Effective Tips for Selling White Roof Coatings

roof coatingRoof coatings are one of the fastest-growing segments of the commercial roofing marketplace. They offer a variety of great benefits: roof life extension, waterproofing, and energy cost savings. But how does a contractor sell the value of this roofing service to customers?

We put together some advice proven to be effective.

Roof Coating Sales Tips

Demonstrate their value – As we briefly covered above, white roof coatings offer unique value in a number of ways. They reinforce existing roof membranes with a high-grade chemical barrier. This barrier has seamless and reflective properties, which provide leak resistance and protection against UV damage.

With its reflectivity, a roof coating system also pays for itself with reduced energy costs. The cost-saving potential is strongest in states with warm, sunny climates. But buildings in northern states can realize energy cost savings, as well.

Illustrate savings potential – Roof coatings deliver cost efficiency in many areas. Firstly, their application tends to be less demanding than a roof replacement process. Process specifics will vary from roofing project to project. But roof tear-off tends to be minimal with a roof coating application compared to roof replacement.

As a result, roof coatings can be more economical. Energy savings will also provide value in the form of cost efficiency. There are a number of models which allow you to compute energy savings depending on climate, such as the Department of Energy cool roof calculator.

coating vs. replacementShow the better performance – Applied in liquid form, roof coatings harden to form a seamless, fully adhered, durable barrier over an existing roof substrate. This provides an additional benefit in roof longevity. This new membrane reinforces the existing roof, extending its lifespan in the process. As a seam-free and fully adhered solution, a coating system doesn’t have to deal with hardships that can arise from fasteners or adhesives over time, either.

White roof coatings can also extend life expectancy with their UV resistance and “elastomeric” properties. They are applicable to many types of commercial roofing systems. In turn, it allows these different systems to avoid high roof temperatures and the ongoing stress of thermal shock.

Reduced stress load on HVAC – Industry studies show that with its white surface, a cool roof can lower stress on an HVAC system. The white surface reflects the sun’s rays, which lowers the roof surface temperature as well as the ambient temperature of air surrounding HVAC units.

As a result, an HVAC system won’t have to use as much energy to keep a building interior cool. Over time, additional savings can come in the form of avoided HVAC repairs and less intensive maintenance needs.

sun ray illustrationCorrect bad information – One point which building owners may wonder about is the “winter penalty” argument – or whether a reflective roof causes increased heating costs in the wintertime. Studies by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee confirm in most U.S. climates, A/C cost savings are far greater than any heating cost increases.

Don’t forget that temperatures can widely vary even in temperate climates, as well. It’s important to keep in mind other dimensions, too. The cost savings of avoiding roof replacement can outweigh increased heating costs. Plus the costs of not having a cool roof – more cooling systems and more insulation needs, for one – can be a weighing factor.

They can waterproof and be more eco-friendly – Roof coatings can improve the waterproofing of a commercial roofing system. But this value proposition differs among coatings. Coating type is a big factor which determines a coating product’s “permeability,” or roof breathability. It’s important to check manufacturer specs for specific coatings’ waterproofing value.

Additionally, since their application often doesn’t require as much tear-off as roof replacement, white coatings leave a smaller environmental impact. It’s been estimated that much of the U.S. landfill waste is old building materials. Furthermore, as they’re applied in a fluid form and can be recoated for extended life, roof coatings can offer value as a more sustainable form of construction.

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Interested in Selling More Coating Jobs?

Choice Roof Contractor Group is a nationwide group of commercial roofing contractors dedicated to each other’s success. Our members have successfully sold millions of square feet of roof coating jobs. They understand how to convey the value of this service to building owners.

Should you be interested in taking your business to new heights with more coatings jobs, check us out! We offer a complete set of unique membership benefits. If you have any questions or interest, don’t hesitate to call us at (800) 670-5583. Our team looks forward to hearing from you!

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Written by: Ian Myers
Ian Myers
Ian was the very first team member brought on by the original co-founders of the Choice Roof Contractor Group to assist with nationwide growth. Since then he has written 120+ blog posts and provided excellent support to the roofing contractors in the group. Through his multiple roles in the commercial roofing industry, he has gained tremendous knowledge in the sector.