We’re beginning to see some advertisements for asphalt shingle roof coatings. Admittedly, a new roof is significant investment. When you hear about an option that that costs much less and allegedly extends the life of your roof for 10 or more years, you may be tempted to consider. However, we strongly caution against doing it and here’s why.
Voids Warranty & Shortens the Shingle’s Life
Although you may think that your roof’s warranty is probably expired if you’re in need of a roof coating, but that may not be true. Manufacturer warranties are often for the expected life of the shingle, usually 15-25 years. If you put anything on the shingles and it turns out that the reason for your issues is a manufacturing defect, your roof will not be covered.
Depending on the product you choose, it may even degrade the shingle more rapidly. This happens most often when there is moisture trapped in the shingles when the coating is applied. The moisture weakens the shingle and a roof that potentially had five more years of life may need replacing in just one or two years.
Makes Repair More Difficult
Asphalt roof coatings don’t seal small leaks like a tile roof coating or flat roof coating does. If you have a roof leak or damaged shingles, you may temporarily have some sort of leak protection, however, as the sealant dries out in the Florida sun, it shrinks. As it shrinks the areas around the previously sealed leak curl and your leak ends up being much bigger than if you had simply repaired it. Plus, when an area of the roof has to be replaced, it’s going to look significantly different than the rest of the roof, especially if you chose a colored sealant to try to lower cooling costs.
May Be Against Code
Depending where you live, asphalt shingle roof coatings may go against local code. This is especially true if your last roof replacement was a roofing overlay and you add a roof coating to it. This makes it technically three layers of “roofing material” which is not allowed in any part of Florida.
Our advice is not to even consider any types of asphalt shingle roof coatings. If you’re concerned about your roof’s condition and looking for ways to make it last a bit longer, work with a reputable roofing contractor like Suncoast Roofing Solutions. We know, from experience, that proactive maintenance and regular roofing inspections can help increase a roof’s life. If you’re interested in our services for repair, maintenance or a roof replacement, call us at (813) 283-2544 or fill out our contact form today.
