Roofing Coating Before And After

 After roof coating and cleaning applications Roofer Mike shares the transformation of a roof in Miami Springs. The improvement in appearance is startling - when viewed from space! This maintenance project got a little personal – it’s his house.

I’ve posted roof coating articles here on Blogger, Roofing Miami Style, Facebook – everywhere – and I wanted to do something different.  When we recently picked out our new house I looked at it in aerial view on Google. It was dirty - a tile roof over the original house with a flat roof over the carport and another low slope roof over the master suite addition in the back. The tile roof was moderately dirty but both flat roofs appeared to be black from algae stains. Determined to practice what I preach, I set out to remedy the situation over the winter months before we got busy. Winter is best for roof coatings in the Miami area as it is also the dry season.

Good News: GAF Ruberoid

Both roofs were non-insulated Ruberoid systems but that’s where the similarities end. The carport and porch had an old fiberglass BUR with a Ruberoid Torch Smooth roof-over. Whoever torched it had done a good job but the aluminum roof coating they applied was almost completely gone. What appeared to be badly stained from space was really a bare modified roof. The good news was it was in fair enough condition to support a roof coating.

The addition in back was a white Ruberoid Mop Granule system, probably with two fiberglass ply-sheets mopped underneath – a good residential flat roof. By the amount of algae stains and condition of the modified cap I guessed it at about ten years old which is also good enough for an elastomeric coating. 

Roof Maintenance 101

Now, to see what I have leftover in the way of roof coatings. I had almost a full 5 gal bucket of Sealoflex Pink, a bucket of Sealoflex Finish and a bucket of Somay. Great!  Sealoflex is an excellent 3-coat elastomeric so I decided that was good for the addition. Somay is a quality acrylic roof coating and was fine for the porch and carport. With what was lying around I only needed to buy a few buckets more!

I pressure-washed both flat roofs and, while I was at it, cleaned the clay tile roof and sprayed it with Simix. Now I really get to see how long it lasts firsthand! Then a coat of Sealoflex Pink and two coats of Sealoflex Finish on the addition and two coats of Somay Mastic on the carport . . . voila!!

 The “before” photo was produced from a Google satellite shot with a Snipping Tool. I “sat” on the photo and this article until the satellite updated. The “after” shot cost me $18 from my good friends at Eagle View Technologies. You roofers should check them out. 

For more on elastomeric roof coating www.roofermikeinc.com/roofcoatings

Roof Cleaning & Painting - Miami Springs

Before we performed our roof cleaning service on this home in Miami Springs it was so black from algae growth that the actual color of the concrete tile was difficult to determine. The inherent energy efficiency of the tile roof was negated as it now absorbed the sun's rays, heating and aging the underlayment and raising temperatures inside.
We were called to provide an estimate for a roof
cleaning but upon inspection discovered an attached flat roof, a white Ruberoid system, that was equally black with algae stains.

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This condition is all too common in Miami where there are many flat roofs over additions which often go neglected for the roof's entire life cycle. One can hardly blame homeowners, really, it is human nature - "Out of sight, out of mind". Roof salesmen hardly ever discuss maintenance of flat roofs and sometimes tout them as maintenance-free! I suppose they are, until they fail . . . No roof system benefits more from maintenance than a flat roof, the life expectancy of which can easily be doubled with the timely application of a quality elastomeric coating.



After cleaning the flat roof and applying two coats of elastomeric roof coating it was now brilliant white. This will greatly reduce temperatures inside, cooling costs and the load on the air conditioning system while extending the life of the flat roof.
Ideally this roof cleaning and roof painting should have been done sooner but it is good to know homeowners in places like Miami Springs are more aware of energy efficiency and the benefits of roof maintenance.

By Michael Slattery

   

Roof Coating Miami – Pinecrest, Fl

This “before” shot of a roof coating job near Miami in Pinecrest, Fl. was taken after an extensive roof cleaning, so you can imagine how dirty it was before the algae stains were removed.  Flat roofs benefit from maintenance more than any other residential system and should be inspected every year. We offer FREE yearly inspections to all residents in our service area.

In general, the life cycle of a flat roof is proportionate to the degree it is maintained. Particular attention must be given to the buildup of debris which can eventually rot the roof membrane or clog roof drains, which can prove disastrous. Excessive standing water, or “ponding”, can also cause problems and shorten the roof’s life expectancy. Excessive ponding, as defined by Miami-Dade County, is any water that doesn’t evaporate after 48 hours. This criteria is flawed as a flat roof in Miami could be submerged for most of the summer, so we have adopted a 24 hour standard for our low-slope applications.

The application of elastomeric roof coatings is the most effective maintenance practice for low-slope roofs. These coatings slow the aging process of flat roofs and increase a home’s energy efficiency by blocking solar radiation.

Roofer Mike Inc has extensive experience in the application of acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone roof coatings in water based and solvent based formulas. Solvent-based coatings tend to be much more expensive and must be used where ponding conditions are present. Water based coatings are used on flat roofs with good drainage, metal roofs and even tile roofs but should not be applied to shingle roofs.

This flat roof in Pinecrest turned out great after we applied two generous coats of Somay Roof Mastic, a high-quality acrylic coating from a local manufacturer formulated for tropical climates. This application comes with our 5-year workmanship warranty.

The South Florida roofing market features many local and national manufacturers of elastomeric roof coatings. From economy coatings to pro-grade, there is a coating for almost any budget. Roofer Mike Inc is familiar with all of them and can recommend the best product for a customer’s needs.

By Michael Slattery