WHY COAT YOUR FLAT ROOF – Family Roofing

Posted on by David Reid

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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

WHY COAT YOUR FLAT ROOF

Many homeowners make the mistake of treating their roofs as something they only need to worry about when they leak. Your typical flat roof will last anywhere from 15 to 30 years depending on the materials used, the climate conditions it has to endure, and how much maintenance you perform.  With proper maintenance, a flat roof can even last even longer. If you want your roof to last as long as possible — reducing your expenses and anxiety — there’s one pretty simple thing you should consider:  Coating it!

Your roof takes a lot of punishment.  It bakes in the sun, soaks in the rain, and freezes in the snow.  No matter what material your flat roof is made from, it will eventually begin to suffer from these extremes.  You’ll start to see ponding (or areas where water doesn’t drain off properly), cracks, discolorations, and other signs that your roof is aging.  In other words, your roof is sort of like the “skin” of your house: It protects you, but it can be damaged from exposure to the elements.

A roof coating is like sunscreen and moisturizer for your roof.  Coating your roof provides a few fundamental benefits:

  • It seals the roof, preventing any invisible water penetration that is eroding your roofing material

  • It bounces solar radiation away, reducing the temperature of your house (and thus reducing your cooling bills)

  • It protects the roofing material from sun damage

  • It extends the lifespan of your roof so you have to replace it less frequently

  • It prevents leaks, so repair costs are lowered

The good news about coating a flat roof is that it’s fairly inexpensive to do.  When you consider that coating your roof will absolutely extend its lifespan, this investment is very much worth it.

How to Find Out if Flat Roof Needs Silver Coating

It is important to know that a flat roof is not flat. The term is common due to the slight slope in the roof structure. This is one reason why flat roofs soften face drainage issues.  That is why many roofing experts advise coating your roofs as a preventive measure to keep drainage problems such as leaks at bay instead of correcting them.

Know that severe leaks may lead to cracks in the roof.  If your roof shows structural damages, it is an indication that it needs coating.  Even if your roof does not show signs of physical damage but has been more than six years since its last coating, it is worth coating it.

How Often You Should Coat Your Flat Roof

A flat roof needs coating more than other types of roofs.  It is because flat roofs are susceptible to structural damages and require frequent maintenance to last.  Silver and aluminum coating is s one way to maintain your flat roof.  The average lifespan of a flat roof is not more than ten years, but if you coat it every four to five years, it can extend the roof’s life enormously.  Moreover, coating your flat roof with silver or aluminum paint helps you save money you might have to spend on the repairs in the future.

Who can Coat Your Flat Roof?

The best way to coat a flat roof is to hire roof experts as they are professionals and know how to handle the repairs and damages before coating.  They begin with cleaning your roof and then apply the coating.  Many professionals also use primer on flat roofs before coating.  It helps coating adhere thoroughly.  However, if your roof has other underlying issues, including ponding and leaks, make sure your contractor address them and take the right safety precautions.  It will make aluminum coating durable and long-lasting.

Benefits of Aluminum Roof Coating

There is no denying that reflective coatings (aluminum or polyurethane) for roofs act like a tough barrier between the roof and external elements.  The right type of roof coating has an impact on resistance to help your roof handle the traffic.

Here are some proven advantages of using roof coating, specifically silver roof coating for flat roofs.

  • Reduced Energy Bills

Aluminum roof coating can help you lower the surface temperature, ultimately decreasing the interior temperature of the house.  It primarily happens because aluminum roof coating is reflective.  When you apply it to your roof, it reflects more sunlight from the roof surface.  That reduces the heat your roof structure has absorbed, translating into reduced energy cost.

It is worth mentioning that, applying quality coatings for your roof is important to reflect damaging UV rays and infrared sunlight from your property.  This thermal emittance process allows your roof to cool down and build temperature, resulting in the reduction of energy usage.

  • Extend Your Roof Life

As stated above, a roof coating is essential to create a strong and resilient barrier between the roof’s uppermost layers and elements.  Not only can this, choosing the right coating to help you increase the waterproof quality of your roof to guard it against the harmful ultraviolet rays.

Aluminum roof coating, in this respect, reflects damaging heat away from the surface of the roof.  This works great when it comes to increasing the longevity of roofing and lowering its maintenance expenses.

  • Avoid Roof Replacement

Another benefit of coating your flat roof is that it can cover the minor leaks and damages.  People often avoid full-scale roof replacements if they use the right coating for the roof. Roof restoration through coating can save you 50 to 70 percent as compared to the entire roof replacement process.

Bottom Line

Choosing the right roof coatings is imperative whether your property is commercial or residential.  It is because environmental concerns and labor costs are on the rise.  A proper roof coating can act as a barrier that helps you protect your roof from various elements such as UV rays and also reduce the energy costs of the building.  Aluminum roof coating, in this regard, limits contraction and expansion cycles that can cause premature failure to your roof due to some poor underlying maintenance applications.