If you need to extend the life of your roof just a little longer, then perhaps you should consider applying a roof sealant.
By providing an extra layer of protection from the elements, a roof sealant would protect your roof’s surface from water damage, UV damage and growth of mold, among other benefits.
Before you run off to the hardware store to get a can of sealant to slap onto your roof though, here are a couple of things you need to know about roof sealing.
- Plan for A Roof Inspection First
Roof sealing does have a ton of benefits, but it cannot be done willy-nilly on just any roof. The roof would need first to be inspected for damage before its sealed.
This is because a sealant should never be applied to a roof that’s in an extremely deplorable state. Keep in mind that roof sealing is a temporary solution to extend the life of your roof; not a way to patch together a roof that’s already falling apart.
The inspection might reveal that you need to replace your roof. If the roof is unsalvageable, then you would have no other option but to replace it.
Alternatively, the inspection might reveal the minor areas that need to be repaired first before the sealant is applied.
Paying for a roof inspection might seem like an unnecessary expense at first; but would you rather part with a few dollars right now or have the roof collapse on you one rainy night?
Besides, depending on the state in which your roof is, a basic inspection could be bundled with the cost of the sealing job so you wouldn’t end up spending much money.
- Clean Your Roof Before It’s Sealed
This one goes without saying, but I will just put it out there anyway.
There is no way sealant will stick to a dirty roof, which is why you need to make sure your roof is clean, to begin with.
Often, don’t expect cleaning to be included in the cost of the sealing job. You might have to pay a little extra for that but again, well worth it.
Once again, the cleaning costs will depend on the state in which your roof is. You could part with a few hundred dollars, or you could end up parting with over a thousand dollars.
If you know what you’re doing, and feel up to the task, then you may as well take it upon yourself to do the cleaning.
Just make sure you do a thorough job.
According to this Austin roofing company, applying a premium silicone sealant may cost you as much as $2.65 per square ft.
You wouldn’t want to part with such an amount of money, only to have the sealant not work because it was applied on a dirty roof, now would you?
- Sealants Boost Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Applying a sealant will make your roof appear newer and more appealing.
This is often because most sealants are reflective and so they will give your roof some shine to it. However, that’s not all you should be interested in.
The reflective nature of the sealant means that there’s reduced heat transfer to into the building; which subsequently leads to reduced cooling costs.
Different sealants will have different reflectance rates/values. You will find that the sealants with a higher reflectance value are comprised of silicones, urethanes, acrylics, SEBS and SBS.
Don’t expect the savings to be too dramatic but hey, a penny saved is a penny earned, and those seemingly minimal expenses often add up quite a bit in the long run.
At the same time, the energy efficiently obtained from applying a roof sealant could help justify the slightly high cost of getting the job done.
- Get the Job Done by A Professional Roof Contractor
This is age-old advice, but it’s often there for a good reason.
The task may seem as simple as using a spray, roller or brush to apply the coating on the surface of your roof. Even you can do that, right?
Wrong!
First off, the reason why you might need a professional roof contractor to do the job is because some products are only available to contractors. They cannot be sold to anyone else.
Secondly, some products will require a specialized skill set to guarantee proper application of the sealant — special skills which you, the average homeowner, might not have.
If you do not have the required experience, you might end up leaving a pinhole-sized opening in the coating and believe it or not; these miniscule holes could cause a ton of problems.
Thirdly, not using a professional could void the manufacturer’s warranty, thereby leaving you vulnerable.
Lastly, a contractor would best know how to handle existing leaks, a damaged deck, wet insulation and other such issues.
- Look Up the Weather Forecast
A roof sealant can only be applied in particular conditions. Ideally, these conditions are when it’s cool and dry.
Water-borne sealants require to be applied when the ambient temperature is 10°C (50°F) and rising. At the same time, make sure there won’t be any rain at least for the next 24 hours.
Solvent-borne sealants, on the other hand, can be applied in colder weather.
To be on the safe side, always check the manufacturer’s instructions if you find yourself in any doubt.