Switching to cool roof technology can reduce operating costs and extend the life of commercial roofing | back |
Operating and performance reasons to consider elastomeric coatings - Elastomeric roof coatings are recognized as key components of the building envelope to enhance structural integrity, reduce maintenance, increase longevity, improve energy efficiency, and provide significant immediate and longer-term environmental benefits.
- The strength of elastomeric coatings lies in their elasticity, the property that enables them to expand and contract with the substrate, bridging and spanning small cracks as the temperature fluctuates.
- Unique chemistry provided by Rohm and Haas’s soft binders ensures excellent resistance to dirt pickup, and lasting elasticity.
- A 100% acrylic coating provides protection against UV light degradation.
- Over time, heat, sunlight and cracking due to expansion and contraction will degrade a roof. The traditional model was to tear off the aging roof and replace it after 15 or 20 years. Elastomeric coatings can change all that. A coated roof could last the lifetime of the building with regular maintenance. Maintenance is limited to occasional cleaning with a hose or power washer and reapplying the coating every 10 or 15 years.
- A mere 5-year increase in roof service life should reduce the cost of roofing by 21 percent, cutting landfill waste from roofing. Roofing waste currently represents almost four percent of the total volume of solid wastes in the United States.
Check-list to ensure high-performance roof coating selection A coating that meets all your expectations for durability, energy efficiency, and asset protection is guaranteed when you can answer yes to each of these questions. - Are you applying a top-quality 100% acrylic coating?
- Does the coating meet or surpass technical norms such as the ASTM D-6083 specification (the American Society for Testing and Materials’ Standard Specification for Liquid Applied Acrylic Coating Used in Roofing)?
- Are the coating’s energy-saving properties certified by the Cool Roof Rating Council, or does it meet the Energy Star program requirements?
- Will the coating be applied in at least two passes, for a minimum total thickness of 20 thousands of an inch? Will a roller, a brush, or a spray applicator be used and how will you make sure to obtain the right thickness with these tools?
- If there are any leaks, will proper repairs have been completed before the application of the coating?
- Has the proper surface cleaning and preparation for the type of roof been included as part of the bidding process (e.g. spray-washing, removal of debris, priming, etc.)?
- Will the coated roof be inspected and cleaned regularly as part of a preventive maintenance program?
Visit these Web sites for additional “cool roof” information http://www.epa.gov/hiri/strategies/coolroofs.html http://www.facilitymanagement.com/articles/roofing2-0407.html http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_architecture_ecological/article/
0,1797,HGTV_3661_1380469,00.html http://cec.ishow.com/cons/index.cfm http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/coolroof/ http://www.rooftopics.com/ http://www.rooftopics.com/architects/index.htm |
