Metal Roof Restoration & Insulation Coating Systems

Simplifying the Process

• Restoration need not involve the removal of the roof. Using a coating system is sufficient in most cases. This is useful for minimizing outlay -- tear-off costs are often less than Dumpster rentals and disposal fees -- and also avoids interrupting activities inside the building.

The Process

• A full roof-on restoration typically involves four steps: First, an analysis of the state of the roof confirms that it is suitable for restoration, not replacement, and determines the extent of the work necessary. Next, the preparation process involves a thorough cleaning, ideally using a pressure washer, and the removal of all loose flashing, old seals and deteriorated fasteners. The third step consists of repairs to the locations where deteriorated flashing and seals have been removed, and the insertion of new fasteners to ensure the continued integrity of the roof. Finally, a cold-applied restorative coating is applied, often in several coats.

Insulation Qualities of the Coating

• Roof restoration coatings must be elastomeric, reflective and moisture-resistant. The elastomeric qualities are necessary to allow for the expansion and contraction of the metal substrate that occurs when temperatures change. The reflectivity is useful in reducing the amount of ultraviolet light -- the “heat” -- in the sun’s rays that is absorbed by the roof, and therefore by the building. This reduces both the degradation of the roof and the temperature -- thus also the cooling costs -- inside the structure. It is this factor that provides the increased insulation inherent in the use of a coating system. Reflectivity also inhibits the sun’s photo-oxidizing potential, increasing both roof and coating life. The make-up of the coating will also be designed to prevent moisture from passing through it into the substrate.

Special Circumstances

• Specialist companies exist that work on vintage, sometimes called “heirloom,” roofs. Classical architecture often incorporated tin and copper, even zinc and aluminum, panels into roofs. Reseaming, resoldering and refinishing these structures invariably is a job for experts.