Roof material

calewjohnson · 05-08-2016, 11:38 AM

What roofing material do we have on our Voltages? I know there are many different kinds...EPDM, TPO, etc... Want to get the correct stuff for maintenance.

Cale

mikesnider · 05-08-2016, 01:11 PM

Cale, the manual I received says EPDM.

calewjohnson · 05-08-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesnider

Cale, the manual I received says EPDM.

Thanks, I will go with that then... I don't remember seeing anything WRT roofing material or roof warranty in my bag of books, but I can go back through it...

Cale

nmroper · 05-08-2016, 11:24 PM

Cale, my manual read EPDM as well and have been treating it that way.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**wahoonc** · 05-10-2016, 04:57 PM

Interesting that they would be using EPDM. On my Coleman it was most definitely TPO.

Aaron

hddecker · 05-10-2016, 05:02 PM

Aaron,

You know they use what ever they lay their hands on and the manuals are useless.

How about a lesson on how to tell the difference.

**wahoonc** · 05-10-2016, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hddecker

Aaron,

You know they use what ever they lay their hands on and the manuals are useless.

How about a lesson on how to tell the difference.

I can do dat

These are the basics:

EPDM is "usually" the same color all the way through, however some may be laminated and have a different color on the back side. If you fold a piece of it over, then unfold it it should not leave a crease in the material. EPDM has a rubber feel to it.

TPO: typically has a different color back (not always though). It is stiffer than EPDM and if you fold it will leave a crease in the material when it is flattened back out. Sometimes the TPO will have a light pebble finish on it.

Best place to get your hands on a scrap is around the vents, the RV industry is notorious for just cutting an X where the vent goes and just letting them flop down into the unit. If you pull the vent garnish ring you should be able to cut a scrap off to play with.

Regular industrial roof TPO can be thermal welded (fused) giving you a water tight seam, EPDM has to be glued together at the seams. I am not sure if the RV TPO can be thermal welded or not. FWIW I have a large piece of Fibertite membrane that I keep on hand if I ever have to replace my camper roof. It is a Kee based PVC and will outlast anything on the market 35+ year life expectancy. It also costs about 4-6 times as much as EPDM and TPO. We reroofed one of my superintendent's fifth wheels with some about 10 years ago and it is still going strong. The roof will probably out last him.

Aaron

wildwest450 · 05-10-2016, 06:31 PM

I would bet money my little Aerolite is EPDM, white all the way through and very stretchy/rubbery feeling. Just washed it today.

calewjohnson · 05-10-2016, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawniewest

I would bet money my little Aerolite is EPDM, white all the way through and very stretchy/rubbery feeling. Just washed it today.

Yep, mine is exactly this...

After the above description, my Outback was TPO...very thick and a different color on both sides. Wished I had that roof now.

Cale

**wahoonc** · 05-11-2016, 12:47 AM

Forgot to add that to the list. EPDM is stretchy where the TPO is not. To be honest in the RV grades there probably isn't that much difference between them in terms of life span. 10-15 years is going to be the max if you take care of it, half that if you don't.

Aaron

calewjohnson · 05-11-2016, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Forgot to add that to the list. EPDM is stretchy where the TPO is not. To be honest in the RV grades there probably isn't that much difference between them in terms of life span. 10-15 years is going to be the max if you take care of it, half that if you don't.

Aaron

I have seen varying ideas on taking care of the roofs... What are your thoughts?

I have been told to keep debris and what not off the roof, use lap sealant on everything that protrudes...but that is about it. My Outback and Fleetwood both said to not wash/scrub the roof, as the material is supposed to "shed" layers over time. Washing the roof could lead to premature replacement.

With the Voltage, I have done nothing more that seal around roof items and inspect for roof integrity.

Thoughts?

Cale

**wahoonc** · 05-11-2016, 02:54 PM

Cale,
Keeping debris off the roof is always a good idea, as is periodic inspection and repair of sealants. With the EPDM, washing it is not always a good idea. If you have to, use a soft bristle brush and something like spic and span. Just hosing it off is not a problem. We use pressure washers on the commercial roofs, but they are better than double the membrane thickness compared to the RV stuff. With TPO you can go with a stiffer brush and not cause problems. The main thing is to stay away from anything with petroleum distillates or something similar in it, they will soften the membrane and cause premature failure.

Aaron

hddecker · 05-11-2016, 03:12 PM

Cale,

I visited the Dicor web site when I got the rubber roofed camper. They have some videos on the care and feeding of the roof. That's the the basis of my care program. The Dicor CS rep I spoke to didn't give me the use Dicor products or else line when I asked if I could use my favorite all purpose cleaner, Simple Green.

Video Gallery | Dicor Products | Official Website

My roof is 9 years old and it's not showing any ill effects of regular cleaning. Next step for my roof is a reflective coating with ceramic beads in it.

wildwest450 · 05-11-2016, 03:15 PM

I use dicors roof wash and the same soft bristle car brush as I use to wash the body.

A good read from Dicor on these roofs
http://dicorproducts.com/catalog/roo...ubber-roofing/

calewjohnson · 05-11-2016, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hddecker

Cale,

I visited the Dicor web site when I got the rubber roofed camper. They have some videos on the care and feeding of the roof. That's the the basis of my care program. The Dicor CS rep I spoke to didn't give me the use Dicor products or else line when I asked if I could use my favorite all purpose cleaner, Simple Green.

Video Gallery | Dicor Products | Official Website

My roof is 9 years old and it's not showing any ill effects of regular cleaning. Next step for my roof is a reflective coating with ceramic beads in it.

Talk to me more about this ceramic bead stuff.... I have been looking at some elastomeric stuff, that is supposed to reflect heat... What I would REALLY like to do, pull the roof off, pull the plywood up, put real AC ducts in (even make the garage ducted), and then some insulation. That is either going to cost me a chunk out of pocket, or my deductible after I snag a low hanging tree....

In all honesty, I was looking at TPO, rvauto has sheets (different colors) 9.5 x 40 for $800. If I had an inside place to work, or a serious drought, I would try to do it myself.

Cale

**wahoonc** · 05-11-2016, 07:40 PM

Cale,
What is the mil thickness of that TPO?

Aaron

hddecker · 05-11-2016, 08:08 PM

Cale,

My first experience with ceramic bead technology goes back a dozen years. I came across a paint that had the beads. It creates a thermal barrier and reduces heat transfer. It also makes for a very tough surface, where was this stuff when my kids were small.

I saw that Dicor has put the ceramic beads in one of their roof coatings. CoolCoatâ„¢ | Dicor Products | Official Website

Since most of our camping is boondocking, anything that can help to keep the camper cooler is a plus. We manage most of the time without A/C, just by using the fans and an open window on the shaded side of the camper.

I have this aversion to paying inflated "RV" prices on products that can be sourced elsewhere. I'm having difficulty in finding a Carlise Syntec distributer in Canada, that has their version of the coating. So I'm putting together a list of my next batch of stuff to order from US distributers, for shipment to my freight handler in WA.

calewjohnson · 05-11-2016, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Cale,
What is the mil thickness of that TPO?

Aaron

Unsure of the thickness, but it is Dicor Diflex II TPO membrane. I misstated the price earlier, it is $457...

Welcome to RV & Auto Parts - Parts & Accessories

Cale

jjs405 · 07-21-2016, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I can do dat

These are the basics:

EPDM is "usually" the same color all the way through, however some may be laminated and have a different color on the back side. If you fold a piece of it over, then unfold it it should not leave a crease in the material. EPDM has a rubber feel to it.

TPO: typically has a different color back (not always though). It is stiffer than EPDM and if you fold it will leave a crease in the material when it is flattened back out. Sometimes the TPO will have a light pebble finish on it.

I think that you meant to say this the other way around ... TPO is the same color all the way through & EPDM is Black on the back. You can see this for yourself at Dicor's website: Video Gallery | Dicor Products | Official Website and scroll to the video titled "EPDM or TPO"

Hope this helps .....

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