It’s the one other advantage metal roof owners have, and asphalt shingle roofers can only dream of having: using acrylic elastomeric paint to extend the roofing material lifespan. Truthfully, asphalt shingles have beautiful aesthetic and superior protection against major roofing problems, including hailstorms. However, it cannot have an extended lifespan thanks to enhancement materials.
The only way you can preserve an asphalt shingle roof is to cover it with a tarpaulin if you’re suffering from water damages and have no dependable roofers in Littleton, CO, to call and help you. Unfortunately, you can’t use an acrylic coating to enhance your asphalt shingles’ lifespan and overall performance.
Case in point: asphalt shingles have granules. While it’s even thanks to the felt layer binding each shingle, elemental exposure accelerates roofing material erosion. Therefore, painting over your asphalt shingle roof means seeing the color slowly deteriorate instead of the protective acrylic layer that metal roofs achieve.
Metal roofs are solid, roofing materials. In this way, they can achieve a powerful, non-corroding, and water-resistant layer with an acrylic elastomeric coating. Truthfully, it’s fully impossible to achieve this with asphalt shingle roofs (and a primary reason roofers don’t use sealants or caulk to repair them unless it involves flashing).
Home Reference has an excellent post about the effects of painting over asphalt shingle roofs. Read more about it below.
When Painting Shingles Makes Sense
Paint is a practical option for improving the look of a roof that might be an off color, but is otherwise structurally sound.
Maybe you’ve just bought a house with a relatively new roof in a color that doesn’t appeal to you. With paint, you can change the roof color without wasting money and time replacing a perfectly good roof. Paint also works well when you need to even out your roof color, such as when the shingles on your newly built addition don’t quite match the shade of the rest of the roof.
If you’re not a fan of shingles, but you live in a historic building where regulations mean you’re stuck with them, you might still be able to paint your shingles to get a look that suits your preferences better. Paint can’t waterproof your roof or seal roof leaks, though, so it isn’t the way to go if you’re looking to prevent or repair damage. Damaged or deteriorating shingles put your whole house at risk for moisture problems and should be replaced.
Unpainted shingles can look good for 20 years or more with only minimal maintenance. Painted shingles, on the other hand, start showing wear much faster and usually need re-painting once every five to seven years. Each time, the roof will need to be cleaned and repaired, then primed and painted.
What’s more, paint on the roof is hit harder by sunlight, rain, wind, and snow, so it will fade faster than the paint on your exterior walls. If you want to keep a certain amount of contrast between your walls and roof, you might need to repaint your roof more often than average.
Paint Can Put Your Roof at Risk for Moisture Problems (Continued)
If you have yet to find a dependable roofer in Littleton, CO, you can always count on us at Roper Roofing. Contact us today to learn more about everything that we can achieve with you.