WestofYouLB

Hello, all! I apologize that this post keeps arriving at the forum with no formatting. Yes, I DO know how to use the Hard Return, but they don't seem to be effective here. I'm sometimes handy around the house, but some projects give me pause. This is one, so I'd like some input. Here in Southern California in the summer, we get a LOT of sunlight, and on our slanted flat roof (goes to a drain in one corner; about 10 degrees) the tarpaper and tar job is beginning to leak a little. House is old for U.S., built ~1924. There is no easy way to insulate the interior of the second floor ceiling from the heat transfer, as the "attic" is about 14" high. But I have long thought that coloring the roof either white or with some aluminum-paint color would alleviate much of the heat problems we have upstairs in the summer. Looking at the products at HD, it looks like some of them also would seal the roof, and that this would be a doable DIY project for a few hundred dollars. Obviously a lighter color would help. And it could even be done with house paint, if I weren't worried about the following year or so. But am I right? Are there DIY-grade products that would accomplish both the above goals: seal the roof and prevent heat transfer? Roof is ~1,000 square feet. Thanks in advance. Don.

oldognewtrick

First of all to House Repair Talk.

I don't personally like coatings, BUT, if you must go to your local Sherman-Williams, Porter or if you have one close a commercial paint distributer. Ask them for a product that will be reflective and durable. Stay away from the big box stores.

Just my

WestofYouLB

Hi Oldog,

I have seen some products at the bigbox stores that are specifically for roofing, and that provide a more reflective color. In addition, it is hard to tell, but they appear to renew the sealing of the roof. Maybe.

I was hoping that someone had experience with DIY with these substances.

Don.

WestofYouLB

I also see that there is a produce similar to what I have seen: Chiri Enterprise's Roof-It. Seems to be home-applicable water-based product that both colors and seals. $500/5-gallon bucket, four needed to put two coats on a 1,000 sq. ft. roof.

Does anyone have experience with this sort of product?

Thanks again.

Don.

oldognewtrick

If you are going to coat it I would look at the Elastomeric coatings system.

joecaption

Need more insulation, leaking roof, hmm.
It's possible to add insulation on top of the roof and have it reroofed with something like EPDM and then have a cooler, leak free home.

WestofYouLB

I see the Elastomeric product Oldog suggested. Looks like something I could do. Adding insulation (that we could walk on, as we occasionally do) looks more problematic, to me. Maybe not. I appreciate both suggestions and am going to investigate them.