Cinco formas en que los recubrimientos de tejado preservan tejados y presupuestos
Cinco formas en que los recubrimientos de tejado preservan tejados y presupuestos
Sustituir un tejado comercial requiere una inversión considerable y conlleva consecuencias de gran alcance. Además de agotar el presupuesto operativo del propietario, la sustitución total del tejado puede ser lenta, ruidosa y causar problemas para los negocios que operan dentro y cerca del edificio comercial.
Como propietario, entiendes el impacto que tiene una sustitución total del tejado en tu presupuesto operativo, por lo que valoras alternativas a reemplazar un tejado comercial envejecido, con la esperanza de prolongar su vida útil y asegurarte de que protege adecuadamente el edificio y a sus ocupantes. Sin embargo, sabes cómo un tejado con goteras te pone en riesgo de acciones legales y pone en peligro la salud y seguridad de los ocupantes. Los tejados comerciales envejecidos también hacen que los costes energéticos aumenten, ya que el calor y el aire acondicionado se escapan por grietas en el tejado.
La buena noticia es que puedes mantener mejor e incluso prolongar la vida útil de tu tejado, ahorrando una suma considerable de dinero y muchos inquilinos en muchas molestias. Los recubrimientos económicos pueden alargar la vida útil de tu tejado, ahorrar energía y proteger el edificio de daños por agua y moho. Los recubrimientos reflectantes también desvían los rayos ultravioleta para mantener los edificios más frescos en clima cálido y reducir los costes energéticos.
Descubre cómo la restauración de tejados ayudó a una comunidad de ancianos a ahorrar miles de personas.
A diferencia de los materiales tradicionales para tejados que se degradan con el tiempo, los recubrimientos energéticamente eficientes ofrecen protección a largo plazo y beneficios de sostenibilidad. Están diseñados específicamente para proteger y ampliar los conjuntos de tejados nuevos y existentes. Formulados con resinas de alta calidad, los recubrimientos económicos mantienen la elasticidad y durabilidad a lo largo del tiempo. El sistema de restauración del tejado crea una barrera impermeable y sin costuras que refuerza la resistencia del tejado al formar una película elastomérica duradera que une pequeñas grietas y juntas de membrana.
Aquí tienes cinco formas en las que un recubrimiento para tejado alarga la vida útil del tejado y ahorra dinero:
1. Los recubrimientos de tejado protegen contra daños por agua y viento
La infiltración de agua representa la principal causa de fallo en el tejado. El exceso de humedad a menudo se filtra por pequeñas grietas en el tejado y crea un camino de destrucción a lo largo del tejado, hacia las paredes y a menudo se desborda sobre el contenido. El moho echa raíces, emitiendo esporas tóxicas al aire, mientras que las condiciones húmedas debilitan la infraestructura.
Los sistemas de restauración de tejados previenen daños por agua creando una membrana impermeable que repele el agua incluso en condiciones extremas, como lluvias intensas, nieve y hielo. Además, las soluciones comerciales de alto rendimiento también protegen contra daños por viento. En zonas propensas a huracanes, proporcionan una capa extra de seguridad al reducir el riesgo de daños por viento, escombros voladores y fugas durante tormentas.
2. Los recubrimientos de tejado desvían los rayos ultravioleta
Casi todos los días, el sol golpea tu tejado. Si dependes de un tejado tradicional para proteger el edificio, pronto verás cómo el constante ataque de rayos ultravioleta (UV) erosiona tu tejado, provocando grietas y desvanecimientos.
En lugar de absorber los rayos UV como muchos materiales tradicionales para tejados, los recubrimientos reflectantes para techos —como el acrílico y la silicona— desvían la radiación UV. Como resultado, ayudan a bloquear la absorción de calor y a evitar que los materiales de tejado se degraden.
Conventional roofs can reach temperatures of 150°F or more on a sunny summer afternoon. Under the same conditions, a reflective roof could stay more than 50°F (28°C) cooler. This can save energy and money in buildings with air conditioning or improve comfort and safety in buildings without air conditioning, by reducing heat flow from the roof into the occupied space.
By reducing UV-related damage, roof coatings help maintain the flexibility and longevity of roofs, especially in areas with intense sunlight.
Learn about the roof restoration system that restored a 41-acre roof at the New Orleans Convention Center.
3. Roof Coatings Reduce Energy Consumption and Costs
Designed to minimize Sun and heat-related damage, white roof coatings reflect visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation. These reflective roof coatings reduce the overall temperature within the building while minimizing the Sun's damaging effects on the roof's surface.
How heat-reflective roof coatings turn a hot roof into a “cool roof”
Traditional roofs can be considered hot roofs because they absorb sunlight, which heats up the inside temperature. Cool roofs can reverse this effect by deflecting the Sun’s harmful rays. Government research organizations define a cool roof as a roof comprised of a material or coating that can lower the roof’s surface temperature and the amount of heat transferred into the building.
The government describes a cool roof as a roof with high solar reflectance that keeps the roof and the building cooler. A cool roof can also release or emit heat (infrared radiation), which is known as high thermal emittance.
White and light-colored roof coatings are considered cool roofs because they reflect the Sun's Heat.
According to Energy Star, “an ideal cool roof is a roof with both high solar reflectance (SR) and high thermal emittance (TE). While lighter color roofs tend to have the best SR and TE, new coating and material technologies now exist for other colors that have high SR and TE.”
If you depend on air conditioning to keep the building comfortable, you will find these energy-efficient roof coatings particularly beneficial. By lowering roof temperatures, roof coatings reduce indoor cooling demands and energy consumption. This proves particularly beneficial for commercial buildings with substantial cooling costs. Even if your building is located in an area where air conditioning is not standard, you will appreciate how sustainable roofing materials reduce heat absorption and help keep indoor temperatures more comfortable.
“Cool roofs—roofs that stay cool in the sun by minimizing solar absorption and maximizing thermal emission—lessen the flow of heat from the roof into the building, reducing the need for space cooling energy in conditioned buildings.” According to the research report, the potential benefits of cool roofs on commercial buildings are conserving energy, saving money, and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants.
Reflective roof coatings reduce the energy the building uses and alleviates the demand put on the electrical grid, especially during heat waves. As a result, energy-efficient roof coatings help reduce the risk of power outages during peak seasons.
One study claims that retrofitting 80% of the 2.58 billion square meters of U.S. commercial roofing could save $735 million in energy costs annually.
4. Roof Coatings Mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect
Cities often feel much hotter than the outlying suburbs and rural areas. Buildings generally have concrete, asphalt, and dark-colored roofs. Tall buildings and skyscrapers can block the wind, making it harder for natural breezes to cool the area. Meanwhile, the dense population contributes to the overheated feeling many occupants feel.
Dark-colored roofing materials contribute to higher temperatures in urban communities, a phenomenon the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as the Urban Heat Island Effect.
“Urban areas, where these structures are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, become 'islands' of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. These pockets of heat are referred to as 'heat islands." US EPA, What Are Heat Islands?
Energy-efficient roofing helps counteract this effect by reflecting solar energy and reducing heat absorption.
Roof coatings can transform a hot roof into a cool roof, mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect by reflecting solar energy and lowering ambient temperatures.
EPA studies show that a cool roof keeps the building 5.59°F cooler than a conventional dark-colored roof.
“On a typical summer afternoon, a clean white roof that reflects 80 percent of sunlight will stay about 55°F cooler than a gray roof that reflects only 20 percent of sunlight, according to Berkley Lab.” Why Cool Roofs are Critical to Urban Resilience, Dupont.
By lowering heat absorption, these sustainable roof coatings enhance roof longevity and support the environment, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.
“When it comes to white roofs in flat-roofed areas, there is a compounding effect – many buildings with white coatings can lower ambient air temperatures, which help lower urban air temperatures by reducing the amount of heat transferred from roofs to the air, mitigating the urban heat island effect. Like all cool roofs, white roofs also help decrease heat absorbed at the Earth's surface, which can lower surface temperatures and reduce the flow of heat into the atmosphere – helping to offset warming caused by greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, there are a myriad of health benefits associated with improved air quality.” According to the Dupont report, Why Cool Roofs are Critical to Urban Resilience.
5. Roof Coatings Defend Against Wear and Tear
Even the best roofs do not last forever. Most wear out a little at a time, beaten down by daily exposure to bright sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, and precipitation. Heavy wind, rain, snow, and hail wear down roofs more quickly.
Roof coatings prevent wear and tear by creating a protective barrier against elements that deteriorate the roof, such as UV rays, extreme temperatures, and storms, which cause damage, premature aging, and failure. In other words, roof coatings act as a sacrificial layer, absorbing the impact of environmental stressors while protecting the underlying structure.
High-quality coatings contain elastomeric resins, allowing them to expand and contract with temperature changes without cracking. This flexibility ensures long-term performance and reduces the likelihood of costly repairs or premature roof replacement.
Roof coatings enable you to protect the roof from daily wear and tear, extending its life and saving thousands in replacement costs and utility bills.
Today, you can choose from several types of roof restoration systems to meet specific climate and performance needs. High-performance roof coatings include:
- Silicone (best for water resistance and extreme weather)
- Acrylic (ideal for UV protection and energy efficiency)
- Aluminum (suitable for UV protection, durable and wind-resistant)
- Spray Foam (provides insulation and waterproofing)
- Asphalt (provides waterproofing and energy efficiency in cold and warm weather)
Solicita una evaluación del tejado
Consulta si tu tejado comercial es un buen candidato para la restauración. Rellena el formulario para solicitar que un asesor de Henry visite tu ubicación y te ayude a evaluar si un sistema de recubrimiento para tejados es adecuado para tus necesidades. Si es así, te proporcionaremos un informe de inspección detallado y recomendaciones para los siguientes pasos.