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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 devestating 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 thig 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 inhibiter 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 aornd 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. Now finally you can coat your roof with the final roof coating to finish the job. You will need a roof coatings sprayer which you can pick up from a paint supplier just be sure that you change the sprayer head with the proper size for your roof coating. You may need a primer coat depending on which product you are using and you should put down two coats of finish roof coating material as well. Be sure that the roof surface is dry and that now rain is forcasted for the day you decide to finish the roof. Elastomeric coating will not stick to a wet roof surface so be sure that it is good and dry. Temperature is also an important factor, it should be no less then 55 degrees to put down the roof coatings to ensure that it cures properly. That is pretty much how you would go about sealing your metal roof. You should hire a qualified roof coatings contractor to do the work but if you need to save money you can complete the project yourself.
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