Coatings and Waterproofing
STAY ENERGY EFFICIENT
Whether a recent storm revealed a leak or two in your roof or you’re installing a new roof and want to prevent any leaking problems down the road, Surface Shield Roofing Company has what you need. Roof coating is a perfect option for easy and effective waterproofing.
The NRCA-National Roofing Contractors Association defines waterproofing as the “treatment of a surface or structure to prevent the passage of water under hydrostatic pressure.”
In the roofing industry, this is achieved with the application of a membrane to a pre-existing wood, concrete, or cover board surface. This is, of course, a roofing procedure but could also be categorized as waterproofing per definition.
Typically when we think of waterproofing, we generally envision the application of a fluid coating. These are applied traditionally to a pre-existing roof and are used to “waterproof” the surfaces as it deteriorates over time.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT
White reflective coating products carry a variety of environmental benefits. Due to our state’s dependence on imported oil, energy costs in Hawaii are amongst the highest in the nation. The need to reduce the price of cooling a home or business has led to innovations in the field of roofing.
White coatings are proven to reflect up to 88% of the sun’s harmful rays as compared to roughly 17% reflectivity of traditional roofing. Reports of a drop in temperature up to 15-20 degrees have been reported in the interior of homes, buildings, and warehouses. This reduction of heat can save thousands in cooling costs over time.
Additionally, because such coatings are applied to an existing roofing substrate, demolition from a full re-roofing process that sends unnecessary waste to a landfill is prevented.
overall, a roof coating is a seamless application when installed correctly and can solve roof leaks on almost any type of existing flat roof surface. Roof coatings can extend the useful life of most roof substrates, keeping the surface cool while providing 25-plus years to the service life of a roof.
Protective Coatings
You have numerous options when looking at a new coating for your roof. At Surface Shield, we use the highest quality industrial coatings that are tried, tested, and proven. We ensure our customers get the best pricing—without giving up quality. Each coating has its unique benefits. Your Surface Shield roofing consultant can discuss these advantages with you and help you decide which material is best.
Waterproofing and coating requisites
A roof coating can be applied to waterproof just about any flat roofing surface, however, there are criteria regarding the acceptable condition of the existing surface before a waterproofing/coating system should be considered.
The first requisite is that your existing roof membrane is in decent condition. Upon inspection, the material must be soundly attached to the wood, concrete, or cover board that it was originally adhered to or attached. Note Minor blistering or lifting of the membrane can be repaired, but there is a point where a coating system should not be recommended and complete removal and installation of a new roof is necessary.
Signs that your roof is not a good candidate for a roof coating are but are not limited to: too many blisters or bubbles, seams coming apart in the majority of the area, and heavy loss of mileage (thickness of the membrane).
The aforementioned signs qualify as red flags for a coating and are evidence to the home or business owner that complete removal and installation of a new roof may be in order.
The second requisite is that there is no moisture in the existing roofing material. Sometimes this is easy to spot, bubbles in the membrane usually arise from moisture being trapped somewhere in the roof, when the sun comes out the moisture turns to steam which creates a bubble. Often it is not visible and if a coating is applied it may fail prematurely. A properly trained professional from a reputable firm should be able to detect whether or not there is pre-existing moisture utilizing tools of the trade such as a moisture meter.
Given there are no red flags and your property meets the criteria, the application of a coating is an excellent way to enhance the integrity of the existing roof substrate. Staying on a proper maintenance schedule is key to the preservation of your roof and will just about guarantee that you will be able to take advantage of a coating instead of a costly full roof system replacement.
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