1983-84 original coating acrylic over the Carlisle EPDM Rubber Roof. (I don’t know its expected lifespan.)
In 2003 (at about 20 years old) an Everest Coatings acrylic coating was put on the roof with a 10 year warranty (watertight, delamination, cracking, etc.)
By 2008-2009, the acrylic coated roof was developing a large area of black covering of algae that many/most southern state roofs develop on the north, west, and east sides of the their structures.
In 2011 The Cajundome paid about $22,000 - $25,000 to clean the roof and it began to look very bad again within 2 years.
In 2013 the 10 year warranty of the 2003 coating was ending.
By 2016 that product again had become very mildewed and “black” as well and looked horrible. Rather than spend the money to simply clean it, we wanted to recoat it.
In 2014, as funding was going becoming available and as we began to research the options on the next coating to use, we learned that the Superdome was going to and/or had put a product type of PVDF Fluoropolymer Roof Coating System by a company called Quest Coatings that had warranted a 20 year Self Cleaning warranty for the Superdome that said the product would “self clean” and stay white for 20 years without having to be pressure washed.
Up until that time, the Superdome had been paying something between $200,000 and $250,000 per year to clean the Superdome roof.
With the Cajundome being another State-owned Building with a domed roof about 1/5 the size of the Superdome, we considered if the product is good for the Superdome, it should be good for the Cajundome. Thus, we worked toward trying to get the same product TYPE as the PVDF Fluoropolymer Roof Coating System.
GAF Coatings purchased Quest Coatings around that design/bid process and said that while the PVDF Fluoropolymer Roof Coating System product was the same product considered the best option, GAF Coatings no longer provided the “20 year Clean Warranty” but with it being the same product, they told us it would perform as well and we assumed it would perform as well.
The other products that had been in use in the previous recoatings had never offered a “clean” warranty.
Also, neither us, nor the architects, nor the State of Louisiana Facility Planning and Control people have been able to find any subject matter experts that can definitively tell us if the problems are caused by application or product.
We have opinions about that but cannot substantiate those opinions, nor find anyone who can.
The State Roofing Specifications that were used for this and other roof projects has this language in the warranty description:
Deficiencies to be covered by the warranty / guarantee will include but not be limited to :
Failure to remain watertight.
Damage or deterioration from ultraviolet radiation.
Excessive chalking.
Excessive fading or change in color.
De-lamination.
Separation from membrane and substrates.
Cracking.
Crazing.
Blistering.
Wind separation.
Water Erosion.
Failure to standing water on top of coating (note, standing water which generally stands more than 48-hours
does not apply).
Once the roof was recoated (completed March 2017) and after a lot of correspondence and consultation with attorneys, the Cajundome was finally able to get a fully executed, appropriately worded warranty that met the above specifications and protections PLUS an extra 2 year warranty from the company that applied the product to satisfy the specified requirements.
Specifically:
1. Why does it look so bad? Is it mold, mildew, etc?
Phil's understanding of current issues is algae that turns black. It's greenish black when you get it wet and rub through the
top surface.
2. Why didn’t the seal last 10 years as Greg Davis said back in 2016 when it was redone?
The “seal “has lasted and is still warranted for the appropriate protections. Additionally, when hurricane damage did cause problems or there were leaks found, GAF and/or Brazos Urethane has immediately responded to and repaired them.
3. Was there a 20 year warranty when it was redone in 2016? if so, has the CD made a claim under that warranty?
Yes. There is a 20 year warranty for waterproof, protection etc. but not for staying clean. It was SUPPOSED to stay clean by “self cleaning” but it was not warranted nor guaranteed to do that. No companies that we were aware of offered the "stay clean" warranty at the time the project was designed and bid in 2015-2016.
Yes some claims have been made that the companies have responded to.
OPINION: IF the roof coating did or does fail to meet the warranty conditions described in the specifications and actual warranty, then there would be a claim and it would be pursued) Of course the goal of cleaning it is to not ruin/void the current 20 year warranty (March 2017- March 2037.)
Re: Cajundome Roof: Not much we can do about it
Quote
Originally Posted by CharlieK
