EPDM Roofing in Lorton, VA
Nothing Fairfax County has published about Lorton names EPDM. What the county does have on paper is a flat roof: a Laurel Hill townhouse whose roof sits behind parapet walls, reviewed in public in March 2024. This page sets that record beside what it leaves unsaid, then places EPDM among the sheet roofs such a building can carry.
record shows
unsaid
One townhouse on the record
What do the Architectural Review Board minutes say about a flat Laurel Hill roof?
The case is a single address, not a survey of Laurel Hill roofs, and it was about solar panels, not about the roof covering.
Printed in the minutes
- The building
- A townhouse at 9311 Quadrangle Street, case ARB-24-LOR-04, listed in the Lorton/Laurel Hill MOA Eligible Area.
- The roof
- The applicant called it a flat roof with a ballast system. Walls on the roof were given as about 30 inches at the front, 27 at the rear and 16 at the side.
- The outcome
- Deferred on March 14 for thin drawings, approved March 18. The word "roof-mounted" was removed from the motion because the blocks sit on the roof rather than being fixed to it.
- A board comment
- One member said the townhome development was reviewed earlier with utilities meant to sit at the rear of the buildings.
Not in the minutes
- The covering
- No page names a membrane for this roof, so nothing ties it to EPDM, TPO or PVC.
- A re-roof
- Nothing says whether replacing the covering in kind on such a townhouse goes to the board.
- Roof condition
- Age, leaks and drainage were never discussed; the topic was panels and conduit.
- The wider area
- One approval does not describe the other townhouse roofs, which may differ.
Behind the parapet
Why does a wall on three sides change how a rubber sheet is run?
- Coping caps the top of the wall
- Counterflashing sheds water over the edge
- Termination bar and sealant hold the top of the sheet
- Cant strip eases the corner
With walls of 16 to 30 inches on its edges, a sheet roof stops being one flat sheet and becomes a tray. The covering has to climb each wall, and the metal at the top has to shed water outward. Those edges are where a re-cover is won or lost, more than the field of the roof.
The model building code says old metal edgings and counterflashings should not be put back where they are rusted, damaged or deteriorated, and Virginia's text carries the same rule. A walled roof also needs a way out for water, and the model code asks for overflow scuppers where the perimeter is above the roof, with an exception when an existing roof is only being re-covered and already drains well.
Where EPDM fits
If the roof is a sheet roof, how does EPDM differ from the white sheets?
This is the material side only; it is not a finding about any Lorton roof.
| Question | EPDM | TPO and PVC |
|---|---|---|
| Material class | A thermoset, a rubber sheet | Thermoplastics, softened by heat |
| Standard on the data sheet | ASTM D4637 | ASTM D6878 for TPO, D4434 for PVC |
| How laps are joined | Adhesive or tape | Hot-air welds that fuse the sheets |
| Can color name it? | No. It also comes in white. | No. Both come in many colors. |
Because color cannot tell them apart, the paperwork or a core sample does the identifying. Lap seams have long been a focus of EPDM failure studies, so on any rubber sheet ask how the seams are made and who checks them. More on the family sits on our flat roof page.
Does an in-kind re-roof in Laurel Hill go to the Architectural Review Board?
The county's description of the district says the board reviews alterations to the exterior of a contributing structure, new construction and some regrading. It does not say how a like-for-like roof covering is treated. Fairfax County's Architectural Review Board answers at 703-324-1380; give the street address and say that the roof is flat and walled.
The building-permit side is separate. The Land Development Services list that names shingle replacement as exempt and roof repairs as miscellaneous work does not name a membrane, so put that question to 703-222-0801 as well.
FAQ
Questions about rubber roofs behind Lorton parapets
Do the review minutes say EPDM is allowed or banned at Laurel Hill?
Neither. The March 2024 minutes name no membrane at all. The record is about solar panels on a walled flat roof.
How do I know if my townhouse is inside the review area?
The minutes list 9311 Quadrangle Street as in the Lorton/Laurel Hill MOA Eligible Area. Your own parcel is a question for the county board at 703-324-1380.
Why did the board remove "roof-mounted" from the solar approval?
The panels rest on ballast blocks rather than being fixed to the roof, so the motion named the location instead.
Can I tell if my flat roof is EPDM from the ground?
Not by color, since sheet roofs come in black, white and other colors. Ask for the data sheet, which lists the ASTM standard, or have a sample checked.
What should a walled roof get checked for?
The industry association's advice for low-slope roofs is an inspection twice a year and after a major storm, with perimeter metal, flashings and drains looked at first.
Is my Lorton house, not a townhouse, covered by this page?
Only if part of it is flat. For permits and the rest of the place, the Lorton page sets out which county office answers.
Nearby
Where else can you read about rubber roofs near Lorton?
The Lorton page covers the two sides of ZIP code 22079. Close by, see EPDM roofing in Fairfax and EPDM roofing in Alexandria. The flat roof page compares every sheet type.
Talk through the next step
Talk through your roof with King's Roofing
Share the address, what you are seeing on the roof and the decision you need to make. We will tell you what to expect before anything is scheduled.
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
Mon to Fri 7 AM to 8:30 PM, Sat 7 AM to 8 PM, closed Sunday