Alternatives To Roof Replacement

For roofing jobs on existing buildings, the question faced by the building owner still remains the same: should an expensive new roof be installed or is there a retrofit alternative which will prolong the life of the existing roof? The answer may be a ceramic insulating roof coating applied over the existing roof.

Ceramic insulating roof coatings have proven their utility over other substrates, and can be used to protect, restore, and prolong the life of aged existing built-up or other conventional roofing systems. Unlike re-roofing alternatives, they are extremely lightweight, adding virtually nothing to the load on the roof deck or supporting members. In fact, roofs may be re-coated several times without contributing significantly to the load.

Because these coatings can be formulated white, they can be effectively used to impart reflectivity to the roof which in conjunction with the ceramic additive reflects up to 85% of the sun's radiant heat. This not only improves aesthetics, but also cools the roofing surface, contributing to longer service life. Since the surface of the roof is cooler, an additional benefit is a reduction in a demand for air conditioning.

The economic advantages of longer roof service life and reduced energy costs for air conditioning are the economic driving forces for reflective roof coatings. However, if aesthetics is a key objective, coatings can also be color tinted.

Ceramic insulating roof coatings have proven themselves as useful tools for the roofing professional to restore and protect existing roofs. They can be extremely durable and used as the first-line of defense in the roofing envelope, offering further protection to other components below.

The coating selected should be a result of a detailed assessment of the type and condition of the roof, the desired benefit, the capabilities and prescribed uses for the coating, and the economic considerations of the individual job. Liquid-applied roof coatings provide a means of prolonging the life of an existing roof, and are often an effective alternative to re-roofing.

DURATEK, a company based in Honolulu, distributes ceramic insulating coatings from U.S. manufacturers and warrants their products against failure for a period up to 10 years. DURATEK'S ceramic insulating coatings have proven to outperform and outlast other coatings systems in the higher UV areas of the Pacific.

DURATEK solves corrosion and leaking problems while reducing interior building temperatures.