A metal roof can be a challenging roof surface to seal from the elements. One of the major factors is the constant expanding and contracting of the roof surface itself. A metal roof can expand and contract as much as 2 inches every 100 feet which can be devastating to fasteners and seams, which 90% of all roof leaks occur at these points.
If you are experiencing problems with a metal roof then the two options are to either replace the roof which can be extremely expensive and time consuming or restore it with a elastomeric roof coating, which can be very cost effective as compared to replacing the roof.
A high quality elastomeric roof can add many years of life to your existing roof, they come in many different forms but the high quality ones are generally more expensive but should be the only choice. Lower cost coatings dont stretch as well and seldom have the proper UV protection built into them.
Another key feature in Elastomeric roof coatings are the energy savings you will benefit from them. Immediatly after coating the metal roof surface its temperature can drop as much as 40 degrees or more in a very short period of time. This reduction in heat transfer from your roof will make your building much cooler and will save your money in your energy bills.
The roof coating however does not simply just work alone, there are steps necessary to ensure that your roof is properly sealed from the elements. The first thing that must be done is to ensure a clean roof surface, this should be done with a high power pressure washer to remove hard to get roof scum. Next you need to go around the roof and spray all rusty areas with an inhibitor to stop further corrosion of the metal. You should then go around and reinforce any where there is a roof penetration with elastomeric roof cement, by penetrations I mean pipes, air ducts, fan units and any other areas where there is something entering through the roof surface. You them also need to go reinforce or replace rexisting roof flashings that may be running around the roof. After the roof has dryed the next step is to seal fasteners individually with a rivet guard type material and all missing fasteners should be replaced as well. After this step you must individually seal every seam with a seam guard, this is usually a roll out tape, a really thick elastomeric cement or a combination of both of pending on the product you are using. conservatory roof replacement cost