Roof equipment is some of the most challenging surfaces to prepare and paint. It’s in constant UV light, and will always get exposed to rain, snow, and extreme temperature ranges. And this is why an experienced industrial painting contractor should be called to scope of the painting system for all equipment in this environment.
There are many factors that need to be considered when painting equipment on the roof. And one of the biggest factors is the weather. Too much weather can cause irreversible damages to the substrate. And although industrial coatings won’t stop an asteroid, it can at least prevent these irreversible damages that can be caused by weather. And here are the best coating for each varying type of weather-related situation.
Ultra-Violet Rays
Ultra violet rays are the beams radiating from the sun. These rays are powerful in large doses and can cause cancer if people aren’t protected. But it can also damage or corrode improper coatings. Alkyd based coatings will do poorly in these types of environments. Alkyd coatings get very hard. But that hardness comes at the expense of flexibility. And when UV rays hit alkyd paints for too long, they start to get alligator skin, a phenom in painting that causes the coating to crack in square formations, similar to the epidermis of an alligator.
Additionally, epoxy paints are another poor choice for any surfaces receiving a lot of sun light. Epoxy paint uses an amine hardener. This hardener ambers over time. But UV exposure accelerates that ambering, which will cause the coating to look yellow.
The best coating to combat UV exposure is an acrylic coating, or a urethane coating. Acrylics are typical house paints. They adhere well enough, and they can tolerate a lot of sunlight before they begin to chalk.
Urethanes are superior. They won’t chalk, and they will constantly maintain their clarity. But the downside with urethane paints is that they have a strong odor. So you’ll want to wear a face respirator is exposed to too much of this type of paint. And the other downside is that they cost more than acrylic or latex paints.
Overall, although the sunlight is great for growing vegetation, and warming the earth, it can have negative side effects that not only harm us, but also the substrates of material we need. And there are paints that can protect the substrates from the sunlight. So it’s critical to consider what painting product is being used, and which environment that material is being applied in.