When selecting an EPDM roofing system for your North Las Vegas property, it is vital to understand the unique requirements of your building. An EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) roof system is a tough synthetic rubber roofing membrane that is typically used on low-slope roofs. The desert climate in North Las Vegas is characterized by very high summer temperatures and very mild winter temperatures, with very little rain throughout the year. This makes the EPDM roofing system a good fit for the North Las Vegas area, owing to the fact that it has excellent UV resistance and can handle the extreme temperature changes that our area sometimes experiences. Making these roof type decisions can be complicated because there are three ways to install an EPDM roof— fully adhered, mechanically attached, and ballasted— and each of these ways to install an EPDM roof has its own set of benefits depending on your building's existing structure and insulation requirements. On top of that, the membrane thickness— either a 45 mil or a 60 mil— can impact the roof's longevity and energy performance.
When making the decision to install an EPDM roof in North Las Vegas, you need to consider not just any old factors but the very specific ones that relate to the environment in which your building exists. Now, the membrane's color might seem an odd thing to focus on, but this is actually a critical consideration. Black EPDM is much more common and for good reason; it possesses terrific heat-absorbing qualities. But these aren't exactly desirable in North Las Vegas, which is essentially a desert known for its brutally hot summers. This leads us to the other end of the color spectrum—white EPDM, which is greatly underutilized. White EPDM would be perfect for my building, which is an unfortunate way of saying that when seen from a distance, it takes on the appearance of a guano-covered cliff. Seriously, though, a white membrane is reflective, meaning it's not just "cool," as in the opposite of "hot," but is also a "cool roof," meaning it is effectively temperature-neutral across a broad swath of the electromagnetic spectrum.
When choosing EPDM roofing in North Las Vegas, you need to consider two other critical aspects: maintenance and longevity. EPDM is well-known for low maintenance demands and a surprising level of durability, often carrying a 20-year or greater lifespan. Though the intense sun and storms that sometimes hit our area can be hard on roofs, regular inspections and just a little bit of 'preventive medicine' here and there (mostly just caulking) can help ensure that your EPDM roof will serve its full length of time without any nasty surprises. Should repair indeed be necessary, it is seldom and usually not very expensive if it happens. On the whole, therefore, EPDM is virtually a no-risk roofing investment—mainly thanks to the very low level of maintenance it calls for during its service life. Its installation is also a bit on the easy side, which can tie in to carrying lower labor costs and expediting the roofing project as a whole.
