Tag Archives: Cool Roofing

The Importance of Commercial Roof Washing & Cleaning


Roof Cleaning and Washing (Blog Cover)

Commercial roof washing is one of the most essential investments in your building’s long-term safety.

Even durable commercial roofs benefit from regular cleaning and washing.

The following post explains why commercial roof cleaning matters and how it could impact your monthly expenses.


Remember, not all commercial roofing systems are healthy enough to receive a thorough washing.

If you suspect your structure has sustained serious structural damage, it might be time to talk with your local contractor about a commercial roof replacement before investing in a cleaning.


Commercial Roof Washing Results

Key Takeaway

The cleaning process can extend your roof’s lifespan, enhance building appeal, and prevent minor damages that lead to repairs.


Commercial Roof Cleaning Explained

Roof cleaning is the process of removing debris, trash, algae, and other forms of growth from the surface of your roofing system.

Depending on the type of roof and material involved, a commercial roof cleaning may entail pressure washing or even chemical treatment.

Ultimately, the goal is to leave a clean, vibrant surface after the project.

While some retail products may temporarily relieve some of your commercial system’s many threats, a seasoned professional is more likely to provide the long-term results you desire.


Threats Against Your Roofing System

Years of exposure can leave any roofing system vulnerable to natural hazards. For metal roofing systems, rust slowly eats away at the metal panels, weakening the integrity of the affected areas. Plus, it just looks terrible!

Other roofing systems suffer from dirt, mold, and algae. Not only do these elements create an unsightly smear on your beautiful roof, but they can also speed up the process of long-term degradation.

If mold and algae get sucked into the building’s heating and cooling system, your employees could experience some unpleasant side effects. 

Finally, removing all the debris also reduces the potential for ponding water, one of the most dangerous threats to flat roofing systems.

While rooftop debris may not be an immediate concern, it represents a significant threat to your roofing system in the long run.


Dense Algae Growth

Algae present a significant threat to discolor both Flat and sloped commercial roofs.


Key Benefits of Roof Washing


Renewed Efficiency

What image comes to mind when you think of TPO, PVC, metal roofing, and other cool roofing systems?

If a brilliant white or silver roof springs up, that’s certainly the right picture! Over time, dust, dirt, mold, and algae accumulate on the surface of your roofing system. This darkens the membrane or metal. 

Darker surfaces naturally absorb more light, causing the rooftop to heat up and conduct heat toward the building interior.

That’s the typical process of heat gain that so many businesses (and air conditioning systems) struggle with daily.

By washing away the murky grime from the surface of your flat or sloped rooftop, commercial roof cleaning renews the reflectivity and restores efficiency.

Regular commercial roof washing keeps your metal roof reflective while preventing dirt accumulation.


Commercial Roof Cleaning Over Metal Panels

Over time, regular roof cleanings save you money on costly repairs.


A Cleaner, Healthier Environment

Sometimes, cleanliness is its own reward. In the case of many businesses, however, a moldy rooftop may actually violate local health codes and put the business in jeopardy!

No matter what industry you work in, protecting your building from the terrible smell of long-term mold growth makes sense.

Those particles can get drawn in through the building’s AC unit and start circulating inside the building.

Talk with your local roofing contractor if your community deals with regular algae or mold growth. You may require a special chemical cleaner to protect your rooftop.


A Close Look at Your Roof Surface

Dirt and other smudges tend to obscure more serious problems beneath.


A clean rooftop is much easier to inspect for surface-level degradation, such as…


  • Exposed and/or weakened seams
  • Puncture marks
  • Deep scarring
  • Brittle spots
  • Depressed areas

Identifying these problems early on could prevent all kinds of problems. Finding a weakened seam, for instance, could prevent hundreds of dollars in future water leaks.

Preventing a system-wide problem could even save you thousands of dollars and an early roof replacement!

Sometimes, a roof cleaning reveals underlying problems, saving you from expensive repairs or replacements.


Commercial Roof After Cleaning

Roof washing often reveals brittle spots and puncture marks.


Find Your Commercial Roof Cleaner

Commercial roof cleaning is a common requirement for businesses with upcoming repair or restoration projects.

For some, however, it’s simply a prudent investment to avoid the unpleasant effects of algae growth, mold smell, or diminished energy efficiency. Timely maintenance can make all the difference.

Finding a commercial roof washing service can be a challenge in some areas.

Make sure you evaluate the company’s reviews on Google My Business, Yelp, and other reputation platforms. Also, check out their website for examples of previous commercial roof cleanings.


Roof Coating vs. Replacement: What’s The Practical Choice?

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Key Takeaway

Roof coatings are frequently a superior choice to replacements because of affordability, energy efficiency, and extended longevity.

A roof coating vs. replacement, What’s the more practical choice in 2023?

It’s one of the most frustrating situations to find yourself needing an early roof replacement for your building. The unforeseen expense can send budgets flying out of control! Of course, this sort of project also creates interruptions that many businesses simply can’t afford.

What if you could skip all this hassle?

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild discusses the enormous savings potential of commercial roof coatings. The restoration process offers a more convenient way to handle long-term degradation and extend the life of your current system.

If your business is facing commercial roof replacement soon, be sure to read through the post.

Helpful Tips for Building Owners

  • A coating (i.e., roof restoration) is generally much cheaper than a complete replacement.
  • Coatings provide a lucrative means of saving electricity in your building.
  • The added protection also extends the life of your roof and reduces maintenance requirements.

What are Commercial Roof Coatings?

While relatively new to the industry, commercial roof coatings have slowly become a favorite solution among businesses throughout the United States. Available in both brush-applied and sprayed forms, they cover the rooftop’s surface to create a seamless layer of protection against the elements.

Rooftop coatings were designed to address a rising tide of premature roof failures, especially among flat systems. While they had a rocky start with mixed results, commercial roof coatings matured and became a dependable solution.

Now thousands of business owners and building managers depend on these restorative coatings to preserve their rooftops.

Why Choose a Roof Coating?

Let’s say a building relies on a fairly dependable but aging TPO rooftop. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, wind, and ponding water leaves the membrane cracked and scarred. You know what happens next! Leaks slowly develop in the seams and damaged areas, and moisture seeps into the building below. The building owner and/or manager face a serious dilemma:

Should the roof be repaired or replaced?

Repairs cost less but generally leave the building vulnerable to problems a few years later. Then again, an early replacement is an even less attractive option. Who wants to spend tens of thousands of dollars to replace a roof long before its projected end of life? This leads us to a middle-ground solution that takes a more aggressive path than repairs but costs far less than replacement.

Benefits of Roof Coatings

One of the most underrated benefits of coatings is their rejuvenating properties for your roofing system. The fluid carefully slips into cracks and marred areas of the rooftop surface, sealing them against further moisture invasion.

While there are limits to the number of damage coatings can mend, they do a fantastic job of fixing minor degradation on the rooftop! You don’t have to wait until long-term damage puts your roof on the brink. A solid, seamless coating also benefits newer rooftops.

Restoration Falls on the Repair Side of the Repair vs Replacement Spectrum

If your current system was installed with many seams, a thick new top layer would preserve those seams against leaks.

Coatings and Energy Efficiency

Cool roofing refers to any roofing system or solution that reduces the surface temperature of a building’s rooftop, preventing heat gain during peak sunlight hours. By incorporating highly reflective commercial roof coatings, business owners can transform a heat-sponging flat roof solution (such as EPDM) into a highly energy-efficient system. What does that mean for companies in the real world?

A cool roof coating saves hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars in air conditioning costs each year. 

Whether you depend on a black-top roof or a fading lighter color, commercial roof coatings offer a fantastic defense against preventable heat gain. For those looking to reap the maximum energy benefits from the restoration process, both polyurethane and urethane-modified acrylics offer impressive benefits for your roof’s solar reflectance rating!

Chemical Resistance for Your Rooftop

Corrosion claims countless rooftops every year. Rainwater naturally causes rust in some metal systems, gradually eating away at their lifespan. Not only does the right coating cover this unsightly corrosion, but it also protects the rooftop from further decay. Industry specialists almost always recommend protective coatings for new commercial metal roofs. 

Not every chemical threat comes from a natural source. Industrial companies sometimes vent byproducts harmful to their roofing system. Many turn to flexible, elastomeric coatings to shield their expansive rooftops from the synthetic corrosion and warping that would otherwise damage each system.

As an added bonus, some commercial roof coatings (such as polyurethane) provide additional protection against mechanical trauma from foot traffic and scraping hardware.

Equipment Edges Protected by Commercial Roof Coatings

Coatings offer great protection for areas traditionally vulnerable to leaks. As a result, leak protection is a major consideration when it comes to roof coating vs. replacement.

Find Your Commercial Coating Expert

Whether you choose coating or replacement, hiring the best roofing contractor is critical. Take your time finding the best roofing company in your area, especially one specializing in commercial roof coatings.

Check their reviews on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and other trusted reputation platforms. Furthermore, check out their company website for any images from previous commercial roof coatings.