Selected for industrial and many commercial structures, the rubber roof is one of the warranted roofing systems subjected to limitations. Manufacture of this material can also take other forms such as shingles. Regardless of its outer appearance, this roofing system always requires additional support beneath it to ensure durability ad long life span as a roofing system.
In the 1980s, the technology of the rubber roof came about when a rubber material became known for the recreational vehicle industry. As another substitute for other materials such as aluminum, people noticed that rubber was a reliable material to use as roofing system, provide that it is treated under the necessary processes and procedures for roofing.
In the production process of making the rubber roof, there are several treatments made to enhance the life span as well as durability of the material. Talc is one added to the rubber to avoid the layers of rubber from joining together. This powdery substance is also used in the storage of rubber after its manufacture an before its installation. However, when prepare for being installed as roofing system, the rubber should be cleaned thoroughly and the talc should be removed so as not to become residue which can be stuck on the sides of the roof as white streaks.
As a standard for the basic appearance of rubber roofing system, there are certain chemicals that are added to make rubber white in the finished product. Known as fillers or pigments, the chemicals make the material subject to chalking as it ages and weathers after several years. Nevertheless, it doesn’t necessarily affect the material itself. With exposure to moisture, heat or cold as well as many other airborne conditions, the fillers, such as Titanium Dioxide or Calcium Carbonate among others, tend to surface on the material and form as white or grayish powder residue. When it rains or snows, the said residue mixes with the water and also flows and dries up as white streaks on the roof.
With the presence of moisture, especially in areas with humid and wet climates, mold and mildew can spread through wind. As a result, roofs actually serve a very hospitable environment for such organisms. When not treated and well-maintained, rubber roof left dirty and damp becomes the perfect host for mold and mildew. With continuous study and research, effective cleaners have been formulated to eliminate such elements from developing on the roof. Unfortunately, the stupid stains left by these elements tend to stay, which is quite inevitable.
There are several ways to keep a rubber roof clean as well as free from chalking and streaking. Roof suppliers often suggest the most effective, if not the best, forms of treatments and maintenance for the roofing systems they provide. What may be the best is to create a cleaning process adaptable for the area where the roofing is used as well as making clean-ups between treatments less frequent but scheduled in a certain time that is systematized, but easy.
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