There’s so much that goes into owning a home. Whether you’re watching your first home go up or an experienced homeowner who’s confronting a new maintenance challenge, every home offers a novel set of decisions throughout its lifespan. We here at Ridgeline Construction are constantly considering the little details by putting ourselves in homeowners’ shoes.
This sentiment is especially true for roofing and the types of coating to consider for your particular roof. You can get a general idea for roofing maintenance on our website, where we discuss potential causes for roof damage and their respective remedies. Today, we’ll be going through the options you have for roof coating, and which of those best should suit your roof’s needs.
Why roof coatings are important
There are two main aspects that we notice when observing a roof: one is its geometric considerations, such as shape and size; the other is its material, which we refer to as its coating. The most common types of domestic roofing are asphalt shingles, ceramic tile, slate shingles, wood and cedar shingles or shake, and metal roofing.
Roofs are affected by an array of factors, such as sunlight and inclement weather. Some roofing materials, such as asphalt, will be easier to treat because they’re more durable. Metal roofs in particular are also known for their durability.
But roof coatings are different from the underlying material used to build a roof. Coatings are what help maintain your roof in the face of external factors. There are many benefits to roof coatings. These include:
- Improved protection: Roof coatings can help protect your roof from severe weather, especially hail. Hailstones can cause extreme damage to your roof, but roof coatings add an additional layer of protection.
- Cost savings: A new roof can cost you thousands of dollars. Roof coatings typically only require about 30% to 40% of the price of a full tear-off.
- Energy savings: These coatings can help reduce the amount of energy needed to cool your home. Most roof coatings have reflective properties, which means that the coating will reflect the ultraviolet (UV) rays that hit your roof and cause it to heat up instead of absorbing the heat.
Different types of roof coating
The different types of roof coating center around addressing the varying factors your roof will face. For example, if your home’s location is subject to torrential downpours, you’ll want to consider a bituminous roof coating, which gears toward waterproofing your roof.
Here are a few other types of roof coating and their respective benefits:
Elastomeric Roof Coatings: Elastomeric coatings contain elastic properties. This flexibility means the roof’s surface can stretch without being damaged. These coatings allow for building movement and thermal expansion due to hot weather. Non-bituminous roof coatings tend to be elastomeric.
Reflective Roof Coatings: Reflective coatings reflect the sun’s rays. These coatings tend to be white or to include other particularly reflective colors. Reflective coatings fall under the ‘cool roof’ category. These coatings are capable of decreasing a roof’s temperature by up to 60 degrees.
Polymer-Modified Roof Coatings: Polymer-modified coatings are bituminous coatings that have a polymer addition to improve its performance. Polymer-modified coatings allow for better flexibility, are longer-lasting, but are more expensive than unmodified coatings.
How to approach coating your roof
It’s important to note that these are just a few of many roof coatings. There are more than a dozen types and still more variations of those types. Furthermore, roof coatings are a tough task.
We can help you out with all your roofing needs here at Ridgeline Construction. From Huntsville, Alabama, to Pensacola, Florida, we’re equipped to prepare your roof for anything that might come your way.
Need to schedule a consultation for roof repair or installation? Contact our team today!
Ridgeline Construction Roofing & Exteriors is one of the best home improvement specialists in the area. We won’t sacrifice quantity for quality, and we’ll always strive to provide you with the highest level of service. Schedule a free estimate and consultation today by calling us at (256) 325-1345 or by filling out our online form.
