7 Pros & Cons You Need to Know About Silicone Roof Coatings

Silicone Roof Coatings are widely used by owners of commercial and industrial buildings, like multifamily homes, hotels, apartment complexes, and even government buildings and churches. It is used for the protection of the most essential protective layer of their property: their roof. While researching your roofing options, you might have heard of cool roof coatings and how it’s an optimal choice for commercial buildings. 

Probably the most prominent commercial cool roof coating in the market today is Silicone Roof Coatings. Silicone roof coatings are a great way to improve the look and performance of your roof, but there are also some pros and cons to consider before making a decision.

Keep reading for more information! Central Roofing is here to provide you with a bit of trusted information and help you understand if silicone is your best option for your property.

Silicone Roof Coatings Pros:

Resistance to Ponding Water

Hopping right into the great things about silicone roof coatings is its resistance to ponding water. Silicone coatings being made with a moisture-cured material (meaning after the silicone cures, water will no longer be absorbed) will not break down due to ponding water, but instead will let the water dry out.  This makes silicone roof coatings a great choice for flat roofs, hence why so many commercial buildings install silicone roof coating systems on their roofs. However, just because it resists ponding water doesn’t mean there is no need for drainage, you still need a great drainage system no water what type of roof you have. 

U.V Protection

Silicone roof coatings can reflect up to 80-90% of the sun’s harmful UV rays which is why they are considered “cool” roofs. This means facility managers and property owners can save thousands of dollars by cutting their facility’s cooling costs during the warm summer months and reducing the HVAC system workloads.

Minimizing the sun’s impact on the roof not only helps sustain lower energy costs but also reduces internal building temperatures and prolongs roof life by reflecting the sun’s u.v rays it lessens the sun’s damage to your roof. You can learn more about cool roofs as well cool roof rebates here.

Flexibility & Weatherability

Silicone roof coatings create a highly flexible, monolithic, and impermeable membrane capable of withstanding wind-driven sand, oxidation, and extreme temperatures. They are also able to endure the natural expansion and contraction (thermal movement) that occurs in large roof structures.

High Solids Content

Most modern silicone coating formulations have a high-solids content that typically exceeds 90%. This means less coating material is needed during application to achieve the desired dry mil thickness. The ability to apply more coating in a single pass helps save on time and labor costs without compromising workmanship and system integrity.

Environmentally Safe

While all silicone coatings are considered to be environmentally friendly, high-solids formulations, specifically, are the best in this regard. Most of today’s high-solid silicone roof coatings are solvent-free and contain extremely low volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most also meet and exceed all state-regulated material safety standards, meaning they are safe for use in all 50 states.