Response to MRCA T&R Committee Advisory on TPO
February 19, 2010
On February 10, 2010, the Midwest Roofing Contractors (MRCA) Association’s Technical and Research Committee issued an advisory on TPO roofing membranes indicating that high solar loading and elevated temperatures may lead to the breakdown of the sheet in affected areas. Such an advisory has led us to respond by investigating any specific concerns or data that the MRCA T&R committee received regarding Firestone UltraPly™ TPO products and to search our records for evidence of these types of concerns.
Firestone Building Products customers can rest assured that there is no evidence of such concerns with Firestone UltraPly TPO products. In a subsequent conversation with the chairman of the MRCA T&R Committee, he was not aware of any incidents involving Firestone TPO products that would have led to the advisory. An examination of internal records in on-going laboratory and field testing, customer feedback, and warranty records confirm that the Firestone UltraPly TPO membrane has performed consistently throughout the years with no noticeable deterioration due to high solar loading and elevated temperatures.
Firestone Building Products introduced UltraPly TPO in 1998. Over 1½ billion square feet have been installed worldwide. Before the introduction of UltraPly TPO, extensive formulation development was completed to ensure that the product would live up to Firestone’s high quality standards. The ingredients used in UltraPly TPO (such as antioxidants, UV absorbers, light stabilizers, heat stabilizers, etc.) were carefully selected and tested to ensure the longevity of the product, even in extreme conditions. The formulation of UltraPly TPO has remained virtually unchanged since its introduction. Ongoing laboratory and field testing verifies that our systems perform to meet the extreme high temperatures and solar conditions of deserts in the Southwest, the heat and humidity of the South, as well as the demands of the cold climates of the North.
Not all TPO products are the same. Other TPO roofing manufacturers may alter their formulations and experience issues with high solar and temperature exposure. This is not the case with Firestone. Regardless of the type of roofing membrane, care should always be taken to avoid conditions that could potentially be harmful to the roofing system. Firestone continues to stand behind all of its products and our partners that install these products with the Red Shield Warranty. You can be confident when you choose Firestone UltraPly TPO because…
Nobody Covers You Better than Firestone Building Products.
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