Brite-Tek Roof ????

[wvabeer]

Opinion on Brite-Tek Roof with 7mm Decking. I'm looking at a Newmar Kountry star with this roof.

[Bruce_Brown]

I walk on ours. When it's wet you want to be careful as it can get a bit slippery, but not too bad.

[reubenray]

Can these roofs be walked on and are they slippery?

[Bruce_Brown]

reubenray wrote:
Do the BriteTek roofs have the white chalky residue runoff like the fiberglass roofs do? Also do the fiberglass roofs add any insulation?

We've never had any chalking, and as noted we've had BriteTek on (3) different MHs since 1999.

Fiberglass alone would add virtually zero insulation value. Much of the "fiberglass" used is pretty darn thin.

If anything the BriteTek might add a minutiae amount of insulation as the stuff Newmar uses is felt backed, but honestly it would be so little it would be insignificant.

The insulation value is what's under the roof material.

[reubenray]

Do the BriteTek roofs have the white chalky residue runoff like the fiberglass roofs do? Also do the fiberglass roofs add any insulation?

[Bruce_Brown]

tatest wrote:
It is a brand name for TPO roofing frabric. Maintains its original color longer the EPDM fabrics, usually.

The materials, EPDM and TPO especially, have not been in service long enough (10-20 years) to determine which has a longer life, considering that the most recent TPO formulations have not much more than five years experience.

That would not be accurate. Our 2000 Dutch Star gasser, which came home in 1999, had a BriteTek roof. Thats 18 years ago.

You may be thinking of the new Alpha roof membrane, which is different. I recently installed an Alpha roof on a friends 5th wheel. It required different sealants and was thinner than BriteTek, plus it didn't have the felt backing like the BriteTek Newmar uses.

[tatest]

It is a brand name for TPO roofing frabric. Maintains its original color longer the EPDM fabrics, usually.

The materials, EPDM and TPO especially, have not been in service long enough (10-20 years) to determine which has a longer life, considering that the most recent TPO formulations have not much more than five years experience.

[Bruce_Brown]

eheading wrote:
I agree Bruce, but my point was that even with the fiberglass roof, the top surface of the slideouts is always Brite-Tek all the way up to and including the King-Aire. At least that is what I was told at the factory, and what it looked like to me.

Ed Headington

Ah! Good point on the slide tops, I never thought of those!

[eheading]

I agree Bruce, but my point was that even with the fiberglass roof, the top surface of the slideouts is always Brite-Tek all the way up to and including the King-Aire. At least that is what I was told at the factory, and what it looked like to me.

Ed Headington

[wallynm]

In 2002 when we ordered our DSDP we contacted the factory. Specifically we asked about roofing options as we were planning to install solar panels and were advised to go with the BITE TECK as at the time it had better underlying support than fiber glass. At that time the BITE TECK rolled over the top and down the side about 4 inches and NEWMAR installed a fiberglass piece to cover the 4 inches and tacked in place along the roof line. We installed 1200 watts of solar collectors by installing brackets on the roof side rails, and then two inch square bars across the the top of the roof. The solar collectors do not touch the roof.

Solar installation on Bite Teck Roof

[Bruce_Brown]

eheading wrote:
It is interesting to note that ALL Newmar's have a brite-tek roof on their slides, including the top of the line King Aire. We have a Ventana LE, bottom line diesel with fiberglas roof, but brite-tek on the slides, and they are doing just fine for us.

Ed Headington

Actually the Dutch Star and above have a fiberglass roof as standard.

[Bruce_Brown]

hanko wrote:
Isnt it just another rubber roof? Its kinda funny a manufacturer offers two different types roofs. Im planning on going with a new ventana early this year.

Many times it gets grouped as "just another rubber roof", which is unfortunate. BriteTek and rubber are about 180 degrees apart.

[eheading]

It is interesting to note that ALL Newmar's have a brite-tek roof on their slides, including the top of the line King Aire. We have a Ventana LE, bottom line diesel with fiberglas roof, but brite-tek on the slides, and they are doing just fine for us.

Ed Headington

[PastorCharlie]

BriteTek is a great roof....would not have another rubber roof.

[Randu]

I loved the BriteTec roof that was on my 2004 Newmar Kountry Star 5th. Traded in 2011 for 2008 Mobile Suites and it has regular EPDM and looks terrible. Can't keep EPDM clean. That Brite Tek roof was very easy to clean, didn't black streak, and looked like new when traded after 7 years. Randu