How to Ensure the Longevity of your Commercial Roof Coating
Maintaining the coating on a commercial roof is essential for protecting the roof from damage and extending its lifespan. Neglecting proper maintenance can lead to costly repairs or even a complete roof replacement. Here are some essential steps and tips to maintain your commercial roof coating.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that there is a difference in the various coating systems. There are both high-end and low-end coating systems out there on the market. These systems can range from high end multi-layer applications to the lower end ‘solutions’ that basically amounts to a paint job.
To truly get a long lasting coating system of quality, a fabric-reinforced system is the optimal roof coating system. A system like this is much more than a spray or paint job. A fabric reinforced commercial roof coating system is a type of roofing material that is applied to the surface of a roof in order to protect it from weathering, UV radiation, and other forms of deterioration. It is typically composed of a base coat, a reinforcing kevlar fabric layer which is applied to every seam and penetration, and then the top coat. The final top coat is a sprayed-on, single layer membrane in essence. Generally, commercial roof coatings are typically used on flat or low-sloped roofs, and they are designed to be applied in a thin, seamless layer that is easy to repair and maintain.
The Coating Manufacturer
The type of coating manufacturer a roofing contractor uses makes a huge difference in the quality and therefore longevity of your roof coating. Depending on the system manufacturer, your warranty can range from being non-existent, to 5, to 10 or 18 years. As such, check with your prospective roofing contractor before starting any work and get a clear understanding as to what type of warranty the manufacturer provides.
Cleaning Your Roof
Keeping Your Roof Dry
First and foremost, it’s important to check your drains regularly for clogs. Depending on the type of drainage system you have, it might be necessary to inspect the drains after every large storm. For other systems, you may only need to check your drains quarterly or once a year.
If your drains are not properly maintained and unclogged, a situation known as ‘ponding’ can occur. This is when water will pool on the roof for an extended period of time; unable to drain. While ponding is detrimental to any flat roof, membrane or coated, it can be particularly harmful to a coated roof as the standing water can and will lead to the breakdown of the coating itself
Dirt and debrit can build up quickly over the years and lead to rot and general degradation
Removing Dirt and Scum
Whenever it rains, dirt and scum are naturally left behind after the water dissipates. Rainwater, unbeknownst to some people, can be pretty dirty! Therefore, over time, those many rain storms will leave layers of dirt and scum that can wear down and erode the coating protection on your roof.
As with the rain pooling, certain roofing systems have better drainage than others. Therefore, it may be necessary to remove the dirt frequently or once to twice a year. Dirt removal is usually achieved by a light brushing or a power washing and is essential in maintaining a roof coating as the dirt left on there can lead to weakening and breaking down of the coating system
As a side note, If your building is a restaurant and you are constantly venting cooking fumes/grease, then you should constantly be cleaning that area. At a minimum, we suggest getting up there quarterly to clean the grease from the roof as it will absolutely break down the coating of your roof at a very quick pace. Not only will this affect the top layer of coating but it can affect the membrane layer by causing it to contract frequently, ultimately leading to decay and tears.
Punctures from Debris
If your building is located below or in the vicinity of trees, you’ll want to do frequent checks for punctures. Water finding its way either under the coating or under the membrane can do damage; so while the top coating layer is there to protect the underlying membrane, it won’t stop a falling branch from potentially puncturing through the coating and into the membrane. So while you’re inspecting your roof, be on the lookout for small to large punctures from fallen branches. And obviously, if you find a puncture, you’ll need to get a reputable roofing contractor to repair it immediately.
For a more thorough guide with lots of helpful tips on learning how to spot damage to your roof, we’d recommend our article from last year entitled “8 Signs of Flat Roof Damage You can Find Yourself”.
Qualified Roofing Inspectors
Find a Coating Specialist
First and foremost, the contractor you choose needs to be a company that applies coating systems consistently. Don’t hire a contractor to inspect your roof coating that only works with shingles or membrane for example. Coating systems are unique, they have unique issues and repair processes.
Once the contractor takes your specifics into consideration, i.e. the roof size, location, warranty type, they can build out a specific yearly, quarterly, or semi-annual maintenance plan that will keep you leak free and extend the life of your roof coating to its full potential. For further information, read our previous article discussing the ins and outs of a commercial roof lifespan.
The unique benefits of a coating system is that the coating can usually be reapplied. This means that you can reapply a coating ahead of the warranty timeframe and continue to extend the life of your roof without the cost of full tear off
An added benefit of a commercial coating system is that it can be reapplied relatively easily to extend the life of a roof
In Conclusion
If properly maintained, coating systems can be a fantastic, value driving asset to your building that can save you money in the long run. Additionally, the white membrane of the roof can reflect the heat energy from the sun, saving you considerable money with your energy bill. Remember, coating systems aren’t for every roof. But if you stay ahead with a professional yearly, or multi-yearly maintenance plan, you can achieve years of a headache-free, money saving roof.
If you live in Pennsylvania or the surrounding tri-state region and would like to schedule a free quote for a maintenance and inspection plan, contact us at J Smucker Contracting. We are the leading Lancaster County commercial roof coating contractors. Our specialists are more than happy to answer any questions you may have!