Roof Coating in Rio Rancho, NM

Rio Rancho grew from open mesa land into one of New Mexico's largest cities in just a few decades, and its houses show every stage of that growth. Older homes near Southern Boulevard often have flat roofs that have been patched and recoated many times. Neighborhoods from the 1990s and 2000s mix pitched tile roofs with flat sections over garages, porches and wings. Newer pueblo-style homes may be flat from end to end.

Whatever the age, most of those flat roofs are sprayed foam with a coating on top. The foam keeps water out and adds insulation. The coating protects the foam from sunlight. When the coating goes, the foam is next. That's why keeping the coat in good shape matters so much — and why it's worth knowing what yours looks like.

Quick self-check

• Is the roof white, or has it gone gray and chalky?
• Can you see tan or orange foam anywhere?
• Is sand piled in corners or packed in canales?
• Does water stand on the roof a day after rain?
• Are there stains on ceilings or on stucco below canales?

What a proper recoat includes

Washing off sand and chalk, letting the roof dry, replacing damaged foam, sealing every vent, skylight and cooler stand, reinforcing parapet corners and applying the coating at full thickness — usually two coats. See foam roof recoating.

Acrylic or silicone

White acrylic is the best value on roofs that drain. Silicone handles standing water. See which coating fits.

Wind and sand

The west side of a roof often wears first. We add thickness where the wind hits hardest. See wind and sand damage.

Hail

Foam roofs dent and crack under hail. If a storm came through, have the roof checked. See hail damage on foam roofs.