Flat and low-slope roofing, TPO and EPDM
Membrane systems for commercial buildings, additions, and the low-slope sections that shingles cannot handle.
Flat roofs do not fail like pitched roofs
A pitched roof sheds water by design. A flat roof holds it, so everything depends on the membrane, the seams and the drainage. When a flat roof leaks it is almost always at a seam, a penetration, or a drain that stopped draining.
TPO versus EPDM
TPO is the white membrane you see on most new commercial work. It reflects heat, which matters in a valley summer, and the seams are heat-welded into a single sheet. EPDM is the black rubber membrane, cheaper, extremely durable, and it absorbs heat instead of reflecting it. Which one is right depends on the building, not on which one we prefer to install.
Maintenance is the whole game
Flat roofs reward being looked at twice a year and punish being ignored. For commercial clients we set up documented maintenance with per-building records that survive a property management change.
Common questions
Typically 20 to 30 years depending on membrane thickness and how well it is maintained. Thicker membrane costs more up front and lasts meaningfully longer.
Water still standing 48 hours after rain is a problem worth addressing. It usually means a drainage or slope issue rather than a membrane failure, and it shortens the life of the roof.