EPDM vs Felt

FIRESTONE EPDM :

Safe installation - flame free
No hot torches, boiling tar or welding equipment needed so risks of fire are eliminated. The membrane is adhered to the flat roof deck with Water based or Contact adhesives using a cold lay technique.

Seamless roof - no joins
Firestone produce EPDM sheets in very large sizes so nearly all domestic flat roofs can be covered in a single sheet of rubber. This means there are no joins that can fail.

Superior durability and flexibility
Firestone EPDM is an inert material and is resistant to the effects of UV radiation and Ozone and as a result will not degrade. It will stretch over 300% before it breaks. Once installed, you will have a flat roof that is perfectly water tight and is guaranteed to stay that way.

Value for money - very low life-cycle cost
Relatively low installation costs combined with never having to replace the roof again results in EPDM being extremely cost effective. The roof requires little or no maintenance other than a quick hosing or sweeping of leaves.

Attractive appearance
Firestone Rubber Cover is resistant to algae and moss growth. Moss cannot grow on EPDM rubber as it is non porous. This means your roof will look as good in 20 years as it did the day it was fitted.

Rubber is Eco-friendly
Due to its superior life span and re-usability it has a very low environmental impact. Greenpeace and the Green Building Digest recommend EPDM Rubber as the Best Value sustainable eco-roofing.

Attractive Roof Edge Detail/Trim
Advanced Flat Roofing LLP use easy to fit unique edge trim and gutter trim around the perimeter of a roof, they look fantastic contrasting against a white fascia, and really finish an installation off...

TRADITIONAL FELT:

Installation
Applied by gas torch or bitumen boiler, high risk of fire and very expensive insurance premiums.

UV exposure
UV exposure breaks down and extracts oils and bitumen from asphalt, eventually it becomes brittle and cracks. Temperature can fall quickly on clear nights causing felt to contract, often tearing/splitting.

Weather
Susceptible to damage from summer sun and winter frost alike. Edges formed in felt means high failure rate.

Natural breakdown of felt
Over time, felt roofs will break down as a natural cause to weathering. In hot weather the felt will blister. In cold weather the felt will crack.

Durability
Felt is not capable of substantial elongation without failure.

Damp and puddling
Flat roofs are not entirely 'flat' and to aid with water run off they are slightly slanted. After a few years of build up you will find that the felt is constantly damp because the water can't drain away properly; especially if the roof is covered with stone chippings or ballast.

Cracking caused by freezing water
As a felt roof gradually breaks down, water will start to migrate through the layers and when the weather gets colder this water freezes and causes further cracking of the felt roof leading to serious leaks suddenly developing. Felt is brittle in cold weather

Appearance
Can look reasonable when new, quickly becomes tatty, cracked, blistered. Stone aggregate ballast washes in to gutters causing blockages and plant life growth.

Further structural damage due to damaged felt
Felt roofs can leak slowly and by the time you detect a problem, severe structural damage may have already occurred. Damage can include rotting deck and joists which reduce the structural integrity of the roof and makes it unsafe to walk on. In some cases, ceilings have been known to have come down. If a sudden leak occurs it can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to walls, ceilings, furniture, carpets, electrical equipment etc.