Confused about selecting the right roofing material for your home, office, or roofing project? This seems to be a herculean task but it’s not. If you have the correct information available, it’s no hassle to quickly choose which one’s best for you and which will be a complete waste of money. This TPO vs PVC roofing comparison will help you create a clear mindset about them so that you can choose any one of them without any stress.
Additionally, it will also help in selecting the best material under your budget. Depending on your needs, any one of them will definitely fit your requirements. If you still face issues, call Manage My Roof to select, and build a perfect roof that will stay for years and more.
Before making any decision, it’s better to know a little bit about the roofing so that you don’t have to regret for your choice. TPO is also referred to as Thermoplastic Polyolefin which is a single-ply membrane. TPO has phenomenal weather resistance capabilities, it’s very durable and has high strength. On the other hand, PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, having excellent properties to resist extreme weather, and also have flame-retardant properties. Let’s understand both of them in detail:
TPO is one of the most common roofing materials, mostly for low-slopes. It is a single-ply membrane roofing system made with the composition of Polypropylene and Ethylene-Propylene rubber. TPO sheets are usually bonded with a polyester mat and contain various other chemicals such as UV light inhibitors, flame retarders, biocides, and pigments so that the roof will be completely protected from bacteria, insects, and rodents.
To make them connect, a heat-welding process will be followed which makes a strong bond between them. TPO is a type of material that is completely waterproof, but slippery and comes in different thicknesses and colors.
If you have a low-slope roof, PVC roofing can be a perfect fit for you. It is made up of Two layers of PVC bonded with polyester in between them. The topmost layers are a membrane of UV resistance, and the bottom one is a plasticizer, which increases the material’s flexibility and is dark in color.
Also, this bottom layer is a plasticizer, which makes it really easy to install. To connect two ends of a PVC sheet, heat welded is the best process to strongly bond them together. Just like the TPO roofing material, PVC roofs are also waterproof but can be slippery when they are wet. PVC materials have been in use for more than 60 years and are still considered one of the best roofing materials.
PVC is an old material that has been consistently used for decades as a roofing system. On the other hand, TPO is not very old and was introduced not more than 30 years ago. However, currently, TPO is the most used material in the roofing industry. Some of the major differences might shock you. If you feel confused, continue reading so that all your queries will be answered in the later sections. Check the below sections that include some of the major differences in using TPO and PVC:
Both the roofing materials can easily resist fire, and they are tested perfectly to meet the standards for fire resistance. However, there is a little concern with TPO that it cannot resist the fire for so long, and is unable to perform well as compared to PVC roofs.
PVC roofing systems are highly non-reactive with any type of chemical and offer amazing chemical resistance. On the other hand, TPO roofs might react with oil and grease easily.
Talking about the strength of the materials which are usually measured in pound-force per inch. PVC material can bear up to 45 lbf. However, the TPO shows a stronger side if we talk about the strength. TPO can easily resist a force of 55 lbf, and is much stronger than that of PVC. In addition, TPO also has a higher break strength.
One of the most crucial thing any homeowner or project builder should consider first while selecting any type of roofing is the life span of the material. It’s important to know which roofing system has a longer life span. For commercial roofs, the average life span is 17 to 20 years. If both types of roofs are properly installed and then maintained regularly, they can last up to more than 20 years.
It’s not possible for any property owner to choose roofing materials by just seeing the price, and neglecting other things. This is because it can cost you much more in the long run, and hit your pocket hard. Choosing the wrong material with the right pricing is not always a good idea, and you need to consider the weather conditions, location, and much more. For the comparison of TPO roofing vs PVC roofing, TPO roofing systems are lower in cost as compared to PVC roofings.
When it comes to choosing the best material for your property, it’s not an easy decision as both membranes offer exceptional benefits to the roof. However, there are still some lags, and you can select by considering the benefits they are providing depending on your requirements, and which one suits best for you. Below is the table showing different benefits, and some major differences through which you might decide which will be the best roofing for your project:
TPO Roofing | PVC Roofing |
Sheets are flexible in colder temperatures | Recyclable membranes |
Offers high resistance against UV rays | Exceptional resistance towards fire and chemicals |
Absorbs less heat resulting in less energy consumption | Offer a life span of 10, 20, or even 30 years |
Highly durable against various chemicals, physical damage, etc. | Bear up to 45 lbf |
High-strength material up to 55lbf | |
Offer a long life span of up to 30 years |
Still confused about selecting the best roofing material for your project? Don’t worry! We’ll try to cover and clear the rest of the things here only. There are a number of factors that you might consider before making any choice:
You have to check and decide whether you want to remove your old roofing or not. This is because not all the roofing systems are perfectly fine to install over the existing roofing. If it is suitable, it might save a lot of time and money that usually goes into removing the old roofing system.
Don’t have the re-roofing available as the existing roof is in bad condition? No worries! Once you remove the existing roof, installing a new roof, and removing the old one might cost you a little more but also opens a lot of options for you to select the best one.
Before starting your roof, it’s better to ask a few questions to yourself to decide what actually you need for your roof. These question includes number of HVAC or fire mitigation systems installed on the roof, the types and a number of vents, and how much traffic is there on the roof. After all that, you’ll be able to quickly decide what you want.
Location plays an important role in making any structure big or small. This is because any specific location might have different climate conditions, hazards, and local building codes. So, it’s better to check for all of them thoroughly and make a wise decision.
Manage My Roof can be your favorite stop for all your roofing-related needs. Whether you want commercial roofing, or residential one, we are a perfect choice. Additionally, deciding and comparing TPO vs PVC Roofing might be a difficult task for you. That is why we’ve covered almost everything in this read. If you are still facing issues, you can directly call Manage My Roof to get all your issues fixed in no time.
We will help you select the best roofing material according to the location, and climate conditions, and under your budget as well. We are a full-service roofing company that offers exceptional services for new roof installation, roof repair, maintenance, etc. In case of an emergency, we are just a call away from you. All you have to do is call us, inform us about the issue, and share your location, that’s it. We will be at your location as quickly as possible.
TPO is a much more cost-effective roofing option as compared to PVC.
PVC roofing has problems with climate and age and might get punctured as time passes.
TPO is an excellent roofing choice for commercial buildings as it is affordable, energy efficient, and resilient.
The average age of PVC roof panels is from 20 to 30 years.
TPO roofs usually last for up to 30 years.
TPO leaks occur due to many reasons such as punctures, foot traffic, and normal wear and tear.
PVC is non-biodegradable and might release toxic substances.
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