National Coatings Blog

Hot summer temperatures are the leading cause of roof degradation and premature failures. The sun’s heat is able to break down the roofs’ ability to function as designed; causing leaks, cracks, alligatoring (a pattern of cracks across the roof surface that mimics an alligator’s hide), brittleness and loss of thickness to the roof membrane.

A highly reflective roof coating system can prevent this damage from occurring and protect your roof for years to come. Roof coatings act basically like a sunblock to the surface of the roof. The coating protects your roof from IR and UV damage, performing very similar to a sunblock, if only a sunblock lasted 10 years before needing a new application.

Highly reflective roof coatings are generally referred to as a Cool Roof Coating or System. They are applied directly on top of an existing roof, creating a new, fully adhered, waterproof membrane, covering and protecting the existing roof. These systems can be re-coated every 10-15 years to maintain a watertight roof without ever having to worry about a costly tear-off.

High reflectivity and emissivity are important factors to consider when choosing a cool roof coating. These properties function to properly reflect the heat away from the building and radiate any heat that was absorbed back into the atmosphere. The solar reflectance index (SRI) takes both the solar reflectance values and thermal emittance values to measure a roof’s ability to reject solar heat, as shown by a small temperature rise. Coatings with the highest SRI values, provide the coolest choices for roofing. AcryShield roof coatings provide excellent SRI values. The three most popular coatings are the AcryShield A400 with an initial SRI of 104, the AcryShield A510 with an initial SRI of 106 and the AcryShield A500 with an initial SRI of 104. If you are looking for an even higher solar reflective coating, check out the AcryShield Ultra High Reflectance A590 with an initial SRI of 117. These roof coatings reduce roof temperatures and prevent extreme temperature fluctuations from occurring. They also prevent the break down of materials and the roof from drying out, as they reflect the majority of the UV light away from the roof before it can cause any damage.

For more information on Roof Coatings, download our Considering Coatings? A Free Guide to Roof Coating brochure.

Electrical utility companies use a pricing model called Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) where the cost per kilowatt-hour varies depending on the time of day. This pricing model charges a premium or higher rate during times of peak energy usage, such as during the hot afternoon in the summer.

White roof coatings provide an easy and cost effective way to reduce your building’s air conditioning usage, which will in turn, lower your electricity costs. Using a highly reflective, white roof coating redirects the sun’s heat away from the building, back into the atmosphere. This allows the building to remain cooler while absorbing only a minimal amount of heat into the structure.

Therefore, during peak energy periods where energy usage cost is higher, you won’t need to use your air conditioning as often or for as long in order to achieve a cool, indoor air temperature for your employees and customers.

There are several white roof coatings available in the roofing industry, it is important to research the reflective capabilities the coating is able to provide initially and at 3 years. The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) tests and rates reflective roofing products to provide consultants and building owners with these initial and 3 year unbiased results.

National Coatings' reflective roof coatings have been tested and rated by the CRRC to prove and guarantee that our top coats provide industry leading UV protection, longevity and brightness. They are formulated for superior dirt pick-up resistance and protection against biological attack, such as algae and mold. For a list of our CRRC rated products, click here. 

For more information on our Cool Roof Coating Systems and Products, download our FREE Product and Application Brochure!