In the grand scheme of time and space, roof coatings are fairly “new” concept in the commercial roofing world compared to replacing the entire roof. And with something that’s newer and unknown comes a degree of skepticism and doubt.

To understand why traditional commercial roofers avoid roof coatings (and tell others the same), it helps to understand their position.

Roof Coatings Are “Newer” and Lesser Known

The first type of roof coatings were introduced about 7,000 years ago, but they became a more accepted form of roof repair in the last 70 years. Even in that relatively short time span, roof coatings have innovated astronomically from the first commercial acceptable form.

Anytime a Traditional Commercial Roofer is introduced to a new concept it can come with a bit of skepticism because it challenges the conventions that they’ve known. We get it and we realize that’s one of the biggest hurdles for roof coatings.

Of all the commercial roofers in Omaha, Armour has been doing coatings the longest and even we were skeptical at the beginning. Something that was significantly cheaper than a new roof and could solve roof leaks for the same period of time seemed too good to be true. As we dove more into the product and learned from firsthand experience, we have realized that roof coatings can truly be an effective solution to roof leaks.

With that said, we’ve seen an increasing amount of Omaha roofers start to advertise roof coatings on their website because they realize the effectiveness of the product. You’ll start to notice more companies join in offering roof coatings and this is where it’s vitally important to pick one with the most experience.

 

Roof Coatings Take Experience and Expertise

Contrary to popular belief, roof coatings aren’t just something you can slap on a roof. There’s a lot of experience that comes with knowing how and when to apply coatings. We’ve actually serviced some commercial roofs that had coatings or spray foam improperly applied by another roofing contractor. In those situations, we’ve unfortunately had to tear off the work in order to re-coat it correctly.

Manufacturers will tell you that in order to install and adhere properly to a roofing surface, many conditions have to be met for optimal use. With having done over 260 roofs, we have established a good and trustworthy system within Armour Roof Co. to do so. Things we consider when properly installing a roof coating:

• Temperature For It to Adhere and Set Correctly
• Current Moisture Content of the Roof Surface
• Thickness in Coatings

We also have the right type of equipment to do prep and install the roof coatings.

There are contractors who have attempted to install roof coatings for the first time only to have the roof system fail and write off roof coatings. However, you have to remember that it was not necessarily a problem with the product. An improper installation could also create system failure. Think about a poorly assembled piece of furniture. It’s not that the raw materials were problematic, but potentially the craftsmanship in the assembly.

Summary

While we understand the position of other commercial roofers when it comes to coatings, we also know what we have to offer. Our products are tested and proven to stop the leaks on your roof. While there may be a chance that roof systems fail (inclement weather, large hail storm, big fluctuations in temperature), we are also the company you can count on to quickly fulfill warranty claims.

So while some traditional commercial roofers will tell you to avoid roof coatings, we encourage you to do the research yourself and come to your own conclusions.