerous to apply, high liability exposure
  • Continuous maintenance required
  • Visually unpleasant

Does this look like your roof?


Metal roof installation on low slope roofs is another option.

Conventional metal roofing is installed on underlayment over solid sheathing. Underlayment normally is asphalt saturated and coated roof felt. Roof felt functions well in the field, but is problematic at valleys and penetrations; at these locations, prefabricated sheet metal valleys and pipe collars should supplement the underlayment.

Typical underlayment is not adequate for most low slope roofs, the alternative is to apply and underlayment, then a modified bitumen product and then the metal product. While this does improve the viability of the roof, this is basically an installation of two complete roofing products, and is highly expensive. While we do consider metal to be a decent roofing material, we do not install it on low slope roofs for the following reasons.

  • Very limited warranty available from manufacturer
  • Water entry can lead to corrosion of unprotected metal components
  • Highly expensive, requires frequent maintenance around pipe jacks
  • Our preferred material carries a lifetime warranty on residential, up to 20 year commercial, less expensive

Corroded metal component due to debris build up causing pooling water.



Let's talk Single Ply.

People have been given the impression that all single-ply membranes are alike. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just because they are called single-ply membranes does not mean that they will perform the same. For example, a Chevy Sprint will not perform as well as a Corvette or a Cadillac, but they are all automobiles.

The expectations of single-ply membranes should be that the membrane:
* is a waterproofing sheet
* must remain waterproof throughout its service life
* must be non-flammable
* must comply with building codes
* must be easy to work with and repair
* be pliable at different temperatures (especially extreme cold)
* be weldable

Since 1975 a wide range of Thermoplastics and Thermosets have been used for single ply roofing materials e.g. CPE, EPDM, Hypalon, TPO, PVC & CPA are just a few.

TPO's, however, are relatively new and do not have adequate performance history to make a concise judgment. TPO's, as a roofing product, have only been around in the United States about ten years and "As yet, little is known about their durability." Ralph M. Paroli, Technical advisor report Feb/Mar 2000.

Recently GAF (manufacturer) recalled it's TPO2 product. According to a newsletter article from the NRCA dated 6/8/01 "GAF Materials Corp. (GAFMC) has announced that it will discontinue production of its new EverGuard® TPOČ Plus product...

Severe water damage results. This was discovered under two layers of single ply modified bitumen, both layers been applied in a 17 year period.

On the other hand our choice for flat roof material, IB ROOF SYSTEMS™, CPA roofing membrane, has been around for over 25 years with an incredible documented track record. We have created an information page on IB Roof Systems, click the picture or the link below to visit that page.
IB Roof Systems pageClick here to go to our information page on IB Roof Systems.



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