There are two halves to this story, but in the end, you will find that 777 roofs can resurface your old and failing PVC roof, such as what we have done for the Berkshire Hathaway owned RC Willey store chain (not really “the worlds best roof”), or replace your existing roof with the superior IB Systems PVC roof.
PVC roofs originally had a great reputation and were highly touted German made roofs. They were formulated like any vinyl product, essentially being made with the same chemistry as window frames and plastic fences, but with something called “plasticizers” or phthalates added for flexibility. They have all sorts of names for these chemicals, but they are all basically the same. 30+ years ago PVC was the ‘hottest new thing’ in roofing circles and it performed well. So well that European manufacturers set up production in the U.S. and began to dominate the market.
When first introduced, PVC was an apparent wonder because it did not shrink as much and wore more slowly than the then commonly used EPDM and tar roofs. However, PVC’s Achilles’ heel soon became evident when major cracks became clearly visible, OFTEN within just a year or two. This did not happen to the trusted European products, but to the newly minted and cheaper Americanized versions. If you have been keeping up, you might have thought that fillers may be to blame. If so, you had guessed correctly. After initial failures, a myriad of unseen micro cracks began allowing seepage over the entire roof, trapping water and the SUBSTRATE STARTED ROTTING. Within a few years, a new roof installation was simply impossibly expensive, because a contractor was now needed to rebuild the substrate and the total repair price went….”through the roof”. To be clear here, we’re NOT talking a few cracks, but hundreds of thousands of cracks were everywhere. If you have a PVC roof OVER 12 YEARS OLD, you need to have it evaluated. Do not wait until the leaks are dripping on your heads, equipment, computers, etc., – IT MEANS THE SUBSTRATE IS ALREADY SATURATED and has been for years.
One of 777’s roofs competitive advantages on a flat roof is the utilization of the old roof, with it’s good scrim, to create a super roof of incredible strength and thickness. When considering resurfacing a PVC roof, one must first seriously examine the condition of the surface and the scrim within the existing roof. If the surface is not terribly cracked and the scrim is in fair condition, a PVC roof is a great resurfacing candidate.
As always, 777’ knows ALL the tricks of the trade and the proper tools, materials and methods to deliver a SEAMLESS superior roof as the end product. We are surrounded by contractors of every stripe thinking “this looks easy, so I can do it too”! At least 90% of the time, they make graphic mistakes on their victims flat roof, like not cleaning well, applying it too thin, or using acrylic roof material on a flat surface? We have even seen acrylic on a dead flat roof sprayed over the top of an inch deep layer of moss? Our flat roof resurfacing includes proper cleaning, reinforcement in every weak area, utilizing new roof cloth (scrim), Kevlar, polyester chad and methods that make a certainty of our success with your existing flat roof project. In the end, you end up with a seamless flat roof and seams are how a roof generally fails.
777 Coatings Corporation, or 777 Roofs does flat roofs, we resurface all forms of flat commercial roofs, metal roofs, TPO roofs, Hypalon roofs, cap sheet roofs, tar roofs, EPDM roofs (rubber roofs) and all our flat roofs are thermally reflective “cool roofs”. We also provide the absolute best PVC roofs, such as the IB Systems PVC roofing by 777 Coatings Corporation, AKA 777 Roofing.
As an expert multifaceted roofer and roof resurfacer, 777 Roofs is your best roofing choice on any flat roof surface and in some cases, our roofs may carry a tax advantage over others. In the case of RC Willey, the decision to resurface with silicone may save them hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash up front, compared to “capital improvements” and the terrible consequences of replacing your flat roof with a “new roof”. We take flak from the competition when they repeat the old refrain that their roof is a new roof (it’s easier to make up stories with no names and no addresses, than it is to educate oneself). If we think a new roof in the right choice, we will suggest one, but if a resurfacing lasts longer for less money, we will go that way as well. Trust those who do all forms of flat roofs and you will see a long term benefit by working with true experts, rather than great story tellers.