Thermoplastic

Roof system x-ray

ROOF SYSTEM X-RAY

Roof System x-ray (sort of read on) A roof system x-ray or better known as an infrared of your roof system, performed with a drone, can be both cost-effective and eye-opening.  The featured picture is an infrared of the below building.  Drone Infrared Imaging flew about 80' off the ground to capture the below image.  The pvc roof system has seen its better days.  The roof is now dull and dingy.  The black stained areas usually have to do with the lack of drainage on the system.  A roof that has poor drainage does not mean those areas are leaking.  In this example, it is revealed that it is opposite. roof system x-ray What would a roof consultant say? A roof consultant would probably recommend a complete tear off for this roof system.  Good plan if the owner of the building could afford it.  The infrared drone is just reading the moisture of the layer of insulation directly under the roof system.  It can't read the other layer which is under the initial roof system and over the deck.  The only way to know the moisture content in that layer would be to investigate leaks by doing a series of core samples. Infrared Scan helps to provide economical roof system option The roofing contractor removed the top layer of roofing.  The infrared helped make this decision.  The moisture did not penetrate the initial layer of insulation over the deck so they could leave that roof in place.  This made it very affordable and something that the owner was willing to do.  The requirements for roof insulation are very high.  Roof insulation is now the highest component of the roof system.  A recovery board was installed instead of all the different layers of insulation which saved money.  There was a labor saving by not tearing off the bottom roof.  As a result, a building owner was happy!
Thermoplastic Roof

THERMOPLASTIC ROOFS, BENEFIT IN THE MIDWEST?

White thermoplastic roofs are cool The most common thermoplastic roofs are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin).  Both of these materials will prove to be cooler roof systems than most materials out there.  On a 90 degree day, an EPDM roof can get upwards of 170 degrees.  On a 90 degree day, thermoplastic roofs will be at a temperature of 110 degrees (approx.).  This is a significant difference in temperature.  Most consultants would argue that the temperature doesn't matter in the Midwest because they want the warmth in the winter.  I will tell you the biggest benefit in the last paragraph. Thermoplastic roofs in the summer Whether you are in the Midwest or not having a cool roof allows buildings to stay cooler thus reducing the cost of cooling buildings.  The other thing it does is allow HVAC units to operate more efficiently through reduced heat around the unit.  Both of these factors contribute to energy saving costs in the summertime months.  In future posts, I will have infrared shot via a drone to prove my points. Thermoplastic roofs in the winter The effects of the sun is significantly less in the wintertime because the sun is no longer high in the sky or directly overhead.  The absorption of the suns rays is not as strong as the dead of summer causing the black roof materials to reach temperatures that are less than if the sun would be directly overhead.  Don't get me wrong, is it beneficial to have a roof that is warm in the winter on a sunny day, YES.  The effects however are not as significant as the summertime cooling.  Is the energy savings more significant in the south, YES. Thermoplastic roofs biggest benefit Ultraviolet rays are probably one of the most damaging factors to any roof system.  Roof materials deteriorate because they dry out and crack or shrink.  Anything that can be done to avoid this process would be beneficial the roof system.  Thermoplastic roof can have a .070 - .085 reflection of the sun.  Thermoplastic white products are reflecting 70-85% of the suns rays back into the atmosphere as opposed to absorbing them and drying out the product.  So whether you are in the Midwest or the deep South, this benefit will always remain.