Filed under: Roofing Problems
Going on my twentieth year in the industry, I have witnessed some great things in the roofing world. I installed the failed HO-25 shingles back when they first came out. I also remember the first time I saw the composition shakes and the high profile ridge. I was there when Ice and Water shield was being tested on homes and Ridge Venting began to make it’s first appearances. I saw the rise of Modified Bitumen otherwise known as Torch down and the short lived success of Spray on foam roofing.
This industry is much like others, and there of course will be achievements and also there will be blunders. But out of all these things there is one blunder that I witnessed that has left me in awe and struck with absolute confusion.
Imagine a situation like this. There is a new car that is coming out that is guaranteed to last you 20 years with absolutely no mechanical problems. You pay more up front, but the end result is for the next 20 years, you will never have to change a spark plug, buy new breaks or even have a tune up. I think most people in this disposable environment we live in would jump at such a deal.
Now imagine you have the car, you are bragging to your friends about it, and they decide to to join the crowd. Now there are tens of thousands of owners of these amazing cars all of whom are bragging to their friends and families as well. Some very high ranking Mechanics’ indorse the cars and join the praise which of course reinforces the belief that this car will last 20 years.
Then the unthinkable happens. Just 5 years into the owning of these wonderful cars, problems arise. At first it starts out as a failed car here and there, then a few more years into it stories of other cars failing and needing repair surface. Before 9 years is up, the same cars are no longer the car you bought, they changed the makeup of the car because of its failing predecessors.
It is now year 15, by this time there or hundreds of thousands of owners of the “amazing car” and even more bad news. Even though the car salesmen are pushing this 20 year lifetime car, the makers of the car change their tune and say it is now a 7 year car. Yes only 7, which is the same as some of the other regular cars which didn’t cost as much.
What happened? What happens to the owners who just bought this 20 year car 15 years ago, or ten years ago or 1 year ago? They paid for this amazing car due to its longevity and lack of maintenance and now it appears that is not what they get.
This scenario would cause an outrage and someone would have to be held accountable, right!? News reportings, firings, lawsuits the whole gammit would ensue right?
This is a very real scenario that has appeared to have happened in the roofing world. Single ply roofing systems such as TPO, PVC, EPDM and others had made huge claims to building and homeowners that the roofing would last a “Lifetime”. I heard building owners in the days brag about how they didn’t need to worry about roofing anymore because they just purchased a 50 year commercial roof.
I have been hearing this for years and these single ply systems now cover billions of square feet of roofing throughout the nation. We as a company had even weighed the idea of installing these (Tarp) systems, but decided against it due to how unproven the products have been.
Single ply’s had the answers, they had the endorsements of engineers, architects and consultants all backed by their Lifetime warranty. With all that credibility why wouldn’t a Building owner save up and purchase it? With so much of it being demanded, why wouldn’t a roofing company get the training and start installing it?
I have been watching this system carefully, and I heard the rumors of a huge blow coming to the single ply world. I have been getting on failing single ply roofs for years and have witnessed for myself the material failings. The membranes would shrink, delaminate, break apart and fracture. The sealants would dry up and pull away from brick and metal. I saw nothing to indicate a lifetime installation and yet these poor building owners were still out bragging about it.
This year I saw something that has me in a fury for all those folks who were and still have been told “Lifetime”. If you go to the single ply manufactures websites you will see what has enraged me for yourself. The companies now say the roof membrane comes with a 10, 15 and 20 year warranty depending on the thickness of the ply! What happened to Lifetime? What happens to those folks who purchased the roofing when it was boasted to be Lifetime? What happens to the consultants’, roofing companies and all who placed their stamp of approval on single ply?
Why is there not a huge outrage or something in the news or even courts over this situation? There must have been many billions of dollars spent on these products, so how could there not be someone feeling the sting of what has transpired?
I am not trying to beat up on any company, and I understand many folks just followed suit from what they were being told themselves. My curiosity is more for the purchaser of these products and what it is they will do, if anything, about it.
Did the Single ply community claims fail or did they just fail to let us know?
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Pingback by Tweets that mention Single Ply Roofing Failure? « Roofershane’s Blog -- Topsy.com February 9, 2010 @ 4:19 amThanks for reply Chad,
I only mention the short lived life mainly from not seeing much of it here in the Pacific Northwest. It always has to do with the installer no matter what the product is. It sounds like you are in the same boat as we when it comes to pride and love of our processes and customers.
Comment by roofershane May 21, 2010 @ 7:00 pmTarp systems have an awesome retention technique with their material warranties. From what I have read, it appears that after so many years, the replacement cost begins to shift more heavily to the building owner. First it is 10% then 20% and so on. By the time the roof hits its 15th birthday, the owner has to pay most of the replacement cost plus labor. It truly isn’t a benefit as much as a discount for being a return customer. Most of the materials are a 20 year product, who pays for the tear off? The disposal and recycle cost?
I talked to a commercial building owner the other day who claimed that he wouldn’t need a roof for a very long time because he just had a new 50 year roof installed!
Coatings, if done correctly (I include foam in that category) can be reapplied over and over every ten years will outlast and cost less in the long run. Honesty and integrity will prevail and in time, as with what I have seen in the Spokane Market, single ply will have some answering to do.
Shane I agree with you 99%, the part I don’t agree is with your saying spray foam had a short lived life. In the early days it did get a bad name because of Formaldahyde and blistering issues, but technology has fixed those issues. SPF gets a bad name because there are several Tom,Dick & Harry coating companies out there selling coatings for SPF, that either are not compatible or don’t last for more than a year or two. I have been spraying SPF for a decade and have not one failure to speak of, and I have done recoats on SPF rofs that are now going on 15-20 years old and performing great. As with anything else, application means alot. On your tarp suggestion I agree the single ply issue is becasue of $$$$ of backing form people who stood to gain alot more $$$ than me & You.
Comment by Chad May 21, 2010 @ 6:41 pm