The application of a suitable coating on your roof is the best way to enhance the longevity of your roof, to prevent minor issues, such as smaller cracks as well as to improve the roof’s thermal performance. If you are currently browsing efficient and affordable solutions to prolong your roof’s lifespan, here is how you can benefit from using the right roof coating product.
The Types of Roofing that Can Be Coated
Most, but not all roofing materials can be coated. Clay, cement, wood and slate are special materials that offer superior durability, but are not suitable for being protected with additional coatings. Most other materials, including metal, EPDM, PVC and most types of built-up roofs can be efficiently protected with coating materials available on the market. Roof coatings can be applied not only on the first layer of roofing material – coating products are suitable for being used even if your roofing consist of two layers already.
How Roof Coating Protects Your Roof
Roof coatings offer high-level protection against many roofing issues and challenges. Here are some of the features offered by coating products:
- Thermal protection – roof coating products can efficiently reduce the harmful effects that wide temperature variations have on roofs. Roofs expand when they are exposed to high temperatures and they contract when the temperatures drop. The commercial roofing San Antonio materials are designed to be able to stay strong despite these movements, but very wide temperature variations sustained for too long can lead to the premature aging of the roof – an issue that can be efficiently prevented with the right type of elastic coating;
- Protection against water – some roofing materials, such as PVC are not very sensitive to the presence of water, but others, especially metal, can be severely damaged if exposed to water for too long. The slope of the roof also determines how sensitive the roof is to water – flat roofs tend to be more prone to water ponding than sloping roofs that allow the water to run down on the sides. Most roof coating materials, especially silicone and rubberized products, ensure a high level of protection against the harmful effects of ponding water, such as the appearance of rust and corrosion and preventing leaks and premature aging;
- Partial or complete application – roof coating products can be applied on the entire roof surface or only in sensitive areas, such around the roof penetrations or on the flashing.
How to Take Care of Your Roof Coating
Before applying the coating on your roof, make sure that the roof is clean and intact. Start the process with a detailed inspection to reveal any problems that require your attention, then address the issues that have been detected to restore the roof and clean the surface to be treated. Apply the roof coating of choice according to the product instructions – you will need either a spray can or a roller to spread the product and some coating products also need the surface of application to be primed beforehand, but the manual will contain all the information that you need for proper installation. You will also need to maintain your roof coating – the process involves inspection, cleaning and the re-application of the coating in the areas that need correction.