Welds
Cold or Skipped Welds
A lap welded too cool on a chilly morning peels back with a fingernail and opens under wind.
TPO Roofing
Hopkinsville TPO Roofing Contractor
Extend Your Roof's Life With Welded Seams Around Every Curb
As a Hopkinsville TPO roofing contractor, we install white, hot-air welded TPO membrane on low-slope warehouses, offices, and retail buildings.
- SeamsHot-air welded, then probed
- SurfaceWhite, reflective sheet
- Under ItTapered insulation, cover board
- Best OnRoofs with many curbs
Is This Roof A Fit?
Is TPO the Right Membrane for This Roof?
A Hopkinsville TPO roofing contractor weighs TPO against EPDM and PVC on every roof. Exposure on the roof points to the right one.
What We Install
TPO
Seam methodHot-air welded
ColorWhite
Sheet sizeModerate rolls
Grease and oilLimited resistance
Frequent useWarehouses, retail, offices
Option
EPDM
Seam methodSeam tape with primer
ColorBlack, also white
Sheet sizeVery large sheets
Grease and oilPoor resistance
Frequent useLarge plain roofs
Option
PVC
Seam methodHot-air welded
ColorWhite or gray
Sheet sizeModerate rolls
Grease and oilStrong resistance
Frequent useRestaurants, plants with exhaust
A roof with kitchen or process exhaust fans gets PVC or a grease-resistant detail at those fans, with TPO across the open field.
Roof Conditions
TPO Roofing Trouble Spots on Hopkinsville Warehouses
These are the details we look at first on an existing TPO roof, or on the roof a new TPO system replaces.
Drainage
Ponds Between Drains
White membrane laid over level boards holds water in flat valleys between each drain bowl.
Curbs
Short Curb Flashing
Rooftop unit curbs left low after a recover leave too little height to terminate the flashing.
Uplift
Loose Perimeter Rows
Corners and edges see the highest uplift, and loose fastener rows there let the sheet flutter.
Penetrations
Field-Folded Pipe Flashing
Hand-folded material around pipes cracks at the fold, where a pre-molded boot holds up better.
Skylights
Skylight Curbs Without Crickets
Water piles up on the high side of a skylight curb when no cricket splits it around the frame.
Options
TPO Roofing Options for Hopkinsville Buildings
Attachment is the main choice on a TPO roof. Each method holds the sheet against wind in its own way.
Mechanically Attached
Screws and plates set in the seam laps hold the sheet to steel decks, the common pick on large warehouses.
Fully Adhered
Bonding adhesive across the whole sheet suits irregular roofs, many curbs, and fleece-back membrane.
Tapered Insulation Package
Sloped boards, crickets at curbs, saddles between drains, and sumps at drain bowls move water off the field.
Pre-Formed Details
Molded boots, corners, and curb wraps replace hand folds at the spots where TPO roofs leak first.
Benefits
Benefits of a New TPO Roof
Here is how a worn low-slope roof compares with the same deck under new welded TPO.
Before New TPO
- Dark surface soaking up summer sun
- Taped or glued laps opening at curbs
- Flat boards that leave ponds between drains
- Patchwork flashing at each rooftop unit
- Pipe penetrations wrapped with hand-folded scraps
After New TPO
- White sheet reflecting sunlight off the deck
- One continuous sheet with welded laps
- Tapered boards draining toward every bowl
- Matching TPO flashing welded at curbs and walls
- Pre-molded TPO boots with stainless clamps at every pipe
Water Ponding Between Your Roof Drains?
Ponding on a flat deck is a slope problem, and tapered insulation under new TPO is the usual fix. A roof walk maps the drains first.
Get A Free EstimateWhat To Have Ready
- Where water sits after rain
- Number and spots of roof drains
- Rooftop units and curbs
- Any prior recover on the roof
How The Work Runs
How a Hopkinsville TPO Roofing Contractor Builds the Roof
Five decisions, in order, from the first walk to the last probed weld.
Inspect Your Roof
Core cuts show the layers and moisture, and every drain, curb, and pipe gets located on a roof plan.
Tear Off Or Recover?
Trapped water or an existing recover means tear-off to the deck. A dry, attached roof can take a recover with cover board.
Lay Out The Taper
Sloped boards are drawn from the drain locations, with crickets around curbs and saddles between drains.
Attach And Weld
The sheet is fastened or adhered for the deck, and test welds each cool morning set the welder for the day.
Probe Every Seam
A probe runs the full length of every lap, then curb, pipe, and drain details are checked one by one.
Related Services
Other Roof Systems to Weigh
TPO covers most low-slope roofs, and these systems fit the cases it handles less well.
EPDM Roofing
Wide, plain roofs with few penetrations go faster under very large rubber sheets with taped laps.
EPDM roof installationIndustrial Roofing
Plant roofs with grease or chemical exhaust call for oil-resistant membrane at the fans.
Industrial plant roofingFlat Roofing
Roofs that need drainage rebuilt first get tapered boards and new drains before any membrane goes down.
Flat roof drainage and replacementQuestions
TPO Questions Owners Ask Before Signing
The TPO questions that come up most, answered for this roof type.
What is a TPO roof, and which buildings use it?
TPO is a white single-ply membrane whose laps are welded with hot air into one sheet. Warehouses, retail centers, offices, schools, and light industrial buildings use it on low-slope roofs, especially ones with many rooftop units and pipes.
How does TPO compare with EPDM and PVC for Hopkinsville buildings?
TPO and PVC both weld, while EPDM uses primer and seam tape. EPDM comes in larger sheets, and PVC holds up best near grease and oil. Most warehouses and offices land on TPO, and roofs with kitchen exhaust get PVC at the fans.
Should a TPO roof be mechanically attached or fully adhered?
Mechanical attachment with screws and plates in the laps is the common pick on steel decks. Full adhesion fits irregular roofs and fleece-back sheet. Ballast is rare on TPO. Corner and perimeter fasteners always sit closer than in the field.
How are TPO seams welded around rooftop curbs?
Curb flashing is welded to the field sheet and terminated under the curb cap. Pipes get molded boots with steel clamps, corners get pre-formed pieces, and drains are stripped in under the clamping ring. Every weld is probed afterward.
Does a TPO roof need tapered insulation under it?
On most flat decks, yes. TPO sheds water only when the surface slopes to a drain or scupper. Sloped boards rise from each drain, crickets split water around curbs, saddles keep valleys moving, and sumps drop the sheet slightly into the drain.
Why does a TPO crew run test welds each morning?
Welder heat and speed change with air temperature. A short test weld at the start of each day gets pulled apart by hand, and a good weld tears the sheet instead of the seam. Those settings then carry over to the laps that follow.
Hire a Hopkinsville TPO Roofing Contractor
Send the roof size, the drain count, and the rooftop units. We will plan the taper and the welds.