EPDM Roof – Advantages and Disadvantages

An EPDM roof is one of the options when replacing your roof. The name comes from the abbreviations for materials used for this specific roof type – ethylene propylene diene terpolymer or rubber.  As with other roof types, certain advantages and disadvantages depend primarily on your needs and budget. We will present them to you here, so you can make an educated decision whether the EPDM roof fits your necessities or not.

Advantages Of EPDM Roofs

Compared to other roof types, EPDM roofs are pretty low cost. This is one of the biggest advantages since the material for the roof itself will cost you practically nothing, meaning that you will have more money left to hire professional contractors and have a proper installation.

Also, the rubber roof itself is lightweight, so you don’t need any special preparations for the installation. In fact, the best would be to apply adhesive, then roll out the roofing. Excellent quality EPDM roofs can last up to 20 years when installed properly. On top of that, they are fire-resistant, which can be a significant advantage in case of hazards.

While most EPDM roofs are black, they can come in the white version as well, reflecting UV light and reducing energy costs. It means that besides the price, you will have some savings on energy while having an eco-friendly roof.

Besides, thanks to accessible material, contractors can use fasteners to anchor hardly reachable parts of the roof and ballast the roof with stones for a better appearance.

If you have any leaking or similar, rubber roofs are straightforward to repair, and repair costs are relatively low compared to fixing some other roof types.

Disadvantages Of EPDM Roofs

Not everything is as bright, so EPDM roofs come with some disadvantages too. While the roof itself is cheap, depending on the version of the roof, installation can cost a bit more if you have a contractor who doesn’t know your building’s needs well. Therefore, hiring someone professional will change the price significantly.

While there is a reinforced version of EPDM, many manufacturers offer only non-reinforced ones.  This roof type is more fragile, and as it ages, it can shrink up to 4% towards the end of its life. Therefore, if you have a non-reinforced EPDM roof, you will want to ensure it’s maintained minimum twice a year to prevent any leaking.

For those who care, black rubber roofs are not the nicest view. Therefore, EPDM will not find its place on your list if you want something aesthetically nice over the price.

To conclude, these roof types are the best for those living in regular climates, without many hazardous events, who want to reduce the price.