The Main Differences Among Three Types of Roofs: Shingle Roofs, TPO Flat Roofs and Elastomeric Flat Roofs

Your roof is a basic structural element of your home or business. When the time comes for a new construction or to reroof your building, the choice of roofing material will be particularly important. Your choice also needs to correspond to your type of real estate.

In this article, Vistoo will tell you more about the main types of roof materials and help you make the right decision concerning your professional roofer.

Asphalt Shingle Roof

This type of roof material is popular on the market because of its durability, weather resistance, easy installation, selection of colours and low maintenance. Asphalt shingles feature prominently on residential roofs in Québec. Whether you’re a real estate developer building houses or new condos, you’ll enjoy the versatility and appreciate the many qualities of asphalt shingle roofs.

It’s also often said that asphalt shingles are among the most affordable roofing options available. They’re very common for sloped roofs, and a roof with this type of material has a lifespan between 15 and 20 years, if not more.

Moreover, the material is light. As a result, asphalt shingles add less weight on the structure of the roof. 

On top of that, they’re available in a range of architectural styles to fit the appearance of your home and they’re attractive on new residential constructions.

Finally, asphalt shingle roofs provide increased sound insulation, unlike metal roofs, for example. Some types of asphalt shingles also offer additional protection against fire and prevent flame spread. They fall under Class A, the highest fire-resistance rating.

In short, for sloped roofs, asphalt shingles are considered the best solution by roofers in Québec.

TPO Flat Roofs

From the outset, TPO membrane is widely used for flat roofs, like new multiplex for sale. It’s a single-ply system made of thermoplastic.

Among its many qualities, we can mention the following:

• Long lifespan of up to 40 years
• Adaptability to Québec weather conditions
• White colour gives it a modern look and helps fight against the heat island effect during the summer
• Installation requires no chemical products since the seams are welded using hot air

Since it’s a membrane for flat roofs, regular maintenance is crucial to ensure the roof’s lifespan, especially when there’s snow. Certified roofers can provide optimal maintenance.

Elastomeric Membrane Flat Roofs

This membrane is made of two layers of bitumen that are fused together for better waterproofing. Elastomeric membrane is used for commercial and industrial roofs, especially when there are large surfaces to cover. For that matter, new commercial and industrial constructions tend to choose this type of membrane.

Elastomeric membrane is popular in Québec, namely because of its long lifespan (35 years), easy installation process and the fact that the membrane has the capacity to reduce the heat island effect in the summer.

Since it’s so easy to install, the membrane can be installed in both summer and winter. Finally, like the TPO membrane, the elastomeric membrane reflects the sun’s rays and keeps the roof cool.

Although TPO and elastomeric membranes are the most common solutions for flat roofs, to choose the best option you have to consider the type of roofing system already in place, the location of the business in question and the time of the year when the roofing work will be done.

Once these details are taken into consideration, an experienced roofer or a new home builder will be able to help you choose the best solution. With their many years of experience in the field, they will be able to offer good advice and help you make an informed decision that will help you save money.

In Conclusion 

You now know that sloped roofs typically use asphalt shingles, though not exclusively, while flat roofs tend to use TPO membrane or elastomeric membrane.

Each of these roofing materials features unique qualities, and expert advice by roofers like Couvreur Couv-Toit are always welcome when it’s time to re-roof, inspect or do roof maintenance.

Vistoo offers a range of new properties and commercial spaces.  We also provide our readers with useful advice and we’re always on the lookout for new industry trends, like the materials that are used in new housing