| Warranty |
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| Life expectancy |
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- Replaced every 2 to 5 years
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| Quality |
- Made of high-density Polyethylene (HDPE) or PVC
- Industrial strength, superior resistance
- UV protection
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- Often suffers damage from climate conditions, insects, moss, rot, as well as exposure to sun, wind and sea salted air
- These days, traditional thatch preparation (proper harvesting, saltwater treatment, drying sequence, weaving, etc.) is often neglected or compromised
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| Maintenance |
- Maintenance free, self-cleaning design
- No accumulation of residue
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- Regular maintenance required; repairs, insecticides, fumigation, fire-resistance treatments, cleaning of underlying floors and furniture, etc.
- Recurring labour costs
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| Wind resistance |
- Wind resistance from 160km/h up to 190km/h
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- No existing standards – generally low wind resistance
- Ensuing repairs and maintenance involved
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| Fire resistance |
- HDPE and PVC are naturally low flammable materials
- Fire-retardant (FR)
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- Highly flammable and may cause fires
- High risk of fire propagation
- Costly insurance coverage and high risk of refusa
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| Protection from infestation |
- Material does not attract insects, rodents, birds, etc.
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- Susceptible to infestations and nesting
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| Comfort |
- Layered installation method (allowing air pockets), makes for much cooler under-roof temperatures
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- Weak insulation capabilities means a high volume of leaves are required (very thick layering)
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| Added value |
- Undeniable return on investment
- Adds value to the building structures
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| Insurance savings |
- Lower insurance costs
- Palmex products are deemed entirely safe
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- High risk factor
- Costly insurance or insurance refusal
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| Environmental factors |
- 100% recyclable
- No toxic products required (cleaning, etc.)
- Rain water harvesting possible
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- Damage to the natural environment (harvesting leaves)
- Roof maintenance often leads to pollution via toxic products such as insecticides, pesticides, fire prevention sprays, etc.
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| Installation |
- Fast and easy. Instructions provided by Palmex
- Minimal skills required
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- Requires skilled labourers
- Longer, complicated and costly installation process
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| Transport and storability |
- Optimized transport and storage: high coverage, low shipping/ storage volume, thin leaves, compressed packaging.
- Export:
From Thaïland :
20’ container = from 1500 sqm to 2000 sqm 40’ container = from 3000 to 4000 sqm
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- To cover an equal surface per m2 or sq.ft, natural thatch roofing requires approximately 11 times the volume of Palmex products (transport and storage)
- 1 container of Palmex leaves = 11 containers of natural leaves
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