A metal roof for your home is already a good choice, as it offers so many benefits. It will be long lasting, resistant to the elements, and of course, holds one of the best fire resistance ratings out there. Even with all these properties though, many homeowners choose to have their metal roofs coated.
What are the properties of metal roof coating, and why should you choose it for your roof?
What Is A Metal Roof Coating?
Firstly, what exactly is a metal roof coating, and why would you use it on your home? Coatings are protective layers that are placed over the metal roof materials, and they are used to protect the metal further from the elements. While most good metal roofs can withstand a lot from nature, using a coating gives it further protection, and therefore makes your roof longer lasting.
For example, a metal roof coating will protect your roof from UV rays, help stop rusting and corrosion from water, and even help you reduce heat absorption from the sun and therefore lower your energy bills. You can see that it’s a great option for your metal roof, to ensure you get the full lifespan from it.
Types Of Metal Roof Coating
There are a variety of different metal roof coatings that you can use on your roof. They all have different properties, making them better in different areas and climates. Here are just a few that you can consider for your home.
Acrylic coating: This is a popular option, as they are fairly easy to apply to a metal roof, and are very cost effective. An acrylic coating will offer good UV protection, perfect if you are looking to reflect sunlight back off your roof. Because they create a full flexible coating over the metal, that also helps guard against water and fading from sunlight.
Elastomeric coating: When you speak to your roofer about having a metal roof coating applied, they may recommend elastomeric coating to you. This option is often the best one for roofs that get significant temperature changes, as well as structural movement. This is because it is able to expand and contract, so even if there are significant changes over the year, there will not be breaks in the coating and so your roof will be protected.
Fluoropolymer coating: This is one of the more expensive options on this list, but it does have a lot of benefits. Because it has excellent UV resistance, it’s another good option for those who are looking to reduce energy costs and keep out of their home. It’s also a great option for those who are looking to improve the curb appeal of the home, as it ensures that sunlight and UV rays will not fade your roof over time.
Polyurethane coating: This is a coating type that many top roofers will recommend, as it is very hard to beat the way this coating stands up over time. Even if your roof is subjected to extreme weather conditions or foot traffic, it will be able to stand up to it. It also has high elasticity, ensuring that there will be no cracks or peeling over time thanks to temperature fluctuations.
Silicone coating: This coating type is the best option for low sloped metal roofs. That’s because it offers exceptional resistance to water, something that you will want in the case of ponding. It also offers excellent adhesion properties, even under very wet conditions.
TPO coating: This is another option for a low sloped roof, as it also offers good weather resistance. If you get a lot of hot weather in your area, it’s also great as it offers excellent sunlight reflection. This coating will also resist mold and mildew growth, making it a lot easier to keep in the best condition.
What To Look For In A Good Metal Roof Coating
When you are considering having a metal roof coating applied, there are several things that you need to be looking into. Here are the properties that you should be getting from your coating.
High durability: This is the most important thing you should get from any metal coating that you get. Whatever coating you use, it needs to be able to withstand what the weather can throw it. As long as the coating is intact, it will protect the metal underneath that. Therefore, make sure the coating you use is known for having high durability.
Flexibility: This is another highly important property that you need from your metal roof coating. During the year, your roof is going to expand and contract somewhat thanks to changing temperatures. How much that happens will depend on the climate you live in and the temperatures you see throughout the year. If you get a lot of fluctuation, then it’s important you have a flexible coating, so it will retain its integrity even when the metal underneath is changing.
UV resistance: Sunlight can do a lot more damage to your roof than you would know. Over time, those UV rays will lead to the fading of your metal roof, which will of course damage its overall curb value. It can even start to damage the metal roofing itself, which will leave it open to other issues over time. A good metal coating should help resist this.
Water resistance: As well as UV resistance, any good metal roof coating should be waterproof. Metal roofs are open to rusting and corrosion over time if they are unprotected. With a good coating, that will seal out water for longer, ensuring that the roof will last for longer as well. When you are spending a larger amount of money on a metal roof, as opposed to other roofing types, making sure you get the full lifespan of it is essential.
Conclusion
A metal roof coating is important to properly get the full benefit of your metal roof. Talk to your roofer about what kind of coating would be best for your roof, in your climate.
If you live in Virginia areas such as Warren, Fairfax, Winchester, or Leesburg, Piedmont Roofing will be happy to help you with your roofing needs.
