You may have heard the term “EPDM’ when it comes to flat roofs, but what is an EPDM flat roof and how is it different to other materials? What can you expect from EPDM flat roofing?

EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer – no surprises that it is more commonly referred to as EPDM roofing. It is a material specifically designed to withstand the extreme conditions that this external part of your property will face during the various seasons of the year and used increasingly on flat roofs.

Why Use EPDM on a Flat Roof

Imagine if you will a pitched roof. The tiles are overlapped and the design of the roof is such that water will simply run off it and into your gutters. Now imagine a flat roof. Where does the water go? While most flat roofs will have a very slant tilt to allow for water run-off, there is a danger that the water can pool causing puddles and, because water will always look for an escape, finding its way into your property.

If you don’t have the correct material installed on the surface, it can be vulnerable to extreme weather conditions – ice, snow, heat, rain etc. This constant change in temperature means that some materials used for flat roofs can shrink, expand, split and crack leading to potential leaks. Once the water finds its way below the surface, you are opening yourself up to all kinds of problems including leaks within your property.

EPDM is a flexible rubber material that is designed to be impervious to extreme temperatures and variations in the weather.

A Long Life Expectancy

While we offer guarantees of between 10-25 years, it’s not uncommon for this type of roof to last up to 50 years. As it has now been around since the 1960’s, there are many examples of where an EPDM flat roof has exceeded expectations and withstood the test of time. When we have so many things to replace, repair, renovate and maintain, having a high quality flat roof such as this means one less thing to worry about.

Environmentally Friendly

We are all becoming increasingly aware of the need to be more eco conscious and reduce our carbon footprint. The longer something is designed to last, the more environmentally friendly it is. If you have a material that is designed to outlast it’s counterparts, you are going to have far less waste of materials in the long term. As it’s been tried and tested since its first use in the 1960s, EPDM has proved that it can stand the test of time and when it is no longer able to be used on a flat roof, it can then be recycled. This recycled rubber has been used in children’s playgrounds and used as fuel, reducing the need for fossil fuel.

Installation of Your EPDM Flat Roof

As opposed to tiles, which overlap on a pitched roof, EPDM is installed in one piece over the entire surface of the roof. With no joins or overlaps, there is much less opportunity for the water to find its way through any gaps. The rubber material is also designed to ‘breath’ allowing vapour from below to escape. This prevents blisters. Resistant to UV and infrared, EPDM flat roofing is resistant to ageing and cracking.

If you need more convincing of the popularity of EPDM flat roofing, you only have to take a look at the big name companies that use it including Microsoft, Staples and Barclaycard as well as the Playhouse Theatre in London which has an EPDM roof. More locally, we have just installed the roof for the new Burger King at Flowerdown Retail Park.

EPDM vs Fibre Glass

GRP fibreglass has traditionally been an alternative material to felt used in flat roof installations however, there are many advantages to EPDM when compared with this material:

Cost – you may think that one is more expensive than the others however, the cost is actually comparable. It is the time it takes to install a GRP Fibreglass roof which could increase your bill.

Ease of Installation – a fibreglass roof is a more labour intensive flat roof solution when compared to the ease and speed of installing an EPDM flat roof.

Noise – a fibre glass flat roof is much noisier, especially when it rains.

Maintenance – EPDM is easy to clean when wet whereas a GRP Fibreglass roof uses polyester resins making them less easy to keep clean.

You can discover more about EPDM vs Fibreglass for flat roofs here. 

Where Can an EPDM Flat Roof be Installed?

There are many properties across the South West that have a flat roof. In fact, we are often found installing them in the towns of Weston super Mare, Clevedon, Nailsea, Portishead, Keynsham and the city of Bath. It’s not just homes that have flat roofs. We also install them on the following:

  • Garage roofs
  • Conservatory roods – it has become increasingly popular to replace tradition PVC or polycarbonate roofs with EPDM
  • Extensions
  • Dormers
  • Summerhouses and outbuildings

If you would like to see the areas where we offer our EPDM flat roof installation, you can click here.

If you would like to find out more, discuss your project requirements with us or book us to carry out the installation of your EPDM flat roof, simply get in touch – 01934 824005. We will be delighted to help. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have.