What You Need to Know About Making Roof Coatings Work

Maintaining a reliable, sturdy roof and scheduling any necessary roof repairs as soon as possible is a property owner or property manager’s greatest responsibilities. In most cases, quality roofing will last anywhere from 15 – 20 years and is a solid investment to make. However, some roofs can spring leaks in as little as 8 – 10 years after installation. If this happens to your tenant’s roof and you don’t have the budget to replace the entire thing, consider roof coating instead.

What Is a Roof Coating?

A roof coating is a roofing membrane that is formulated to stretch and expand without losing its shape. It is fluid when applied to a roof, then dries to an elastic consistency. When roof maintenance and repairs are needed, roof coatings are often used to extend the life of shingles and other roofing types without the monumental cost of complete replacement. While coating a roof might not be possible in all situations, it can be a helpful solution for increasing roof life and is a popular choice for property management.

Types of Roof Coatings

Before deciding on a coating, it is important to determine why you need it and what its main purpose will be. Here are some of the more popular uses for roof coatings:

• Limited Solar Protection, Extended Service Life: There are many formulation and product choices available to property management if roof life extension and limited solar protection are their goals.
• Comply With Energy Codes and Save Energy: Coatings with highly reflective surfaces are necessary if the primary goal of is to comply with energy codes or save energy. You may consider having a polyurethane foam spray added to the roof along with the coating if this is the case.
• Maximum Solar Protection: Your choices are more limited if you want a roof coating that offers maximum protection from the sun. Look for highly reflective white coatings and follow the recommendations of the service provider who will add the coating to your roof.
• Leak Repair and Waterproofing: Ideal for roof maintenance needs, a monolithic waterproof coating can help seal off leaks and extend the useful life of a roof.

Once you determine the main goal you wish to accomplish by adding a coating to your roof, you will have an easier time choosing between available coating categories which include silicones, high-performance urethanes, asphalt cutbacks and emulsions, SPF options and polymer-modified acrylic elastomers.

To schedule your roof coating service, call Atlantic Restoration at 617-933-8427.