Rite Aid
From Deteriorating EPDM to 60 mil TPO Single Ply
Our Process
Problem at Hand
Rite Aid on Chestnut Street in Reed City MI had a deteriorating EPDM rubber roof that failed in multiple places. Seams had failed in several places and it had multiple punctures and failed patches.
Solution Applied
All the old membrane was removed and the insulation board replaced. This was then topped with white reflective 60 mil Heat-Welded TPO Single Ply.
Results!
This new roof is, durable, waterproof, and insulates while reflecting radiant heat. This building owner just bought many years of guaranteed leak-free roof service and a 20 Year Warranty
Rite Aid is a nationally known and recognized drug-store chain.
They reached out to us wondering if we could fix the failing EPDM roof at their Reed City, Michigan location
The Problem,
Rite Aid’s Reed City, Michigan location was leaking like a sieve. What caused this? Good question. This problem was caused by an EPDM rubber roofing system that failed at the seams. The glue at the seams ultimately failed, as seen in the photo above. What is EPDM? Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (or EPDM) is a common roofing material also known as rubber roofing. While it enjoyed its fair share of popularity in the past, there are better materials today. One of the significant drawbacks of EPDM is its natural black color. There has never been a better time to switch from a black roof to a white roof with energy costs climbing daily. Some think that the black color helps melt snow from off roofs in the wintertime. This is simply not true any time that it counts. For this to be true, the black roof needs to be exposed. Anyone familiar with heavy snowfall understands that if the snow is deep enough to cause concern, the roof will be covered entirely, rendering any benefit of a black roof void. EPDM is prone to weather-checking cracks and seam failures as well.
Today we have superior roofing systems in brilliant reflective white. Quality insulation paired with this new white roofing is the best of both worlds. Insulation slashes energy bills year-round while the white reflects 85% or more of solar radiation during the summer months easing cooling bills.
Rite Aid contacted us, searching for a superior roofing system. Our inspection showed that the entire membrane would require tear-off, and all waterlogged insulation boards needed to be replaced with new ISO Boards.
White Reflective 60 mil Heat-Welded TPO Single-Ply was chosen as a superior replacement.
Getting Started
Our inspection showed saturated insulation boards underneath the EPDM. It was time for tear-off and new ISO Boards. These insulation boards are built with a taper, and when properly installed, they ensure adequate insulation and vastly improved drainage.
Below you can see them being installed.
The Proccess
With the EPDM stripped off and all wet insulation replaced, it’s time for the TPO.
What is TPO? TPO stands for Thermoplastic Polyolefin, a reinforced synthetic single-ply system. TPO is a heat-welded system that melts each seam resulting in one continuous roof layer.
TPO in all it's brilliance.
Nothing says professional quite like a gleaming white roof on a beautiful building. Of course, no roof is complete without new wall coping. We think it turned out great; what about you?
Would you like 20 years of ZERO roof-related stress? How about lowered energy bills? Call us today @440-313-6242
