You have planned to invest in a new roofing system. Okay, but what then?
The market is full of a plethora of roofing solutions ranging from flat roofing choices to modern options.
At the end of the day, you might want a mixture of best-performing and low-cost alternatives.
These days some of the most popular options for roofing are Modified bitumen and single-ply or TPO.
Modified Bitumen Vs. Roll Roofing
Well, there lies a huge difference between the two.
Roll Roofing is only useful for the dog houses because their self-life is very short, a max five years.
On the other hand, the Modified Bitumen has a long life and is four times the shelf life of Roll Roofing.
It is quite durable because it uses a membrane roof-type material of Asphalt.
Modified Bitumen Roofing:
Some think they are modern kind of roofing systems, which is not true.
The MBRs are here from around the 1960s!
- They use a BUR or the MBUR, which refers to the modified version of Modified built-up roofing.
- They utilize a polymer layer or the cap sheets, which reinforces the layers which make the roof.
- Specialized roofing felt is there as the foundation upon which lies many asphalt layers along with the above ones.
- All the layers embed themselves onto a bitumen layer, and on becoming solid, they become a solid membrane.
- Then, they use a protection layer at the top in the form of a cap sheet which provides long-term elasticity and flexibility of the roof, especially during the temperature drops.
M-Bitumen Roofing Applications:
By now, we understand that this type of roofing must have some amazing benefits as it remains a popular option after so many years since its discovery.
- An unmatched versatility.
- One of the best options for repairing Bitumen roofing systems.
- It uses BURs which are known for their durability and other benefits.
- Easy to find an expert team for this kind of roof installation works.
- Waterproof due to lots of layers.
- An option for long-lasting roofing systems.
Drawbacks of M-Bitumen Roofing:
As one knows that every coin has two sides, this is true here also.
If the drawbacks are not so many drawbacks for you, then go ahead and choose this kind of roofing system.
- A higher labor costs than other available options because of layering issues.
- Drainage is an absolute must while roofing.
- You have to make sure that the installation team is well-versed in doing the operations.
- The cost of materials is never stable, especially petroleum.
PS – It is one of the most attractive roofing options for a new business when it comes to South Florida and other regions.
Rolled Roofing:
The rolled roofing is the most affordable roof-making option, but so is its durability.
- So much affordable that it is even cheaper than the low-cost shingles.
- All materials are dirt cheap.
- So, the best way to utilize this is in the low incline of like the dog houses.
PS – One should not use the Hammered-down type rolled roofing on the flat roofs or be ready for leaky surprises at midnight!
Some other questions,
Related questions and Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. What is the industry average shelf life of the modified bitumen roof?
Answer: Twenty Years+
Q2. Can one repair the Modified bitumen roof?
Answer: Yes
Repair is possible.
Applying a patch is the most common type of repair, although; there are many other ways as well.
Q3. What is the average cost for installing the Modified bitumen roof?
Answer: $1.6 to $3.25 per sq. feet.
For instance, an individual with a 1500 Sq. The feet area can expect to pay around $3,500.00.
Q4. What is the most suitable material I can use on my flat roofing?
Answer: PVC
If one wants high performing flat roof, PVC is one clear winner.
Metal roofing is one other great option that is famous for commercial roofs.
TPO and Modified bitumen roofs are also great choices.
Q5. Is there any minimum slope requirement for the Modified bitumen roof?
Answer: Yes!
As per the industry standards, for the roofing of Modified bitumen, roof pitch should ideally be ¼: 12 or even higher.
This is also true for thermoplastic single plywood roofing or the newly sprayed polyurethane foam.
Q6. Which is better, TPO or a Modified bitumen roof?
Answer: One can reheat the TPO and weld the seams when and wherever required.
Also, the TPO has a smoother outlook than the bitumen one, hence becoming easier to clean.
Lastly, they are thicker than most roofing options which are great.
The choice is yours.
Q7. What makes a Modified bitumen roof?
Answer: It is a next-gen asphalt roofing type that uses Asphalt, a variety of solvents, and rubber solvents.
For creating the seal, there are many ways, such as for a heat seal, to use heat to melt the layers together.
Q8. How do you build a BUR?
Answer: A built-up roof is one of the most deployed roofing materials, especially on those low-slope roofs.
They use several alternating layers of a sturdy reinforcing fabric and Asphalt and finish by an aggregate top layer like gravels.
Q9. What is the process of making hot tar?
Answer: It is a dark and oily material that is very thick.
Its composition is a pre-dominantly hydrocarbons mixture.
The production is via destructive distillation of organic products like peat or coal.
Q10. What is hot map type roofing?
Answer: A hot map roof uses an intricate arrangement of various layers, out of which the Asphalt comes on top with some layers of gravel.
Hence the technique gives it the name of hot map type roofing.
Q11. What do you mean by SBS roofing?
Answer: In SBS roofing, we use a modified asphalt blend with a large polymer network.
The full form of SBS is styrene butadiene styrene.
It assists the bitumen in gaining a rubber-like character.
Q12. How to install the built-up roofing?
Answer: The process is as follow –
- Contractors begin by attaching the base sheets to the roof’s subsystem by using the roofing nails.
- Then they bring the tar, Asphalt, and concrete with adhesives to let this layer stick to the base sheeting.
- After this, they install a small gravel layer or simply the cap sheets.
- Finally, they cover the system with an Asphalt final layer.
Q13. What is Modified Rubber Roofing?
Answer: Modified Rubber Roofing is a fairly widespread flat roofing system and consists of Asphalt with some modifiers which give it rubber-like stuff.
There comes a mod bit membrane roll which comes in the typical 35” to 39.5” widths.
They can easily cover over 100 Sq. Feet of the area easily.
Some common surfacing added to this mixture is aluminum, aggregate, or some copper.
Q14. What are some downsides of a flat bitumen roof?
Answer: It can increase the energy bills as it acts as a reflector of temperature.
On the other hand, the torch down installation also comes off as risky as it can burn the whole house and hence is a dangerous option.
Q15. What is the average life of a rolling roof?
Answer: As per the industry estimates, the shelf life of a rolling roof is about six to nine years.
Roll roofs come as 36” wide rolls, which contain 100 Sq. Feet per roll is also called squares.
Q16. Is modified bitumen roofing cheap?
Answer: No, if you intend to save money or want to do DIY roofing, never consider the modified bitumen roofing.
Q17. What is a three-ply build-up to the roof?
Answer: It uses a single-ply sheet with two glass felt plies and enhances the overall performance of the membrane.
It also installs fast and weighs less.
Q18. Can one walk on the MB roofing?
Answer: The modified bitumen-type roofing is well-durable and sturdy. It is made to withstand lots of foot traffic for years so walk freely.
PS – Some areas that support the building equipment can be reinforced further if lots of foot traffic are expected.
Q19. What is the thickness of the MB?
Answer: 3.04mm to 0.11mm and 180mils.
Whereas a typical sheet of modified bitumen weighs around 1.2 lbs./ sq. feet.
Final verdict
When it comes to determining the ideal roofing solutions, we often feel lost due to the number of options available in the market.
From the modern options like modified bitumen type roofing to the rolled roof types, options are plenty.
Bitumen roofing has been in the market for quite a long time now, from the 1960s!
If the option is still popular, it shows that even after so much time, bitumen roofing remains the best choice.
Modified bitumen is perfect for usage on flat roofs or low slopes roofs, whereas the pitch for roll roofing is about 2/12.
In short, one should go for a rolled roofing type if their budget is significantly low or they want to have a quick roofing project but with less durability.
Whereas a modified bitumen roofing is perfect for those, who want durability and all-weather protection.
Never choose Bitumen roofing if you intend to save money or you want to do it DIY because you just can’t do it properly by yourself.
Thanks for reading!