Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Sun Damage on a Roof

The natural elements have always been known to have a destructive effect on buildings and building material but ultraviolet rays have a specially undesirable effect on roofs. The sun emits harsh UV rays which are absorbed by roofing material and over a period of time begin to alter the chemical makeup of the substance used to manufacture the roof. The energy contained in UV rays penetrates polymer chains, leading to breakage and cross-linking, and an inevitable chemical reaction with oxygen and moisture, which gradually
 destroys the roof.


The Sun and Wood Shingles


Wood is basically an organic polymer made up of cellulose. The cellulose composition is in essence small fibers which give it its adhesive property. When exposed to ultra violet rays, dark-shaded wood turns a few shades lighter and light-shaded wood turns darker over time. This change in color is attributed to the effect of UV rays on lignin, which is a polymer in wood used primarily for bonding.

A study conducted in 2008 by Levinson, Berdal, and Akbari on the effect of UV rays on wood found that placement determined the rate at which the wood eroded. Horizontal hanging resulted in significantly extensive erosion compared to vertically-placed wood. In order to keep the wood in good condition for longer, Bryan roofing company uses a unique process where they position the shingles in a way that keeps UV-related erosion at a minimum.


Asphalt Shingles


Asphalt shingles contain asphalt as one of the main binding agents in the granules. Most shingles come with a fiberglass material which is covered in additives and a number of adhesives then layered with granules. When used to bind the granules, asphalt protects the shingles from the effects of water and moisture in the air.

Asphalt is extracted during the process of refining crude oil and it contains hydrocarbon groups which build up during oxidation, producing sulphate groups as a byproduct. These additional sulphates are what give the shingles rigidity and durability.


Discoloration


Ultra violet rays have been known to change the quality of color on different roofs. But another equally potent element is the effect of the combined compounds; sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide, which accelerate the discoloration. Organic pigments come in different colors and each color reacts differently to the UV rays. Certain colors hold up well against discoloration but others, not so much.

Ultramarine blue is susceptible to discoloration when used on roofing material. Cadmium selenide tends to react with oxygen when exposed, as does Cadmium sulfide; but manufacturers have a way of working around such challenges to ensure the materials used remain impervious.


A modern roofing company uses different processes to create tougher pigments. For instance Bryan roofing company uses an organic pigment called phthalocyanine and combines it with a specially-made green pigment to make a brighter shade. The resulting color does not suffer the same discoloration when exposed to the sun.


Bryan roofing company has been actively providing lasting roofing solutions to Texans by manufacturing sun-resistant roofing materials which retains quality texture for much longer than ordinary roofing material. Regular roofing construction often requires additional service in order to meet a lasting quality.


Reference:
 Berdahl, Paul; Akbari, Hashem; Levinson, Ronnen; & Miller, William A.(2008). Weathering of Roofing Materials-An Overview. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.























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