TECHNICAL & RESEARCH and upgrade aging roofs while working within tight budget constraints, restoration with a silicone roof coating could save millions, ensuring safe and dry environments for students and staff. Thoroughly grasping the ins and outs of this product will help during conversations with customers and position manufacturers as a trusted industry resource. Silicone roof coating benefits Roofs that are in good shape but require renewal due to age and normal wear and tear are ideal candidates for a silicone roof restoration. This coating process is applied as a liquid membrane to fill in cracks, blisters, and seams, thereby increasing a roof’s resistance to the elements. A roof coating serves as an added waterproofing barrier, protecting the roof surface from environmental exposures and physical damage, including preventing potential leakage from a damaged roof membrane. While the process does not improve insulation, it adds an extra layer of UV protection, reducing thermal absorption and helping the building’s interior stay cooler, which in turn lowers energy consumption and costs. Unlike other coating materials, silicone will not degrade, chalk, or crack from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Silicone coatings erode much more slowly than other elastomeric coatings without becoming too brittle or hard. Once cured, these moisture-cured coatings form an elastomeric and durable film, which allows the roof coating to seal around penetrations, bridge cracks, and reinforce membrane seams. Being a moisture-cure substance, silicone effectively resists moisture penetration, making it the ideal coating to protect against the damaging effects of ponding. Professionally applied roof coatings can extend the lifespan of the roof by up to 20 years and can be recoated every 10 years or so, saving thousands of dollars by avoiding traditional roof replacement— an important benefit to point out to customers. Additionally, silicone roof coatings: • Extend roof life by protecting buildings from water intrusion and enhancing durability. • Extend building service life by protecting the roof system from water intrusion. • Prolong the roof system lifecycle by reducing “thermal shock” caused by large temperature fluctuations. • Reduce installation costs by as much as 30 percent because the process is more straightforward and shorter in duration, which also lowers labor costs. • Increase energy efficiency because white roofs reflect the sun, keeping roof surfaces cooler. By minimizing cooling costs, peak energy use is reduced, decreasing the risk of power outages and the strain on the electrical grid. According to Energy Star, a roof coating can cut peak cooling demand by 10 to 15 percent. Adding a reflective coating can reduce roof surface temperatures, particularly on darker or weathered roof systems. For example, on a 32 C (90 F) day, a conventional darker-coloured roof can reach temperatures of up to 66 C (150 F), while a coated or “cool” roof may remain closer to 38 C (100 F)—a difference of roughly 28 C (50 F). Heat transfers from the roof through insulation and into the building. By lowering the roof surface temperature, less heat enters the building, thereby reducing the reliance on HVAC systems to maintain indoor comfort. While roof coatings do not add R-value and may offer additional benefits on roofs that are already white and reflective, they can still contribute to reduced cooling demand and lower energy costs, depending on the existing roof assembly and surface condition. Return on investment A primary goal of commercial building owners, developers, and property managers is maximizing the return on investment (ROI) on each property’s Workers apply silicone coating to this Pacific Palisades roof to protect the building from water intrusion and enhance its durability. www.mrca.org — Midwest Roofer 27 Continued on page 28
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