The roof is one of the integral parts of your house. It is the first line of defence against different external elements besides rain, hail, or snow. Gradually, sun-rays also cause damage to the rooftops. However, unprotected and exposed roofs got damaged when they come in contact with sunlight and ultraviolet rays. Depending on your location and weather condition, roof may acquire more or less sunlight than a house. Despite the cloud cover, UV rays are harmful for roofs and cause lots of damage over time. Usually, in the spring and summertime, the UV rays reaches to the earth are strong and powerful cause break down of the molecular structure of the roof slowly and later on results in severe damages. To give you an idea of the damages caused, here’s a look at the sun exposure and its affects on your roof. 

Sunlight and its effects on your roof 

Roofs are specifically designed to withstand different weather conditions. But there are still many reasons due to which the weather can speed up the wear and tear process of the roof due to sunlight.  Certain reasons which can affect your sun exposure roof are as under: 

• UV Damage: 

The sun releases UV rays which specifically affect the external surface of your metal roof thereby weakening it internally. While most metal roofs built are durable and strong but sunlight can still impact on their existence. Metal roofs have a protective coating on the outside to protect them from inclement weather conditions. It is often bitumen or elastomeric acrylic that protects metal roofs from rain, UV radiation and hailstorms. With the passage of time, the heat from the UV rays can damage this coating gradually. The coating becomes brittle and weak and, in some cases, completely breaks off. It can expose the internal parts of your roof, making it more vulnerable to water and sun. Therefore, timely repair and recoating of your metal roof is essential to ensure that the roof is in excellent condition. 

• Thermal Shock: 

Metal roofs tend to suffer the most in extreme heat. Direct exposure of UV rays creates extreme changes in the temperature of the substance, an effect known as thermal shock. This type of sun damage causes the metal to destabilize, thinning out the metal and resulting in cracks. These cracks create a perfect way for moisture, which can lead to moss growth, roof leak, or the support underneath the metal roof to rot. Moisture is one of the leading causes of a roof needing to be replaced early. One more negative result of thermal shock is that it makes metal roof brittle. Metal roofs typically increases hardness and a long lifespan. A metal roof that is brittle due to thermal shock is however, highly susceptible to impact damage. A brittle metal roof can even have a problem in protecting your home from rain, hail, and even debris. 

• Discolouration: 

If you have ever noticed that your bright roof is now discolouring, its only due to excess exposure to sun. Undoubtedly, it has everything to do with the vigorous UV rays. The discoloration is just one part; the other part is that discoloration can really impact your roof’s ability to do its job properly. The colour of the roof matters because they work to reflect sunlight, pushing off the heat damages which can be caused against its surface and the rest of the home. So, not only its reflective capabilities depend on the colour and coating to keep the sun rays off, further keeps the interiors of your home cool. Accordingly, if your roof is discolouring or already discoloured, your home would be more hotter during the summer months and you should immediately re-coat it to enjoy the benefits.   

• Coating Damage:  

Roofing materials with protective coating even can affect badly due to direct exposure of the sunlight.  The heat from the sun rays is the reason which make the coating go dry and brittle. This restricts the roof’s ability to naturally expand and contract with the changing temperatures. Due to this, the brittle coating may crack or sometimes completely break off thus leaving roof exposed to the inclement weather conditions. A sun exposed roof is vulnerable to further damages consequently, a weak roof has a significantly shorter lifespan.  

Preventing Damages Caused by Sun Exposure 

While wear and tear is natural and impossible to avoid, there are certain measures which can be adopted to keep the sun damage at bay are as follows: 

• Be active for roof maintenance: Instead of planning repair of your roof once every 15 years, start scheduling roof maintenance once a year, which will help you to spot the damage early. This not only helps in removing sun damages but also reduces the risk of emergency repairs. 

• Schedule roof inspections: If you notice some signs of sun damage, it’s time to get your roof inspection executed by an expert. Not only will the experienced roofer detect repairs but also perform damage testing, which will aid in determining the severity of the damage. 

• Treatment with a sealant or coating: There are many types of sealants and coatings that contain UV protection. Additionally, these products can affect the colour of your roof; however, a lighter colour roof means less heat is being absorbed into your roof’s material. 

• Material and colour of your roof: While asphalt shingles are most common for homes, lighter-colour roofs will absorb less heat and materials like tile and metal can reflect heat and keep the sun at bay from your interior. 

Conclusion 

You can considerably improve the life of a roof by proper maintenance and periodic inspection. Reflective paints or shining metal sheets are a good way to reflect most of the radiations. The important step we can take to avoid sun damage is by examining it on a regular basis. Regular inspection will help in detecting the problems in their early stage, so we can repair them on time. A reliable and trusted roofing company such as Dura Roof will offer more durable and high-quality metal roof materials to withstand all weather conditions. 

About the brand 

Dura Roof will enhance the look of your home with their colour-coated stylish rooftops. Currently, Dura Roof is operating in the north-eastern region like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and some places in North Bengal including, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Kishanganj, etc. apart from expanding their business in Bhutan also. If you wish to incorporate colour coated roof in your dream home, our expert will guide you in choosing the perfect one for your sun exposure roof.