What kind of protection are y'all using?

[zonzin]

My '17 has that rubber roof and I want to know what is the best stuff to treat it with to protect against the weather, UV, bird poop, etc. Also, what are you using on the outside of the plastic windows? Wax?


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[PEIslander]

Protection. It is an important question.

The double bag method is the safest method of birth control. Double bag, i.e. separate sleeping bags, has a very low failure rate.

[PEIslander]

Hi zonzin 

I don't have the membrane roof on my trailer but I know the material used is what is known in the roofing world as TPO Flexible Thermo Polyolefin single-ply roofing. It's been around since the early 1990's and has proven itself to perform very well. There are millions upon millions of square feet of TPO membranes used as roofs. Gross sales of TPO membrane roofing in North America exceeds all other flat roof types combined. I'm telling you this because nobody goes up on their flat roof and treats it with anything - so you don't need to either. Notably TPO does not degrade under UV radiation. It is also extremely stable chemically -- far more so than EPDM (synthetic rubber) or vinyl membranes that are also used as roofing membranes. The main reason for that chemical stability is there are no plasticizers added when TPO is formulated.

Putting anything on your roof membrane is more likely to hurt it than help it. So just sit back and enjoy another adult beverage while you contemplate that your TPO membrane won't likely ever need replacement.

[charliem]

Notably TPO does not degrade under UV radiation. It is also extremely stable chemically -- far more so than EPDM (synthetic rubber) or vinyl membranes that are also used as roofing membranes. The main reason for that chemical stability is there are no plasticizers added when TPO is formulated.

........ TPO membrane won't likely ever need replacement.

PEIslander,

If all that's so why the limited 12year warranty. I agree TPO is better than EPDM but TPO must degrade with exposure.

[PEIslander]

PEIslander,

If all that's so why the limited 12year warranty. I agree TPO is better than EPDM but TPO must degrade with exposure.

No they don't degrade from UV exposure - really. In the roofing world the standard warranty is 10-years but the manufacturers will happily extend them for up to 25 years for a premium. It is very unusual for a TPO membrane to fail and when they do it would typically relate to the detailing at curbs or expansion joints and not the basic membrane having issues. I believe in the USA there are only four manufacturers of TPO sheet although it is sold under many brands. The quality control is very high --- as it needs to be since it is used on the roofs where leaks would cause very expensive damage. Buildings with millions of dollars worth of precious contents are protected by TPO membranes with virtually no maintenance.

The point that the TPO membrane could be torn by a branch is valid. The aluminum roofs can be cut or punctured by branches too. No big worry for me as both can be patched. I like my aluminum roof -- I like that it is so simple - low-tech - and that it is structural. For me my only concern with the TPO Camplite roofs relates to the total roof assembly and not the membrane itself. Is it really just Azdel as the substrate? Hopefully a stronger version than they use on the interiors...

[zonzin]

Notably TPO does not degrade under UV radiation. It is also extremely stable chemically -- far more so than EPDM (synthetic rubber) or vinyl membranes that are also used as roofing membranes. The main reason for that chemical stability is there are no plasticizers added when TPO is formulated.

........ TPO membrane won't likely ever need replacement.

PEIslander,

If all that's so why the limited 12year warranty. I agree TPO is better than EPDM but TPO must degrade with exposure.

Awesome, thanks for the info. I am not familiar with the stuff so that is good to know. Now where's that beer,,,,



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