How Long Will a Roof Last?

"We don't know" really is our best answer if you ask us how long our FiberTite roofs will last. What we do know is that two-inch hailstones pummeled Menomonee Falls, WI last summer and shattered a conventional PVC roof on a manufacturing facility owned by Glenroy, Inc., but left the neighboring 22-year old FiberTite roof at the same plant intact. We also know that Hurricanes Charley and Wilma, the fiercest storms ever to travel the Atlantic Basin, demolished properties throughout Naples, FL in 2004 and 2005, but left the 20-year old FiberTite roof on the Bank of Naples unscathed.

Nature has provided us with the best third-party laboratory to examine the long-term performance of our FiberTite product, but from time to time we like to run our own tests. What we've learned by comparing aged FiberTite membrane samples from 20-year old roofs across the U.S. with newly manufactured FiberTite is consistent: FiberTite remains viable for a long, long time. Lab reports continue to show insignificant variations in the physical properties fundamental to the membrane's performance capacity — tear strength, tensile strength, puncture resistance and flexibility. What's more, the same aged samples remain heat weldable, meaning the FiberTite membrane is still repairable after decades of exposure to UV rays, sub zero temperatures, high winds, heavy rains and a wide variety of rooftop contaminants.

What's the secret to such graceful aging? It's not the KEE coating technology, the polyester, the adhesive coat, the individual yarn strength or the proprietary knit design that alone makes a FiberTite roof far outlast its warranty. It is the balance of all of these physical attributes that yields unmatched performance. With FiberTite, we never had to alter our original compound — we got it right the first time.

Since the inception of the FiberTite product, nearly 30 years ago, over 99% of all the roofs we've ever installed are still protecting.

Seeing is Believing
Use our online form to sign up to see lab data and a sample of a 20-year-old FiberTite Roof.

In addition to following the maintenance schedule recommended for your roofing system and having it inspected twice each year, take these preventative measures to save your roof from costly damages caused by potentially damaging summer storms:

1. Before a predicted storm, clear the roof and the grounds around the facility of objects and debris that could be launched by wind and cause punctures or tears to the roof.
2. Ensure all HVAC equipment and other rooftop units are secured with hurricane straps. Latch all panels and doors tightly.
3. Ensure drainage systems are functioning and free flowing. Clear debris on the roof to prevent it from washing into the drain and hindering water flow or causing a clog.
4. Inspect the roof system for loose metal edging, copings or areas of detachment, particularly at the roof's perimeter.
5. Secure the building's windows and doors.

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