TPO Roofing in Southern California

TPO stands for thermoplastic polyolefin. It's a single-ply membrane, usually 45 or 60 mil thick, rolled out over insulation board and heat-welded at every seam instead of glued or taped. A properly welded TPO seam is stronger than the membrane itself - that's the whole point of hot-air welding versus older adhesive systems.

Most sheets come in white or light gray, which matters in Southern California because the reflectivity keeps rooftop temperatures down. On an inland warehouse roof that used to run 160-plus degrees on a black cap sheet, a white TPO roof can knock a real chunk off that number.

We start with the deck and insulation. Any wet or delaminated insulation board gets pulled and replaced - installing new membrane over soaked insulation just traps the problem underneath. Insulation gets mechanically fastened or set in low-rise foam, then the TPO sheet rolls out over it.

Seams get heat-welded with a hot-air welder, either hand-held for detail work or an automated welder for long straight runs. Every seam gets probed with a rounded tool afterward to check the weld actually bonded - that step gets skipped by crews trying to move fast, and it's exactly where future leaks start.

Flashing at parapets, curbs, drains and penetrations is where most TPO failures actually happen, not in the field of the membrane. We spend real time on those details - corners get patched and welded, not just caulked.

TPO roofs need less babying than built-up or modified bitumen, but they're not maintenance-free. Drains and scuppers need to stay clear so water doesn't sit for days at a time. Ponding water itself isn't automatically a failure, but ponding combined with debris and organic buildup accelerates membrane breakdown.

We recommend a walk-through inspection at least once a year, more often if the roof carries HVAC units or gets regular foot traffic. Catching a lifted seam or a torn flashing edge early is a five-minute fix. Ignored for a year, it's a wet insulation board and a bigger repair.

• Annual inspection of seams, flashings and penetrations
• Keep drains, scuppers and gutters clear of debris
• Repair punctures from foot traffic or equipment promptly
• Check rooftop unit curbs and pipe boots each season

Pricing depends on square footage, roof condition underneath, how much insulation needs replacing, the number of penetrations and curbs, and access for material delivery on multi-story buildings. A clean tear-off and re-cover on a simple rectangular warehouse roof prices very differently than a roof crowded with HVAC units, skylights and old patch work.

We inspect before we quote, because the condition of the deck and insulation underneath drives cost more than the membrane itself does.