In places such as aquariums and public zoos, keeping fish and aquatic life and other animals that live inside buildings as healthy as possible requires carefully controlling water quality and habitat conditions. As a result, aquarium roof coatings can play a critical role in maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity levels and avoiding leaks. By adding high quality roof coatings which are designed for water resistance, aquariums can create high-performance roofing solutions specialized for their demanding needs.
This blog examines the benefits which high quality roof coatings such as those provided by TRC offer for aquariums, including a description of important coating properties for aquariums and proper aquarium roof coating application techniques.
Why Aquariums Need Specialized Roofing
The roof of an aquarium facility faces unique roofing challenges, including:
- High internal humidity and internal risk of condensation
- Temperature sensitivity for humans and animals
- Excessive noise and light conditions
- Potential for significant water damage when leaks occur
- High visitor traffic that accelerates building aging
As a result, standard warehouse or office roofing solutions often fail prematurely under these conditions. Therefore, aquarium roofs need both enhanced durability and specialized properties to thrive.
Benefits of Roof Coatings for Aquariums
High-grade roof coatings such as TRC’s Product No. 10,000 Pro-Coat Roof Coating combined with a waterproof primer such as TRC’s Product NO. 297-X X-treme offer distinct advantages for aquariums, including:
Waterproofing – Product NO. 297-X waterproofs roof leaks caused by high humidity and any standing water below or above the waterproof primer layer.
Control condensation – The topcoat and primer layers limit condensation buildup on roofing materials below coating layers, extending the life use of an aquarium roof.
Insulation – Topcoats such as offered by Tucson Rubberized Coatings resist heat transfer, allowing for lower energy use inside aquariums, cooler roof temperatures, and lower energy bills.
Sound dampening – Topcoats and primers reduce interior and exterior noise pollution by limited sound’s ability to travel through the roof.
Light reflection – Reflective coatings prevent light penetration, eliminating damage from UV underneath the coating layers, allowing for less weathering damage to aquarium roofs.
Durability – Topcoats extend roof lifespan to last for many more years without breaking down, reducing maintenance costs substantially over time.
Sustainability – Roof coatings are ecologically friendly solutions to protecting the planet because they reduce energy consumption in buildings. Aquariums can display a respect for the environment by applying roof coatings to save money on energy.
In summary, using high quality roof coatings and primers such as those sold by Tucson Rubberized Coatings protect animals, reduce energy costs, and extend an aquarium’s lifespan.
Desirable Properties in an Aquarium Roof Coating
For coating aquariums, look for roof coatings which offer the following characteristics:
Superior elongation – Due to ambient temperature swings on aquariums, look for roof coating products with high rates of elongation that have the ability to expand and contract with building movements.
High tensile strength – Seek roof coatings with high resistance to tears and fractures from thermal shock. High tensile strength improves the longevity of a roof coating, ensuring that a roof last for a long time.
Ponding water resistance – Use roof coatings which do not emulsify easily in standing water as these will last more indefinitely.
Low temperature flexibility – Use roof coatings which are rated for low and high temperatures and can be applied either in cold or warm weather. These are more resistant to weathering that occurs over time through heat cycles.
High vapor permeability – Seeking topcoats which allow for some vapor permeability that will help allow interior humidity to vent while resisting exterior moisture.
High Solar reflectance – Reflect sunlight to keep interior cooler in summer
Mildew and algae resistance – Inhibit biological growth in humid conditions
Tucson Rubberized Coatings are tested to extreme standards of quality control and meet the rigorous demands aquarium roofs face. View any product TDS to find the specifications on any of these characteristics.
Key Considerations for Aquarium Roof Coating Application
Proper roof coating application ensures that coatings deliver maximum performance. Abide by the following guidelines when coating an aquarium roof:
- Thoroughly inspect the roof and perform all necessary repairs to create a sound substrate
- Clean the surface completely and allow to dry fully before applying coatings
- Follow manufacturer specifications for application procedures and recoat windows
- Apply with overlapping technique to form monolithic membrane without thin spots
- Allow for proper curing based on temperature and humidity conditions
- Correct application avoids future leaks, delamination, and other failures.
Conclusion
Aquarium facilities require roofing designed specifically to meet their demanding performance needs. High-grade roof coatings satisfy critical waterproofing, insulation, sound dampening, reflectance, and durability goals. Professionally applied coatings restore aging roofs and provide superior protection on new construction. Roof coatings keep aquatic habitats healthy and safe for fish, animals, and visitors while minimizing facility maintenance costs. Use Tucson Rubberized Coatings Roof Coating Cost Estimator to evaluate the cost and savings from installing your roof coatings today.