Is your building’s roof coating helping or hurting your investment? Do you know? No one expects you to know everything a reputable roofing contractor , like Superior Seamless does. That’s why businesses contact a professional when they have roofing questions, needs, or other issues. In the meantime we have provided you with five things all commercial building owners need to know about roof coatings.
1. Protect Your Roof’s Surface:
Seamless, fluid roofing membranes, aka roof coatings, are a sealant that adds a waterproof surface. This works to form a protective sealing layer over your roof’s surface which helps to extend the roofs life expectancy. Additionally, a midlife roof coating will do the same thing. This works because you are essentially adding a new surface layer onto the top of the old commercial roof coating and will help to extend the useful life of your roof.
2. Breathable:
Quality roof coatings are designed to be breathable. This allows any moisture that is coming from inside of the building to escape through the roof.
3. Adds Some Fire-Resistance to Your Roof:
There are specific roof coatings on the market that are UL listed for safety, which act as roofing fire-retardants. Therefore, opting for a high-quality roof sealant will give your commercial building that added extra layer of protection. In some cases, applying a UL listed roof coating might entitle you to an insurance discount as well which can be great financially.
4. “Cool Roofs” Lower Rooftop Temperatures:
Applying a “Cool Roof” coating will help to lower the roof’s temperature. This durable white coating has a reflective factor that prevents the absorption of the sun’s UV rays. This can save you a significant amount of money on your energy bills, HVAC maintenance, and more.
5. Prevents the Growth of Mold, Mildew, and Other Harmful Organisms:
Roof coatings have an extremely low permeability threshold. That means they don’t stay wet or damp. You might wondering what’s the benefit of this. Well having a damp roof can allow mold, mildew, and algae to grow. So if you business is located in a high humidity area, like the coast of Connecticut, having a roof coating applied to your commercial building can be a great preventive measure to protect your roof from a wide variety of harmful microorganisms.
The Bottom Line:
Roof coatings are a very versatile commercial roofing solution, one that could ultimately save you thousands and thousands of dollars in the long run. Roof coatings have many purposes. This include protecting your building from water intrusion, some are an effective fire-retardant that could save you money on your insurance, not to mention acting as an energy-saver by lowering the roof’s temperature and keeping your building cooler during the summer while also reducing excessive HVAC maintenance and repairs.
One thing to keep in mind about roof coatings is that they are best used as a proactive measure to extend the life of your roof. Once your roof system begins to break down and gets water in the insulation and decking, then the option of coatings will become less effective. You will also face higher costs when having to prep for the coating and for the cost of a full re-roof.