Metal Roof Restoration for Commercial Businesses

• Metal roofs can face a range of issues due to aging, including rust, failing fasteners, seam leaks, and reduced reflectivity.
• Metal roof restoration offers several advantages over replacement, including significant cost savings, minimized business disruption, extended roof lifespan, enhanced energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
• Nisley Commercial Roofing’s metal roof restoration process involves a thorough cleaning process, followed by the application of a rust-inhibiting primer, sealing seams and fasteners, and finally, applying an energy-saving coating.

Metal roofs are built to last. They’re durable, weather-resistant, and capable of standing up to years of punishment from sun, wind, rain, and snow. However, even the toughest roofing system has a breaking point. Over time, a metal roof can face a range of issues. While the immediate reaction might be to consider a complete roof replacement, roof restoration can be a more cost-effective and sustainable solution.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know about commercial metal roof restoration.

Issues Faced by an Aged Metal Roof

While an aged metal roof could look solid from the outside, there may be underlying issues caused by years of wear and tear. Some of the common problems include:

• Rust: Moisture from standing water or inadequate drainage can initiate oxidation, leading to rust formation. This corrosion weakens the metal over time, potentially causing leaks and structural instability.
• Failing Fasteners: Metal roofs are held together by screws and fasteners. Temperature fluctuations, due to the constant cycle of thermal expansion and contraction, can cause these fasteners to loosen, back out, or become damaged. This creates pathways for water infiltration, leading to leaks and potential damage to the building’s interior.
• Seam Leaks: The seams where metal panels overlap are critical points of vulnerability. Over time, they can separate, crack, or lose their original sealant due to weathering and movement, allowing water to penetrate the roof system.
• Reduced Reflectivity: Most metal roofs have reflective coatings that deflect sunlight to enhance energy efficiency and reduce cooling costs. As the roof ages, this coating can degrade, become dirty, or chalk. This diminishes its reflective properties and leads to increased energy consumption.

Ignoring these issues can lead to more significant problems down the line, including structural damage, mold growth, compromised insulation, and costly repairs to the building’s interior.

Why Choose Restoration over Replacement?

When faced with an aging or leaking metal roof, the knee-jerk reaction for many businesses is to consider a complete replacement. While replacement is sometimes necessary, metal roof restoration can offer you several advantages:

Significant Cost Savings

Roof replacement is a substantial capital expenditure, often including the removal and disposal of the old roof, the purchase of new materials like metal panels, underlayment, and fasteners, and extensive labor costs for installation. In contrast, metal roof restoration typically costs only a fraction of this, allowing businesses to allocate their valuable financial resources to other critical operational areas, such as equipment upgrades or marketing initiatives.

Minimized Business Disruption

A full roof replacement can be a highly disruptive and time-consuming process, potentially stretching over several days or even weeks depending on the roof size and complexity. This can necessitate temporary shutdowns of operations, create noise and safety concerns for employees and customers, and potentially impact productivity and revenue streams. Metal roof restoration, however, is generally a much faster and less invasive process, often completed in a fraction of the time with minimal disruption to daily business activities, allowing your operations to continue smoothly without significant interruption.

Extended Roof Lifespan

A properly executed metal roof restoration, especially with high-quality systems like Conklin’s, can significantly extend the service life of your existing metal roof by 10 to 20 years or even longer. This deferral of a costly roof replacement not only provides immediate financial relief but also offers long-term value by protecting your investment and ensuring continued reliable protection for your building and its contents for years to come.

Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Many metal roof restoration systems involve the application of highly reflective, often white-colored coatings with Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) values exceeding 80. These coatings can dramatically reduce the amount of solar heat absorbed by the roof surface, leading to significant reductions in interior temperatures and decreased reliance on air conditioning systems.

Environmentally Responsible

Roof replacement generates a significant amount of construction and demolition waste, with tons of old roofing materials like metal, insulation, and fasteners ending up in landfills. Metal roof restoration presents a more sustainable and environmentally responsible alternative by using parts of the existing roof structure. This helps reduce landfill waste, conserve valuable raw materials, and lower the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and transporting new roofing materials.

The Nisley Approach to Metal Roof Restoration

At Nisley Commercial Roofing, we understand the unique demands placed on commercial roofs. We leverage the proven effectiveness of Conklin’s Metal Roof Restoration (MR) System to breathe new life into your aging metal roof, providing a sustainable and economical solution for your business. Our meticulous process ensures a durable, watertight, and energy-efficient result, tailored to withstand the diverse climatic conditions prevalent across North Carolina.

Thorough Cleaning

The first critical step is to thoroughly clean the entire roof surface. We use specialized cleaning solutions, like Conklin’s Rust Off, to effectively remove years of accumulated dirt, debris, rust, and oxidation that can compromise the integrity of the existing metal.

This meticulous cleaning process ensures a clean surface, which is absolutely crucial for the optimal adhesion and long-term performance of subsequent coatings and sealants. This step sets the stage for a successful restoration, preventing contaminants from interfering with the bonding of the new protective layers.

Laying the Foundation

Once the roof is clean and dry, we apply a high-quality, rust-inhibiting primer like Conklin’s Encase rust-inhibiting metal primer. This specialized primer goes beyond simply preparing the surface; it actively neutralizes existing rust and forms a robust barrier against further corrosion. This significantly enhances the roof’s long-term resistance to rust, a common issue in varying US climates with humidity and precipitation.

Sealing Seams and Fasteners

The seams where metal panels overlap and the fasteners holding the roof system together are the most common points of water infiltration on a metal roof. Our restoration process involves reinforcing all horizontal and vertical seams with durable, flexible fabric meticulously embedded into Conklin’s premium acrylic elastomeric roof coating. This creates a seamless and completely watertight membrane across the entire seam, preventing water penetration even under challenging weather conditions.

This detailed attention to sealing these vulnerable areas is paramount in ensuring a truly leak-proof roof that protects your valuable assets.

Applying the Energy-Saving Coating

The final and crucial step is the application of a highly reflective finish coat to the entire prepared roof surface. Conklin’s high-performance reflective coatings are scientifically engineered to reflect a significant portion—up to 85%—of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) energy. This dramatic reduction in solar heat absorption directly translates to savings on cooling costs for businesses, particularly during the sweltering summer months experienced across North Carolina.

The significant reduction in thermal cycling reduces the continuous expansion and contraction of the metal panels caused by temperature fluctuations. This prevents further loosening of fasteners, reducing stress on the seams, and contributing to the long-term stability of the restored roof system.

What to Expect During Restoration?

Restoring a metal roof isn’t something you do in a hurry—but it also doesn’t grind business to a halt. At Nisley Commercial Roofing, we plan each job around your operations to keep things running smoothly. Here are a few things to consider:

• Roof Assessment: Inspect the metal roof to determine its suitability for restoration. Factors such as the extent of rust damage, the condition of the underlying structure, and the presence of any pre-existing issues need to be carefully evaluated.
• Proper Preparation: Extensive preparation is important for the long-term success of the restoration. If not, the roof restoration process can lead to poor adhesion of coatings and premature failure.
• Quality of Materials: The choice of restoration materials significantly impacts the durability and performance of the restored roof. Nisley Commercial Roofing relies on the high-quality, proven Conklin MR System to ensure lasting results and maximum benefits for our clients.
• Expert Application: The application of the restoration system requires specialized knowledge and techniques. Our skilled and trained professionals at Nisley Commercial Roofing possess the expertise to ensure proper application and a seamless, watertight finish.
• Warranty and Maintenance: Understanding the warranty offered on the restoration system and establishing a plan for ongoing maintenance are important considerations for maximizing the lifespan and performance of your restored roof.

Why Nisley Commercial Roofing is Your Trusted Partner

Choosing the right commercial roofing contractor is a critical decision. At Nisley Commercial Roofing, we pride ourselves on our expertise, integrity, and commitment to providing exceptional service. Here’s why businesses in North Carolina trust us with their metal roof restoration needs:

• Specialized Expertise: We understand the unique challenges and intricacies of metal roofing systems and possess the specialized knowledge and skills required for effective restoration. We are passionate about taking leaky and rusty metal roofs and transforming them into reliable and energy-efficient assets.
• Proven Solutions with Conklin: We are proud to partner with Conklin, a top roof coating brand, to offer a comprehensive and proven solution to all our customers. This ensures that your business benefits from high-quality materials and a time-tested process.
• Focus on Restoration First: We offer a full range of commercial roofing services, including installation and replacement of various roofing systems like TPO, EPDM, and modified bitumen. However, our primary focus is on providing cost-effective and sustainable restoration solutions for metal roofs. We believe in extending the life of your existing roof whenever possible.
• Commitment to Quality and Durability: Our goal is not just to fix your immediate roofing problems but to provide a lasting solution that protects your business for years to come. We are committed to using high-quality materials and employing skilled professionals to ensure the durability and performance of our restorations.

Whether you have a flat roof requiring TPO or EPDM installation or a low-slope roof needing a modified bitumen system, our experienced team has the knowledge and skills to deliver reliable and high-quality solutions.

Don’t let an aging or leaky metal roof compromise your business. Our Conklin metal roof restoration system offers a cost-effective, sustainable, and efficient way to revitalize your existing roof. Ready to explore the possibilities of metal roof restoration for your business? Contact us today for a comprehensive roof assessment!