Tips for Avoiding Roof Failure

Avoiding roof failure typically involves the removal of snow and ice, although the system can fail for other reasons. For example, skipping regular inspections and maintenance can put you at risk. Here are some things that you should be doing to ensure you reduce your risk.

Snow Removal

Most well-built roofs will not fail due to the accumulation of ice and snow from a single season. However, over several seasons, structural damage can be caused by the excessive weight. Because of that, snow and ice removal is recommended.

You should never attempt to stand on sloped roofs to remove ice or snow. Special tools called roof-rakes are widely available. These may be as long as 21 feet. They allow homeowners and maintenance crews to stand on the ground and rake the snow or ice off of the roof.

Care should be taken to avoid dislodging shingles. Take note of the placement of exhaust fans or pipes when they are not covered with snow in order to avoid damaging them.

For flat roofs accessible from inside the building, snow removal is similar to removing it from the driveway. Care must be taken to avoid overexertion.

A spot should be chosen for dumping the snow and everyone that enters the building should be aware of avoiding the area. Make sure to avoid standing too close to the roof’s edge and always watch your balance.

Ice Removal

Ice removal may be important for avoiding roof failure. Long icicles can form along the edges of pitched roofs. Ice may become packed on flat roofs. It is not usually necessary to remove icicles if the melt water will not cause damage to the rest of the building.

If you have ice packed on a flat-roofed building, it is best to wait until it melts enough to make it possible to use a wet-dry vac. Using torches or heaters to melt the ice can be dangerous. If ice accumulations are excessive on a flat-roofed building, consult a professional about how to safely remove it.

Waterproofing

For flat roofs, waterproofing is essential for avoiding roof failure. Luckily, there are numerous solutions for waterproofing flat roofs. The EPDM or “rubber” coatings are particularly popular and can be used to cover existing roofs without replacing the entire system.

Not only does a liquid rubber coating provide benefits that include waterproofing, protection against damage from flying debris and increased lifespan of the vehicle reduced risk of leaking.  There may also be some soundproofing advantages when you choose the best coatings for your liquid roof maintenance.

The Best Coatings for Your RV Roof Maintenance

The best coatings for your RV roof maintenance are the ones that last the longest. Most experts agree that the longest lasting sealants are the ones made of EPDM rubber.

EPDM is a material often used in new construction of the vehicles. The manufacturers apply the rubberized membranes to the metal roofs to protect them from the elements, to help prevent rusting and to provide some protection against debris.

It is often debris though that causes the damage. Rapid temperature changes, hail and even sudden afternoon showers can cause damage too.

The least expensive coating alternative and the one used most commonly is an acrylic water-based product. While that might seem like an inexpensive alternative, it can be costly in the long run. The temperature extremes and other threats mentioned above can partially or totally destroy an acrylic coating, leaving the metal exposed.

You might not know that the metal is exposed until you see a leak or do annual maintenance. By then, there could be rust and damage to internal insulation and other materials. You should be able to see how costly the whole thing can become.

If you choose the best coatings for your RV roof maintenance, you could save money in the long run. If you’re smart, you’ll choose to apply the coating when the vehicle is new as a protective measure. You’ll just have to check to make sure that you are buying a brand that is compatible with the materials used in the construction of your vehicle.

Not only does a liquid rubber coating provide benefits that include waterproofing, protection against damage from flying debris and increased lifespan of the vehicle reduced risk of leaking. The coating improves the cosmetic appearance and often helps to keep the interior of the vehicle cooler during hot summer months. There may also be some soundproofing advantages when you choose the best coatings for your liquid roof maintenance.

When it comes to maintaining your vehicle’s roof, the first step is to make an inspection at least once a year. That could mean getting out your ladder. Be careful. Remember that most accidents occur at home.

An annual power washing is usually recommended. If you have been to the beach, take the time to wash the salt and sand off of your vehicle on your way home. Salt and sand are corrosive. The best coatings for your RV roof maintenance help to protect against this kind of corrosion, but cleanliness is still important.

Application of liquid roof coatings

Application of Liquid Roof Coatings Steps

Application of liquid roof coatings is relatively simple. Most people can do it themselves. Here are the steps typically recommended for the job.

Make a Plan

As with any job, planning is important. Depending on the temperature variations in your area, you may need to plan to do the job well in advance. Ideally, you want to work when the temperature is expected to be between 65 and 75 for your own comfort. Working on roofs can be a very hot or a very cold job.

The temperature must be between 55 and 140 degrees in order for most products to cure. Colder temperatures are not generally recommending as the curing process is much slower and the ability to spread the material becomes more difficult.

You want to work on a day when rain is not expected. The product can waterproof immediately, but applying the material in pounding rain is not recommended. Pitting can occur. It takes 16-20 hours before the surface becomes dry to the touch. The full curing process takes another 4-10 days if the temperature is around 70 degrees.

Clean and Prepare the Surface

Ideally the surface should be smooth and clean. Any structural faults should be repaired beforehand. Structural faults include damaged or cracked roofing beams.

Asphalt-based and silicone-based caulking should be removed before the application of liquid roof coatings. Asphalt roofing materials and silicone-based rubbers are generally not compatible with EPDM rubber, although the use of a pre-coat can allow you to use the coating. Manufacturers vary in their recommendations concerning the pre-coat.

Holes and low spots should be filled with non-silicone based caulking to even out the surface. Although the coatings are resistant to pooling water, the application of liquid roof coatings is easier and the spread rate is higher if the surface is smooth. In other words, you will need less of the material if you do the necessary work to create a clean and smooth surface.

Purchase Your Tools

The easiest way to spread the coating is to use a squeegee. If you are concerned about the material running down the side of a sloped roof, such as might be on an RV, you should take steps to prevent that from happening. Some products are specifically designed for slanted roofs. They are thicker and dry faster than those used on flat surfaces, but they also cost more.

From here, the application of liquid roof coatings is much like painting. A roller and a brush for hard to reach areas are the only tools you need.

Information about Liquid Roof and Its Benefits

Here you can learn a bit about liquid roof and its benefits for new and existing construction. Let’s start with the basics.

What Is It?

Liquid roof is a liquefied version of a synthetic rubber typically referred to as EPDM. The letters EPDM stand for ethylene, propylene, diene monomer and M class respectfully.

Before the liquefied version came on to the market, rolls of the rubber were used for waterproofing roofs. The liquids are easier to apply. They fill up cracks and crevices. They can go where the sheets could not go.

Why Choose the Liquids?

Ease of application is one reason. The foil is more difficult to apply correctly. You could easily end up with bumps, overlaps and uneven spots that contribute to water pooling. Water can seep under the rubber sheets and cause the roofs to leak. So, while the rolls were the best choice for waterproofing at one time, there are better choices today.

The liquids have more uses. They can be used on RV roofs and other vehicles. They can be applied to a wide range of roofing materials including metal, fiberglass and wood. Through the use of an undercoating, the liquids can be applied to built-up and asphalt-based coatings. Other reasons to choose the liquids are listed in some detail below.

Epdm Is Relatively Inexpensive

EPDM Coatings LLC is a specialized roof coatings company. It has a research and development phase to design appropriate rubber roof coatings which best suits to your roof surrounding environment and roof conditions. When used in most industrial and commercial buildings, liquid roof coating offers large energy cost savings, preservation of the roof, and significant abatement in your replacement expenses.

Liquid Roof has had a long history of superior performance in hoses, molded products, tires and roofing membranes. For example, the radiator hoses in our cars and the gaskets on our freezer doors are made of liquid EPDM rubber and show the broad temperature range the product can handle. EPDM Roofing Membranes also have more than 30 years of successful history. EPDM is relatively inexpensive, simple to install, and fairly clean to work with when compared to conventional materials. There are not the strong odors and fumes either. The product is very stable and the resulting characteristics of Liquid EPDM Roof such as flexibility, weather ability and chemical resistance are determined by it. Liquid Roof therefore, can be described as a new form of an old and well-established rubber polymer. Now you can take advantage of the same benefits to weather-tight your leaks. Liquid Roof forms a 100% seamless layer.

Being liquid roof applied, these coatings are highly versatile. With traditional resurfacing materials such as felt, it can be difficult to achieve a 100% waterproof surface especially in areas where detailing is difficult. Protrusions such as pipes and surface-mounted roof lights cannot be easily detailed by these materials alone. By contrast, liquid waterproofing can be applied anywhere where one can reach - providing total, fully adhered and seamless protection. A long-term solution to the problem of water ingress, liquid roof coatings are highly durable and long lasting, offering up to 25 years' protection. The systems avoid the use of heat or flames and use specialist cold applied liquid resins of various types.