A Costly Restoration is Avoided with GE Enduris Roof Coating

By GE Silicones.

The new reflective roof coating resulted in a 3-5 percent better yield in the building's solar panels. 

After 19 years, the bituminous roof on the NMA Corporate building was badly worn down. Tired of finding new leaks and a cycle of constant upkeep, NMA recognized GE Enduris 100% silicone system as their answer to both restoring the roof and extending its lifespan by decades. “Enduris coating allowed us to keep our original roof and improve its performance without an expensive and intrusive construction project,” said Machiel Baaijens, NMA facilities manager and building owner.

Longer lifespan

The GE Enduris 100% silicone system, which includes Enduris 3400 Coating, Enduris 3500 Coating, Enduris Liquid Flashing, and RF100 Reinforcing Fabric, offered benefits that other traditional roof coatings, such as bitumen, typically cannot: long-lasting UV stability, resistance to ponding water, no hardening due to age, and more.

Because all system components are chemically and adhesively compatible, the surface would be allowed to expand and contract at the same rate as temperatures changed throughout the day. Therefore, NMA would not have to worry about weak spots caused by dissimilar materials overlapping and separating.

When application began, a single primerless layer of Enduris coating was all it took to seal a majority of the roof’s surface, including coverage of prior maintenance and repair materials that had built up over the years. In areas where inspection had revealed leaks, mostly at loose seams, SWS weatherproofing sealant was applied. If moisture was present, it would be allowed to evaporate through the coating and sealant, rather than causing blisters on the roof.

The silicone formula was also rain ready in just 30 minutes—unheard of with a typical acrylic or polyurethane system. This allowed the applicator and contractor, Cantex, to work even when rain was forecasted. “Our team was impressed with how GE Enduris coating allowed us to speed up the process,” said Harrie Kuijpers at Cantex. Kuijpers continued, “It was a forgiving material that made fast work of details on the leaking roof, unlike bitumen, which must be methodically applied with a torch.”

“We were impressed with the ways GE Enduris roof coating brought extra benefits and longevity to our building.”

— Machiel Baaijens, Facilities Manager and Building Owner

Energy savings

NMA selected a white color for the GE Enduris coating, which resulted in a noticeably increased yield from the organization’s rooftop solar panels, due to the newly reflected sunlight. It also resulted in less wear and tear from extreme daily temperature fluctuation, by allowing the roof’s peak temperature to be up to 63°F (35°C) lower on an average summer day. This also meant significant savings on summer cooling energy compared to a black roof. “It was a smart decision that will give us a lasting return year after year,” said Baaijens. “We were impressed with the ways GE Enduris roof coating brought extra benefits and longevity to our building.”

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Original article source: GE Silicones