Roof Coatings
You already know that your house and business need a sturdy, well-installed roof to ensure years of trouble-free service. But did you know that applying a roof coating could increase the lifespan of your roof, whether it was installed recently or a decade ago?
Coating your roof can reduce heat energy costs and increase UV and waterproofing protection for the roof. As a roof is exposed to heat and ultraviolet rays over the years, materials break down. This chemical breakdown begins to ruin the roof’s appearance and function. Roof coatings lend strength and longevity to roofing materials while maintaining the aesthetic appearance of any structure.
Six Advantages Of Roof Coatings
Reflective roof coatings act as a barrier between your roof and the elements, and many are approved by ENERGY STAR for their proven advantages. These include:
#1. Reduced Cooling Bills
ENERGY STAR-qualified roof coatings lower roof’s surface temperature and decrease your home’s interior temperature by an average of seven to 10 degrees. This happens in two distinct ways:
A reflective roof coating when applied to roofs help reflect more sunlight from the surface reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the structure, which then translates into reduced energy cost. Quality roof coatings will also reflect damaging ultraviolet and infrared sunlight away from your building (this is called thermal emittance), allowing for cooler roof and building temperatures resulting in a reduction in air conditioning energy usage.
#2. Extended Roof Life
Roof coatings create a resilient barrier between the elements and the uppermost layers of your roofing material. The right roof coating increases your roof’s waterproof quality guarding your roof from harmful sun rays, prevents UV damage, and reflects heat away from the roof’s surface. This increased the longevity of your roofing while lowering maintenance expenses.
#3. Useful With A Variety Of Materials
Roof coatings are formulated to adhere to a wide range of roofing surface types, including metal roofs, asphalt roofs, composite roofs, galvanized metal, wood, and others. However, before applying roof coatings to materials such as shingle, check your manufacturer’s warranty to see if these spray/brush-on products void your warranty. And when replacing a roof, consider upgrading to reflective coating shingles to benefit from the “hot” cool-roofing movement taking place in America.
#4. Avoiding Early Roof Replacement
Small leaks and other minor damage can be repaired before a roof coating is applied. In some cases, you may be able to avoid full-scale replacement of your roof for several years if you utilize the right coating for the job. “Roof restoration using a coating system can save the owner 50-70% when compared to replacing the entire roof,” said David Bade, owner of St. Louis-based Bade Roofing Company “With a roof restoration, owners avoid the cost of tearing off the existing roof, purchasing new materials and paying labor fees to replace the existing roof. Not to mention the environmental impact that roofing materials have when disposed in a landfill.”
#5. Fade Resistance
Reflective roof coatings help your roof maintain its color over time improving the overall look of your home as it ages. Since the roof coatings are reflective, the color of the roof is maintained for a longer duration, which makes your house look more appealing.
#6. Sustainable And Environmentally-Friendly Roofing
One final peripheral benefit of roof coatings is that they help reduce waste by extending the life of your roof thus minimizing the amount of debris produced during maintenance and repair. Today, most coatings are specially formulated for environmental safety as well, so you don’t have to worry about production techniques or dangerous chemicals. Cool roofs also benefit the environment by reducing local air temperatures (the urban heat island effect) and lowering peak electricity demand.