Roof Mastic - Frequently Asked Questions
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Why apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"® to my roof?

    You protect practically every other square inch of the exterior/interior of your house to make it last longer.  You don't leave the wood exposed and unprotected because you want it to last longer, and not deteriorate from exposure to the weather, the sun, the rain, sleet, hail, the ultraviolet rays from the sun, etc.  If you apply the SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" to your roof, it should last indefinitely, just like the rest of your house.

Why don't roofers sell SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"?

    Roofer's don't want to protect and preserve your current roof.  Roofers want to sell you a new roof, so they won't even tell you about SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"   They're afraid it will hurt their business of tearing off old roofs to install new roofs.

Will SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" make my roof last longer?

    Absolutely – yes!  SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" will arrest the degradation of your current roof the minute you apply it to your roof surface, protecting it from deterioration caused by exposure to the ultraviolet rays from the sun, from exposure to rain, sleet, hail, fog, wind, snow, etc.

How long will SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" last on my roof?

    SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" has been thoroughly tested, both in the laboratory and on exterior roofs of buildings for decades.  While laboratory tests said SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" would show no significant degradation from exposure to the elements for at least fifteen (15) years, in reality, many roofs have been protected by SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" for over a quarter-century.  More than 29 years.  That's why SOMAY is so proud to offer this time-tested roof sealer, waterproofing, protective and preservation coating to SOMAY customers.  It's the very best coating available for this purpose.

Will SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" breathe, so it won't trap moisture inside my attic or crawl space?

    Yes.  SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" breathes so it will never trap moisture inside your house.  However, asphalt saturated roofing paper, tarpaper, asphalt or fiberglass shingles, tar, bitumen and similar tar and asphalt-based products do NOT breathe.

What kind of roof surfaces can "ROOF MASTIC" be applied to?

    SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" has been proven very effective for years on all well-drained, smooth, sloped roof surfaces, including asphalt shingles, fiberglass shingles, composition shingles, tarpaper or roll roofing, exterior plywood, concrete, including poured reinforced concrete roofs, flat concrete tiles, barrel tiles, slate, plastic, rigid urethane foam insulation, smooth metal, galvanized metal, corrugated metal, smooth wood such as plywood sheathing, mobile home roofs, etc.

Can SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" expand and contract as my roof expands in the hot sun during the day and then contracts during the cool nights?

    Yes.  SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" is made with elastomeric resins especially so it will be able to expand during the heat of the sun during the daytime and contract at night when the sun goes down and it gets cooler outside, or when sudden rain showers cool the air and the roof surface.

Can SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" help protect my roof from damage caused by high winds, such as in a windstorm?

    Yes.  SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" helps to seal one row of shingles or roll roofing to the next row of shingles or roll roofing so it helps keep wind from getting under the shingles and causing them to peel off in a major windstorm.

Can SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" help protect my roof from Hurricane Force Winds?

    Yes – definitely.  This premium quality roof coating has been used extensively for over a quarter century in Florida, the islands of the Caribbean, and other areas where hurricanes are common.  Time after time, the SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" has completely saved the roof on buildings on which it had been properly applied, while the buildings next door suffered extensive damage from the hurricane force winds.  Truly, you can "Hurricane Proof Your Roof" with SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC".  It's like a hurricane shutter for your roof.  Remember, if you save your roof, you've saved your house!

What effect will SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" have on my energy costs?  Will it save Air Conditioning Costs?

    SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" can dramatically affect your Air Conditioning costs – depending, of course, on what color SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" you choose to have applied to your roof.  For example, if you now have a black or dark color asphalt shingle roof, it absorbs a lot of heat from the sun, making the space under your roof very hot, so your Air Conditioning system has to work harder to cool your building.  If you were to apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" in a light color, especially "White", it can reflect up to 83% of the heat from the sun, which will make the space under your roof much cooler and it can dramatically reduce your Air Conditioning energy consumption.  Some customers have reported energy savings of over 40%!

Is SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" fire resistant?

    Yes, SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" is a waterborne coating.  It will NOT support combustion, which means it will NOT fuel any fire or flame, so it will help make your roof and house safer.  It has even been applied to old cedar shingles specifically to help make the shingles resistant to being set on fire from sparks flying in the air.

Can I apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" myself?  Or do I have to hire someone to apply it?

    Anyone who is a "handy" do-it-yourself person can apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" – you just have to follow instructions conscientiously and apply the recommended number of coats, each at the proper thickness.  Or, if you wish, you can hire a professional coating applicator to apply it for you.

How thick do I have to apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"?  Is the thickness of the applied dry coating important?

    Applying SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" at the proper thickness is very, very important.  This coating is formulated to resist the toughest exposure of any surface on the outside of your house, the roof, since it is exposed to the sun all day long, and to rain, sleet, hail, snow, etc., depending on the time of year, the outside temperature, etc.  To perform properly, SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" MUST be applied very thickly, at the rate of NO MORE THAN 50 sq.ft./gal. per coat, and a minimum of 2 coats must be applied.  So you will apply a total of at least 40 gallons of SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" for every 1,000 sq. ft. of roof surface.  This will build a membrane or film thickness on your roof of 20-mils for each coat, or 40-mils for two coats.  This is about 40 times the dry film thickness that most people usually apply paint – which is one of the major reasons that SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" lasts so long.

Since you apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" so thickly, how long does it take to dry?

    This miracle coating starts to dry immediately after you apply it to your properly prepared, clean, dry roof surface, because it is a waterborne (= water cleanup) 100% Acrylic Latex coating, just the way a very high quality Acrylic Latex House Paint or Wall Paint dries – by evaporation of the water out of the coating.  So on a good drying day, when the temperature is 75° F or higher, the sun is shining brightly, the humidity is low (below 50% Rel. Humidity) and there is a slight breeze blowing, the coating will dry in just a few hours, and dry enough in 24 hours to be ready to apply the next coat.  On a cool, still, humid, cloudy day, it will take longer for the water to evaporate out of the coating, so it will take longer to dry.

SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" seems thick in the can … Can I dilute it or thin it?

    Absolutely NOT!  Never thin, dilute, or add any other adulterating ingredient to the SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC".  Use it just as you receive it in the can from the manufacturer.  Adding anything to the can could have a deleterious effect on the product and could ruin it.  This formulation has been proven in use for over a quarter century – so don't risk ruining the product by adding anything to it!

Must I worry about rain when applying SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"?

    Yes, just like with all acrylic latex, waterborne paints and coatings, you want to apply this coating only when you will have several hours of good drying weather for the coating to dry before it will be exposed to rain, fog, dew, etc.  Always finish applying this coating on a roof a couple of hours BEFORE the temperature starts to fall and the humidity starts to rise late in the afternoon, so it can be dry before nightfall, so an evening dew will not settle on an uncured coating application.

How many coats do I have to apply?

    We always recommend a minimum of 2 coats, regardless of the paint or coating you are applying.  Two coats are also preferable to one coat, allowing sufficient time between coats for the first coat to dry and cure before applying another coat.  There is no harm in applying a third coat, if you wish.  It will actually make your roof last even longer.

Do I need a primer?

    Normally, on a clean, dry asphalt shingle or fiberglass reinforced asphalt shingle that is in good condition, you can apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" directly onto the shingle surface without a primer.  However, if the shingles are very old, so they have become dried out and very brittle, so they no longer lay flat on the roof surface, but are curling up, splitting, cracking, with tabs or pieces of each shingle breaking off, then we recommend the application of a specially formulated primer, SOMAY No. 7751, a clear acrylic resin in a mineral spirits solvent, which will help to soften the old shingles so that they will lay down flat on the roof surface and not be brittle. SOMAY No. 7751 will help to rejuvenate old dried out shingles to give them a longer life and help to preserve your roof.

Can I use SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" on a metal roof?

    Yes, our SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" works exceptionally well on metal roofs.  It adheres very well to all clean, firm, dry, non-rusty metal surfaces, such as aluminum, copper, galvanized steel, primed iron, primed steel, etc.  Ferrous metals should always be primed with a Ferrous Metal Primer prior to the application of any Acrylic Latex (waterborne) Paint or Coating.

Can I use SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" on a flat roof?

    This coating is recommended for use on sloped roofs from which water drains off during a rainstorm; it is NOT recommended for use on flat roof surfaces on which puddles of water accumulate during a rainstorm. For flat roofs where rainwater makes puddles, we recommend SOMAY No. 814, a special formula rubber-based, solvent-borne, waterproofing coating especially formulated for immersion under puddles of water.

In what colors is SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" available?

    This coating is available in stock colors including Beige, Terracotta, Red, Gray and White.  If a minimum of 50 gallons is ordered, it is available in custom colors of the customer's choice.  Custom colors are always more expensive and each color will be priced individually according to the cost to manufacture the color.  Always allow for a two week delay to allow time for Custom Colors to be especially manufactured for you.  Remember, darker colors will not reflect as much of the sun's heat as "white" and lighter colors.

Will SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" work in my climate?

    Yes, this exceptionally high quality roof coating has been used all across the USA from Maine to California, and from Canada to Florida, from the tropical climates of the Caribbean to the far reaches of China, and has always proven to be a superior and very durable roof sealer, waterproofer, protector and preserver, everywhere it has been used and applied according to instructions.

Can SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" be used in northern climates with freezing weather?

    Yes – once the SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" has been applied to the roof surface and cured, it will withstand damage from freezing weather, snow, sleet, etc.  However, like all acrylic latex resin-based paints & coatings, it must NOT be exposed to temperatures below freezing while it is still in the can during transit and storage, before it is applied to the roof surface.

At what temperatures can I apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC"?

    It is best to apply SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" when the roof and the ambient temperature are at least 50° F (10° C) or higher, and not any higher than 90° F (32° C), and will remain in that temperature range until the coating is dry and cured.

What, if any, special or unusual maintenance or cleaning requirements are needed to care for a SOMAY "ROOF MASTIC" surface or finish?

    None.  Our roof surface coating is essentially as maintenance free as any other roof surface or finish.  Normal rainstorms will rinse off any dust or dirt that falls out of the air and lands on your roof.  Of course, with a coating on your roof, it is considerably easier to see dirt on the roof surface.  However, it is also easier to keep clean, just as it is easier to clean dirt off the painted surface of a door than off an unpainted surface.  If mildew should ever start to grow on the painted roof surface, it can be very easily killed and removed with just a little "Clorox", applied by a pump-up garden sprayer, the same bleach you would normally use in your laundry to help clean a white shirt or towel.  You do NOT need to apply high pressure to clean the surface if it becomes dirty.  If you want to, you can use water from a garden hose to rinse dirt off your roof.

RM-301-2005                                                                                                              March, 2005


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