With increasing environment and budgetary constraints, many homeowners and business owners are looking for smarter ways to reduce the operating costs of their properties. Roof coatings are a practical solution for controlling heat loss and protecting the structure from harsh weather, not to mention extending the service life of the roof.
Royal Roofing Construction, your local roofers, share everything you need to know about roof coatings.
Extending the Roof’s Lifespan
When properly applied, a roof coating can extend the service life of your roof and delay a full-blown replacement, saving you money. Coatings are an alternative to replacement if the roof hasn’t sustained too much damage and is still structurally intact.
The potential cost-saving benefits you get from coating your residential roofing system are significant. This is thanks to the natural reflective properties of most coatings, which effectively reduce the temperature of the roof. In turn, this has a positive effect on the energy consumption of your home, saving you money by reducing your cooling and heating costs.
Types of Roof Coatings
There are five main types of roof coatings to choose from:
- Silicone: This is a popular coating option for areas that experience a lot of rain and high exposure to the sun’s harsh UV rays. A silicone coating essentially makes the roof more reflective and is the best choice if you want a cool roof. It can be applied to any roofing material. On the downside, it is the most expensive of the five coatings.
- Acrylic: Usually a solvent or water-based coating, acrylic boasts good weathering properties and UV ray reflectivity. Like silicone, it can be applied to almost any roof, although the formula depends on the roof type, as well as on the adhesion and the temperature range of the local climate.
- Asphalt: This is another common type of coating that comes in black emulsions or can be aluminized. Asphalt coatings have excellent weather adaptability and respectable reflective properties. They are best applied on asphalt-based roofs – whether in the form of shingles or membranes.
- Bitumen: A type of water or solvent-based coating, this option is compatible with many types of roofing materials. Bitumen coatings are some of the most affordable coatings available, and are often applied to three-tab shingles to increase their waterproofing.
- Polyurethane: These are another common choice, available in aliphatic or aromatic forms. While aromatic variants are less UV-stable than their aliphatic counterparts, both have high abrasion resistance. As such, they’re the only choice for roofs that experience high foot traffic or hail; specifically, flat roofs.
At Royal Roofing Construction, we can help you pick the best roof coating for your home. We also install gutters and gutter protection systems. Call us today at (714) 909-0567 to learn more about our services. We serve homeowners in Santa Ana, CA, and nearby areas.