Fully Ballasted Roof

In other states like massachusetts ballast roof systems are illegal in certain towns because of the additional weight it adds to the building.

Fully ballasted roof. Somebody walking on the roof will undoubtedly step on the ballast and put a hole in the membrane. It can perform well in high winds if it is adequately embedded into the asphalt matrix or is on a roof with a high parapet. A ballasted roof also helps protect the epdm membranes from punctures from tree branches. Holes mean roof leaks and roof leaks mean call the roofer.

Simply put a ballasted roof is easy to install and basically guaranteed maintenance work for a roofer. Ballasted roof systems are simultaneously a roofer s best friend and arch nemesis. It is however ballasted generally with gravel. The stone used for single ply ballast has been sized using astm d448.

If your building is in an area that s in danger of falling debris such as tree branches or heavy foot traffic opt for a thicker membrane such as 75 mil. Built up roofs are designed to be fully adhered to the underlying roof matrix either the roof deck or insulation that is above the roof deck. The ballasted system ballasted systems the workhorse of the three epdm roofing systems account for approximately 35 percent of epdm installations today. When the concept first came to the u s plenty of roofers scratched their heads and wondered how the roof stayed on without being anchored especially during high winds or storms.

A ballasted roof means that the roof membrane is not anchored or adhered in any way to the decking material.