With heavy rainstorms so prevalent this time of year, many owners of manufactured homes, businesses, homes with metal roofing, campers and flat roofs battle endlessly against roof leaks. Unlike roofs with conventional three-tab or architectural fiberglass asphalt shingles, in which roof penetrations are typically easier to see, these other roofs can develop leaks anywhere. Finding a leak in a manufactured home, flat roof or camper is virtually impossible in some cases.

Gaco Western has developed a roof coating that many contractors and homeowners call a miracle product. Gaco likes to refer to it as “the last roof coating you will ever need.” The product is a 100 percent-silicone roof coating with a whopping 50-year guarantee against failure. Because the product is inert, it is mildew resistant and very resilient to Florida’s harsh summer climate. The product has exceptional adhesive properties that can withstand ponding water on your roof.

The Gaco Roof Coating is OK to use on most roofing surfaces except for three-tab or architectural fiberglass roofing shingles. It is offered in nine standard coatings with white being the most popular because of its reflective heat properties. The roof coating is used frequently on older, built-up tar and rolled roofing surfaces to extend the life of the roof, which is very costly to replace.

One gallon of the roof coating can cover about 100 square feet, and it does not require any special tools or skills to apply. The surface of the roof must be washed first with a mild soap and allowed to dry overnight. Any raw metal flashing should be primed to prevent rusting from condensation.

Gaco recommends using a paint brush to cut in or paint the roof coating around the edges, vents or skylights. For wide-open areas of the roof, a 9-inch roller with a 1-inch nap cover should be used to apply the product. During application of the first coat, the roof coating should be used to fill visible cracks and allowed to fully dry. A second coat is then rolled on the surface to create a roofing barrier that will not degrade over time.

Ron MaClean, Gaco Western’s Southeast regional manager for distribution,  says, “Unlike acrylic roof coating, Gaco will retain its thickness and the product will not lose its warranty in roof ponding conditions of more than 48 hours.”

Gaco’s Roof Coating has become a favorite of RV and camper owners who are sealing surface roof cracks, and at a cost of about $60 per gallon, it is certainly more affordable than a roof replacement. New building technologies like Gaco’s Roof Coating are dramatically changing the life and durability of many products and surfaces throughout the home.