Elastomericroof coating
An elastomeric roof coating is a stretchy liquid film, rolled or sprayed over a dry, sound roof to seal it and reflect sun. It does not find or fix leaks, so a roof coating job starts with repairing the leak.
What a coatingdoes for a roof
The word elastomeric means the dried film stretches. Acrylic, silicone, and urethane are the three kinds.1
The white film reflects sun, which counts in a city that sees 116.8 days a year at 90°F or more.2 It can also seal pinhole leaks, the kind you can't see with the naked eye.1
The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) says a properly applied coating can extend roof life up to 10 years or more, depending on type and film thickness.1 An NRCA presentation to coating contractors puts it at 3 to 5 years up to 20 or more.3
When it's a good fit
The U.S. Department of Energy says a cool coating may be a good option when the roof is in good condition, has relatively few easy-to-repair leaks, and has at least five years of service life left.4
When a coatingis the wrong fix
A coating is the wrong fix for a roof that's already leaking. RCMA says not to expect the coating to find and seal the leaks; the leak is repaired first.1 The Department of Energy says the same of any leak or problem with the membrane.4
A wet roof is the second stop. NRCA's list of when not to coat names a wet roof, loose insulation, an unsecured membrane, rusted-through metal panels, and a membrane worn past its reinforcing fabric.3 A coat over wet insulation can look new while the water stays inside.
RCMA also recommends a roofing contractor when a roof has existing leaks, wet insulation, a damaged deck, or a maker's warranty.1
Rule of thumb. Find the cause first. Coat only after the leak is fixed and the roof is dry.
Standing water on a flat roof
NRCA defines ponding as water that stays on low spots more than 48 hours after rain stops.5 El Paso gets 8.78 inches of rain a year, and 54% of it falls from July to September,2 so short monsoon storms can leave water on a flat roof. Ask the bidder for the coating maker's ponding limit in writing, and see our guide to flat roof drainage and ponding water.
What a coating bidshould say
Ask any bidder who does the prep and who repairs the leak. The bid should say which leaks get fixed, how the roof is cleaned and dried, and which product goes on.
It should also state gallons per 100 square feet and total dry mils. A mil is a thousandth of an inch, and RCMA says how long a coating performs depends on its film thickness.1 Makers publish their own minimums, and they differ from product to product, so ask which data sheet the number comes from.
Recoating isnormal upkeep
A coating wears, so plan to recoat. How soon depends on the coating type and how thick it went on. For the age of the whole roof, see how long a flat roof lasts.
Lifetime Roofing of El Paso, family owned and in El Paso since 2019, uses its own crew, not subcontractors, and works with all the major coating makers. The lifetime warranty covers our workmanship. Recoating on schedule is upkeep the owner pays for, and the warranty doesn't cover it.
If a leak comes back on our work, we come back and fix it at no charge. Not sure where the water gets in? Our roof leak detection starts with a free inspection, and the written estimate comes within 48 hours of it.
What sits underthe coating
Questions people askabout roof coating
Will elastomeric roof coating stop my roof leak?
Only pinhole leaks. RCMA says coatings may seal pinhole leaks you can't see, and known leaks get repaired and dried first. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso offers a free inspection to find where the water gets in.
Can I coat over wet insulation?
No. A wet roof and loose insulation are both on NRCA's list of when not to coat. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso gives a free written estimate within 48 hours of the inspection.
How often does a roof coating need recoating?
Plan on it as upkeep. RCMA says a coating can extend roof life up to 10 years or more, and NRCA's range runs from 3 to 5 years up to 20 or more. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso's lifetime warranty covers workmanship, not recoats.
What should a roof coating bid say?
Gallons and mils. It should state gallons per 100 square feet, total dry mils, and which leaks get repaired first. RCMA says film thickness affects performance. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso puts every estimate in writing, free.
Where these factscome from
- Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association, Roof coatings FAQs, read November 1, 2026.
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991-2020 annual and seasonal normals, El Paso station USW00023044, read November 1, 2026.
- Mark Graham, NRCA, for the Cool Roof and Roof Coatings Association (CRCA), Options for Extending Life of the Roof, 2022, read November 1, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs, read November 1, 2026.
- National Roofing Contractors Association, Roofing glossary: ponding, read November 1, 2026.
More fromthe guides
- Flat Roof Ponding Water and Drainage
What ponding water is, why it sits on a flat roof, and what fixes scuppers and parapets
- How Long Does a Flat Roof Last?
How many years each flat roof system lasts, and what shortens that in El Paso.
- Spray Foam Roof Cost per Square Foot
What a spray foam roof costs per square foot, plus the recoat, from outside sources.
Call Lifetime Roofing of El Paso
(915) 353-3934
Get a free roof inspection
Based at 8900 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79907