Roof Restoration: What Is It And Is It Right For You?

Roof restoration is a great alternative when a full roof replacement is too much of an ordeal or out of reach for your budget. They’ve grown in popularity not only because of their budget-friendliness but also thanks to the reduced use of extra materials and lower environmental impact.

There are a few different ways that roofs can be modernized and restored, plus myriad benefits that the property and its owners will receive. In this article, we’ll share precisely what we mean when talking about a roof restoration, the many benefits it could bestow, the best time for a roof restoration, and what the typical process looks like.

What Do We Mean By Roof Restoration?

Roof restoration is the method of rejuvenating and extending the life of a currently standing roof. These restorations tend to take place on large flat roofs that are bituminous, concrete, or similar material. The aim is to make sure that the roof continues to be watertight and secure by focusing on the potential weaknesses within the roof’s structure. These are usually spots such as the flashing, seams, fastening points, and connections.

The roof in question is treated with a quick bonding waterproof treatment that is painted onto the roof. This treatment acts as a coat that keeps out the elements and protects the structure underneath. There are lots of different types of roof coating but the widely used ones are based on acrylic, butyl, silicone, and urethane.

Seeing as commercial roofs come in all shapes and materials, roof restoration products are designed to work with substances such as metal, built-up roofs, TPO, PVC, modified bitumen, EPDM, concrete, and more.

The Benefits of Roof Restoration

Roof restoration can be hugely beneficial in a variety of ways, this list covers the biggest headliners, but there are certainly more beyond:

Cheaper Than A Full Replacement

A new roof is one of the more expensive projects that you could undertake on a new property. If you find yourself needing to completely replace the one you’re likely going to pay something between $5-20 per square foot. This can be a huge sum by the time you’ve factored in all of the costs.

Restoration, on the other hand, is considerably more cost-effective. There’s far less labor involved and fewer materials required, leading to savings of around 50-70% less than a whole new roof.

Improves Current Roof’s Life

Most roofs last for between 20-25 years on average, that obviously depends on materials but is a fairly good idea of the overall average. When you restore a roof, you give it a new lease on life and you could expect anything between 10-20 years to be added.

Once the protective coatings are added to the roof, if they’re maintained and cared for, you can even coat over them, adding even more life to the roof.

Creates A Better Quality Roof

A roof with additional protection is of better quality when compared to one without. The treatment delivers and effective waterproofing system that can stop leaks and bring the roof back to peak performance. This also drastically reduces maintenance and repair costs moving forward.

Improves Energy Efficiency

Many of the materials used in roof restoration have incredible levels of reflective and great emissive qualities. When compared to traditional roofing materials, the treatment can reflect up to 90% of the sun’s natural UV rays. This means the building gets less hot, and HVAC systems don’t have to work as hard. That leads to savings on emissions and energy costs.

Better For The Environment Than A Replacement

These reduced emissions are naturally better for the environment which is a great thing, but the massively reduced material cost means less production and less waste. When a roof has to be completely stripped back the amount of waste is huge. The majority of which heads to a landfill site. Restoration avoids this.

Quicker And Less Impactful

Restorations take considerably less time than a full replacement, and because the roof isn’t removed there’s a far lower degree of annoyance and disruption in your life.

When Should You Restore A Roof?

The more proactive you can be the better. Restoration is usually thought of as a remedial process when something has fallen into disrepair. This shouldn’t be the case when it comes to your roof. In fact, a roof should be restored long before it begins to deteriorate. The earlier you’re able to start the restoration process the more likely you are to improve its lifespan the most.

It’s also worth noting that restoration isn’t going to be the right move if your roof isn’t structurally sound. You need that to be in place otherwise you’re potentially just wasting your money.

You’ll also need to be sure that your roof is going to accept the treatment. You can usually achieve this through a small patch test. Try the treatment on a small area and see if it bonds as expected. If not, you’ll need to explore other options.

Key Takeaways

A roof restoration is a great way to expand the lifespan of your roof in an affordable and convenient way. It might not be for everyone, but the majority of people can really benefit from them. If you’re in doubt, ask a professional roofing contractor to come out and inspect your roof. They’ll be able to properly examine your situation and share what you’re able to achieve.

• Most roofs (especially flat roofs) can benefit from a roof restoration.
• Ensure that the structure of the roof is sound before beginning any restoration.

If you’re looking for professional roofers in Skillman, NJ or nearby, then Trenton Roofing is ready to take your call. Feel free to get in touch and we’ll happily share impartial advice with you.