St. Raphael at Pelican Bay is a 20-story luxury condominium with 164 tower units and 14 private villas offering sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico. Located in Naples, Florida, the roof of the condominium is exposed to harsh heat from the sun and it must withstand the tropical storms that sometimes strike the area. 

Built in 2000, the condo’s original 14,000 square foot modified bitumen granulated roof was nearing the end of its service life. The 15-year warranty had expired, and the condo was experiencing leaks and granule loss. Additionally, the membrane was becoming dry and brittle. Having installed the original roof, West Coast Florida Enterprises, Inc. (WCFE) was invited to bid on the roof repair job. 

WCFE estimator Victor Littlejohn explained, “One of the board members for the HOA owns a roofing company in Ohio and he actually had installed the Karnak 298 Alumin-R system before. They knew what they wanted, and he had already specified the job.”

The modified bitumen roof was experiencing leaks and granule loss (left). A reflective elastomeric coating rejuvenated the surface, and helps reduce the cooling load.

Karnak  298 Alumin-R is a premium grade, single component, SBS rubber modified asphalt reflective coating specially formulated with aluminum pigment to be used as a reflective elastomeric coating. Its reflectivity and cool roof ratings made it an ideal choice to reflect the hot, Florida sun and help reduce the cooling load for building residents. 

Before the restoration began, Littlejohn brought in a third-party to do a moisture scan on the roof. “We needed to make sure the insulation was dry, which is a requirement for us to be able to provide them with the Karnak  labor and material warranty,” he said. 

Once they were satisfied that the insulation was in good shape, they started the work by repairing all leaks. After the leaks were sealed, the crew cleaned and pressure-washed the roof.  Next came the detail work. “We sealed all flashing, penetrations and drains,” says Littlejohn. “Then we used the 229 AR Elastomeric brush grade to coat the existing modified membrane and applied it at three gallons per 100 square feet.”

Karnak  229 AR Elastomeric is a single component, rubber reinforced asphalt that forms a highly elastomeric waterproof coating as well as an air barrier. After the 229 AR was cured, the crew performed a light cleanup and then applied the final rubberized reflective coating, sprayed on at a rate of two gallons per 100 sq. ft. Residents at St. Raphael are now protected by an energy-efficient, reflective Karnak  roof that meets Miami-Dade County standards for performance. 

Some of the keys to success for restoring a roof with a new coating system are understanding what the existing roof system is and making sure that it is a good candidate for restoration. Performing adhesion tests can help determine if restoration is a good fit. Proper surface preparation is key and following the manufacturer’s instructions is very important. The last is to be sure applicators use the right equipment. Different situations call for different application methods, whether it be rollers, brushes or spray equipment. Again, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for success.  

By restoring the roof instead of replacing it, the St. Raphael condominium association was able to avoid the cost and labor associated with a tear off. They also were secure in the fact that by choosing restoration they were doing something good for the environment. Restoration keeps roofing material waste out of the landfills and by choosing a reflective system, they should reduce their energy usage and cooling costs.  Σ