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Author	Comments
D. Backes Posted: Mar 10, 2008 04:39 PM	How does EPDM compare to SPF? How does EPDM compare to SPF? I'm in the midwest and the wind shear resistance isn't much of a selling point here. weight savings isn't either. The obvious insulation benefits are there but not convincing enough. I've heard of shrinkage problems with some EPDM's but I haven't run across any good data. How can I sway a good, longtime customer of mine over to the "dark side" SPF roof systems?
Mike McGaughey Posted: Mar 12, 2008 09:16 PM	Not sure what you mean here: "How can I sway a good, longtime customer of mine over to the "dark side" SPF roof systems?" You want to tell the customer "bad" things about foam? Or do you want some information about the problems\shortcomings of EPDM?
D. Backes Posted: Mar 13, 2008 03:10 PM	MikeNSP. That was a joke. I want to know of the shortcomings of EPDM's so that I can counter a potential clients reservations about SPF.
Todd Baxter Posted: Mar 13, 2008 05:26 PM	which epdm is on the roof. if it is the one that has to be seamed together them that is the week part of the roof. Also if the roof id leeking then it is sometimes hard to find the leek. also the life span is only about 10 years.
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Apr 03, 2008 07:26 PM	30-year old SPF roofs are still performing with little or no maintenance. Tell him to give you his worst roof and show him what can be done with it. SPF roofs are sustainable. EPDM roofs will have to be torn off at the end of their life-cycle. have fun, olger
Terry Shepperd Posted: May 28, 2008 05:02 PM	EPDM like SPF is no better than how it's applied. There is much more room for error on a EPDM roof due to all the seams are a potential problem during installation and all during the life of the roof. The life is much shorter with a top notch installation of a EPDM than a top notch job of SPF. I have a shopping center that is over 30 years old with 1 1/2" foam, a modified butimum coating ICI I believe with 350 lbs of gravel per square. I've been on it for repairs less than ten times in all these years, mostly due to large air handling equipment being replaced and gouging holes into the foam. It is a fairly easy fix though. I've applied all the single-plys through the years but nothing is better than foam in my view.
D. Backes Posted: May 30, 2008 10:27 AM	Thanks everyone for all the good responses. I've found over the years that some people can't be swayed even with irrefutable logic.
Posted: May 30, 2008 01:38 PM	But Logic is all that we have! Brian Roof Crafters, Inc. www.roofcrafterswest.com
Linerman Posted: May 30, 2008 07:22 PM	I would think the savings in heating alone would be enough especially in the midwest.
Aaron Scurlock Posted: Nov 14, 2008 08:48 PM	I can sell it. I have the technology.

Author

Comments

D. Backes

Posted: Mar 10, 2008 04:39 PM

How does EPDM compare to SPF?

How does EPDM compare to SPF? I'm in the midwest and the wind shear resistance isn't much of a selling point here. weight savings isn't either. The obvious insulation benefits are there but not convincing enough. I've heard of shrinkage problems with some EPDM's but I haven't run across any good data. How can I sway a good, longtime customer of mine over to the "dark side" SPF roof systems?

Mike McGaughey

Posted: Mar 12, 2008 09:16 PM

Not sure what you mean here: "How can I sway a good, longtime customer of mine over to the "dark side" SPF roof systems?" You want to tell the customer "bad" things about foam? Or do you want some information about the problems\shortcomings of EPDM?

D. Backes

Posted: Mar 13, 2008 03:10 PM

MikeNSP. That was a joke. I want to know of the shortcomings of EPDM's so that I can counter a potential clients reservations about SPF.

Todd Baxter

Posted: Mar 13, 2008 05:26 PM

which epdm is on the roof. if it is the one that has to be seamed together them that is the week part of the roof. Also if the roof id leeking then it is sometimes hard to find the leek. also the life span is only about 10 years.

Gerry Wagoner

Posted: Apr 03, 2008 07:26 PM

30-year old SPF roofs are still performing with little or no maintenance.

Tell him to give you his worst roof and show him what can be done with it. SPF roofs are sustainable. EPDM roofs will have to be torn off at the end of their life-cycle.

have fun,

olger

Terry Shepperd

Posted: May 28, 2008 05:02 PM

EPDM like SPF is no better than how it's applied. There is much more room for error on a EPDM roof due to all the seams are a potential problem during installation and all during the life of the roof. The life is much shorter with a top notch installation of a EPDM than a top notch job of SPF. I have a shopping center that is over 30 years old with 1 1/2" foam, a modified butimum coating ICI I believe with 350 lbs of gravel per square. I've been on it for repairs less than ten times in all these years, mostly due to large air handling equipment being replaced and gouging holes into the foam. It is a fairly easy fix though. I've applied all the single-plys through the years but nothing is better than foam in my view.

D. Backes

Posted: May 30, 2008 10:27 AM

Thanks everyone for all the good responses. I've found over the years that some people can't be swayed even with irrefutable logic.

Posted: May 30, 2008 01:38 PM

But Logic is all that we have!

Brian
Roof Crafters, Inc.
www.roofcrafterswest.com

Linerman

Posted: May 30, 2008 07:22 PM

I would think the savings in heating alone would be enough especially in the midwest.

Aaron Scurlock

Posted: Nov 14, 2008 08:48 PM

I can sell it. I have the technology.

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