My roof is aging and I’m seeing lots of ads for services that spray a coating on the roof to extend its life. Anyone have any experience with this or know if it’s worth looking into?
Asphalt shingles are about 1/8" thick and they overlap at least to double that thickness when installed on your roof.
Do you really think that a thin layer of whatever they spray on your roof is going to add any significant waterproof protection to it?
To me it sounds a lot like the undercoating sales pitch that car dealers give you when you buy a new car.
It would be interesting to see the “proof” they offer when they come out to “inspect” your roof.
Color me skeptical. 
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The same here I’m very skeptical about what they say.
Maybe its the Flex Seal guy from TV coming to the house…
As a roof ages, the shingles become more brittle, and the granules wear away. I could see where a coating might slow the process, especially if it permeates into the shingles. With that said, I too am skeptical about the claims. I would like to see reliable third-party testing of the products to see if the claims and the benefits are true. Could those people working in the roofing industry comment?
I would also like to see if insurance companies truly recognize this treatment as a benefit for making the roof last longer. Perhaps those working in the insurance industry could comment.
Aside from things like hailstorms, extreme heat and high winds, wide swings in temperature are a cause of premature roof failure. The reason for that is that stuff expands when heated and contract when cooled. That action breaks the bonds holding the whole thing together your roof starts to leak.
I have a corrigated metal roof and the services I looked at don’t work for my kind of roof.
I received a notice from my insurance company a few years ago which said that unless I had proof of a new roof recently, they were changing my policy to not cover some damages which might be associated with the roof.
I am sure that the roof has ever been replaced. It was built in the 80’s and I bought it 20 years later so it is 40 years old now. I have some rust spots and holes and at least one leak inside which only drips under extremely heavy rain.
My roof is corrigated metal on top of plywood, then sheetrock and paint. Unlike double wall construction where you have two layers with insulation inside, it is obvious if my roof starts to leak into the house.
I’m surprised you don’t have some tar paper (the local guys call it “Felt”) or other layer between the metal and plywood.
I think it depends on which product you use. In my Area there is an option that is a copolymer- so an acrylic epoxy hybrid type of product. This similar technology has been used on commercial flat roofs for hundreds of years. You have to be careful, products like RoofMaxx apply a soil oil treatment that will increase flexibility but that doesn’t really do anything for an old roof- it may help a roof that is in good condition last longer but it won’t “rejuvenate” an old roof to extend its life by much. Some other products I’ve researched are a silica sealer which can suffocate the shingles and that can cause the attic to get too hot or trap in moisture causing mold. The only product I would use is installed by a company here locally called HomeSaver Roofing & Roof Rejuvenation- they use Shingle Shield Max which is made by Vital coat a manufacturer with a longstanding reputation for similar sealing type products. I’ve been considering having it done, but still not sure if I should just replace the roof.
I have a flat roof. Plywood covered by foam (I honestly don’t know what the foam composition is, but I do know there are some differences in products). I think there may be two different layers of differing composition. I have the information in a file from 11 years ago next month when I had the roof replaced. I recently was advised that I should have it resealed in the next year.
I’ll talk to the company owner in the next week or three about scheduling. I’ve known them and their family for at least 30 years; 2nd, close to 3rd generation of ownership. They mostly do commercial roofs. Currently reroofing the local high school.