Put on your protective eyewear, because we’re about to get scientific – EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber. If you can’t pronounce that, don’t worry – most roofers can’t, either. That’s why we call it EPDM.

The predecessor to EPDM is EPR (ethylene propylene rubber). EPDM offered a number of advantages over EPR and quickly became the industry standard. The primary benefit of EPDM is that it is a rubber with a saturated polymer backbone. This means it’s better able to withstand heat, light, and ozone than those without the saturated polymer backbone.

EPDM is used for a number of other applications besides roofing – including belts, bungee cords, and cushioned edge guards, just to name a few. You can take those goggles off, now, because the science lesson is over.

The primary reason most of our commercial roofing clients opt for EPDM is because it has a number of beneficial features – it’s resistant to temperatures as high as 300 degrees fahrenheit, is an electrical insulator, and is incredibly resistant to the weather. 

Some clients feel that TPO is the better choice due to EPDM being black – that means it absorbs more heat and can increase cooling costs. But a simple application of Gayco roof coating can fix that.

Another reason EPDM is generally used is that it does a great job waterproofing flat roofs. This isn’t much of a consideration on your shingled, pitched, residential roof – the water runs right off. But on a commercial flat roof it’s easy for water to pool, so having EPDM installed correctly can help prevent the roof from leaking.

Give us a call at  (518) 224-3981 to schedule your free inspection and estimate!