Commercial roofs may deteriorate over time in some environments without protection.
Even worse, they’re expensive to replace, costing an average of $11.50 to $14.50 per square foot for bituminous roofs, and even more for other materials. Knowing this, there is clearly a strong incentive to preserve existing roofs for as long as possible.
That’s where elastomeric roof coatings can help. These liquid-applied coatings turn into durable, elastic membranes when they dry, protecting roofs from a wide variety of weather conditions, and allowing them to last longer.
At Rugged Coatings, we use the industry’s best coatings to provide your roof with maximum protection. Our acrylic products, for instance, are easy-to-apply durable acrylics with a service life of more than 14 years. We also offer silicone coatings capable of surviving for more than 20 years and sticking to the most slippery surfaces.
But when it comes to costs, we need to be more specific. In this post, we take a look at four ways that elastomeric roof coatings can save you money. Read on to learn more!
Elastomeric Coatings Considered “Roof Maintenance”
Building codes allow roofs to have a maximum of two layers. In many cases, the outer layer becomes damaged, necessitating repairs. Enterprises will usually opt to tear off the roof and replace it at a high cost in these situations.
However, because building codes consider elastomeric coatings to be a form of roof maintenance, tear-offs aren’t required. Commercial premises owners can simply repair the existing outer layer of the roof and then apply a new coating for long-term protection.
Fast Installation
Installing a new roof coating is fast because there is less labor involved. In fact, applying elastomeric coating products takes 30 percent less time than removing an existing roof.
Furthermore, because equipment requirements are lower, costs fall further. To apply elastomeric roof coatings, all you need are rollers, brushes, sprays and squeegees, and a high-pressure pump. On the other hand, removing a conventional roof requires a dumpster or pickup truck, pry bar, tear off shovel, roofing shoes, harness, and perhaps professional demolition equipment.
Avoid Roof Replacement
The total cost of tearing off your existing roof and replacing it with a new one is expensive. You incur:
- On-site labor costs
- Costs for transporting waste for disposal
- Installation costs
However, when you install an elastomeric roof covering, you avoid many of these expenses. In general, new roof coatings cost two to three times less than removing your existing roof.
For example, completely tearing off your roof will cost between $6-8 per square foot, depending on the roofing contractor you go to. Therefore, if your premises has a 10,000 square foot roof, you could be responsible for between $60,000 and $80,000.
However, if you restore your roof using elastomeric roof coatings, you could avoid these costs. Most are available for $3 per square foot, so extending your roof’s life might only cost you $30,000.
Reduce Energy Costs
That’s not where the savings end, though. It turns out that elastomeric roofs have energy-saving properties that conventional materials simply can’t match.
The reason for this comes down to their reflectivity. Elastomeric roofs reflect the sun’s energy back into space, cutting down on cooling costs. This contrasts with conventional dark roofs that absorb heat into the building when exposed to the sunlight.
In fact, in the midday sun, black roofs can rise to temperatures as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit. These high temperatures can then increase interior temperatures and reduce HVAC efficiency. By contrast, elastomeric roof coatings operating under the same conditions can reduce roof temperatures to just 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which significantly reduces air conditioning energy consumption.
How much you can expect to save per year depends on the area of the roof. Many elastomeric roofing solutions are tested by the Cool Roof Rating Council and surpass standards set by Energy Star, so rest assured, you will be receiving a quality coating product that works with your current system.
Applying an elastomeric roof coating may save around $0.02 per square foot over the course of a year. And that adds up quickly if you have a 30,000 square foot roof, total annual energy savings could come to more than $600 per year or between $9,000 and $12,000 over the coating’s lifetime.
Rugged’s Elastomeric Coatings Save You Money
Rugged Coatings’ elastomeric roof coatings are designed for high-spec commercial roofing systems, and can save you a tremendous amount of money in the long term! What’s more, they’re considerably cheaper than a regular tear-off upfront. Contact us today to find your best roofing solution!
