What is a roof nano coating, and what does NuRoof Fortify do?
A roof nano coating is a liquid treatment carrying nanosilica particles that penetrates the top layer of an asphalt shingle rather than sitting on it as a film. It makes the shingle hydrophobic, so the surface sheds water instead of soaking it up. NuRoof Fortify is the version of the GoNano roof line made for newer roofs, and it is what we apply on sound roofs across Ottawa.
The GoNano roof line has three treatments sorted by the condition of the roof. NuRoof Fortify is the one for a roof that has not started failing yet: a preventive fortifying shield against extreme weather that does not alter the roof's appearance. It preserves a healthy roof; it is not a rescue for one that has already gone.
This page covers one product and the mechanics of the job. For everything PROTEXA applies across roofs, driveways and concrete in Ottawa, see the PROTEXA home page.
How does nanosilica bond to an asphalt shingle?
The particles are 40 to 60 nanometers, small enough to penetrate the material instead of forming a layer on the surface. That is the whole difference between this and a paint-on roof coating: there is no film to peel, because there is no film.
An asphalt shingle fails in a predictable order, and the treatment targets the first two stages of it:
- Water uptake. The treated shingle sheds water instead of soaking it up, so it holds less water to freeze.
- UV breakdown. The treatment reflects UV rays to limit heat absorption, slow aging and prevent discoloration. Ottawa summers dry out the asphalt binder that holds the granules in place, and that starts granule loss.
- Grime and organic growth. The treated surface resists them, so the roof stays cleaner with minimal maintenance.
This is a single application, not an annual maintenance product. Have the roof reassessed every 10 to 15 years to decide whether a retreatment is worth doing.
Why does an Ottawa roof need this more than a roof somewhere milder?
Ottawa attacks a roof from two directions in the same year, and the damage compounds. Freeze-thaw is why keeping water out of the shingle matters more here than in a mild climate.
In winter, water a shingle has absorbed expands when it freezes and works at it from the inside. Through a season of thaws and refreezes the shingle loses flexibility and starts to crack and curl at the edges. At the eaves, heat escaping the attic melts snow that refreezes over the cold overhang, building an ice dam that pushes meltwater backward under the shingle course.
Then summer UV dries out the binder until the roof sheds granules into the gutters, which strips the layer that was protecting the asphalt from UV in the first place.
A nano coating does not stop an ice dam forming, which is an attic insulation and ventilation problem, but it reduces how much water the shingle itself takes on through the cycle.
Which Ottawa roofs qualify for NuRoof Fortify?
NuRoof Fortify is for asphalt shingle roofs under 5 years old that are not leaking and still have their granules. It is the strongest treatment in the roof line and carries the longest life-extension figure of the three. Age is not the only gate: the Roof Health Score GoNano assigns your roof at the assessment also decides.
Three things get checked at the assessment before anything is quoted:
- The shingle surface. Bare patches where the mat shows through mean the shingle is past preserving.
- Whether the roof is watertight now. The treatment is not a way to stop an active leak.
- Safe access. Pitch, height and what the crew can set up on affect whether and how the job can be done.
When PROTEXA recommends NuRoof Revive instead
If the roof is weathered rather than new, GoNano NuRoof Revive is the right product. It is for roofs 6 to 20 years old: it penetrates deep into the shingle to rebuild flexibility and reinforce structure, and creates a hydrophobic barrier against water, algae and surface erosion. Losing granules is one sign a roof is a candidate. NuRoof Revive adds up to 12 years of roof life. See shingle restoration with NuRoof Revive in Ottawa.
When PROTEXA recommends NuRoof Boost instead
GoNano NuRoof Boost is the entry tier, formulated with GoNano's nanotechnology and renewable bio-oils. It is generally for roofs 15 years or older that no longer score high enough for Fortify or Revive, and the Roof Health Score at the assessment decides.
Be clear-eyed about the tiers. Boost does less than Fortify and Revive on weather resistance, hail impact, UV, granule loss, wind, heat and freeze-thaw, and it rejuvenates the shingle less completely. A full treatment adds up to 10 years of functional roof life. It exists so an older roof can still get real protection, not because it matches NuRoof Fortify.
If you are not sure which band your roof sits in, the symptoms tell you. Curling shingles and granule loss, and what they point to walks through reading your own roof from the ground.
How does PROTEXA apply NuRoof Fortify, step by step?
There are three stages, and we do all of them ourselves: a free on-site assessment, prep and any minor repairs, then the treatment.
At the assessment a technician gets on the roof, checks its condition and photographs it. This is where the roof qualifies or does not, and where the product tier is decided. You get the photos either way, including the ones that argue against selling you anything.
If the roof qualifies, we do any minor repairs and clean the surface thoroughly so the product has sound shingle to penetrate. Coating over dirt, moss or a loose shingle locks the problem in, so we never skip this stage to hit a date.
Then we apply NuRoof Fortify across the whole roof in a single day, slope by slope, so no section is left half-treated.
What happens on the day of the application?
The crew sets up roof access, finishes the cleaning and any minor repair, treats the roof, and is off the property the same day on a typical home. Larger, steeper or harder-to-access roofs take longer, and we establish that at the assessment so the day is no surprise.
You do not need to be home, but someone should be reachable by phone in case we find something the assessment could not show, such as a soft spot in the decking. We will not treat over a defect without telling you first and agreeing what to do.
What weather does the application need?
The roof has to be dry when the treatment goes on and stay dry while it sets, so we book around the forecast rather than a fixed date. A wet or frozen shingle will not take the product properly.
In practice that limits roof work in Ottawa to the frost-free part of the year, and a booked date can move if rain arrives. We would rather push you a few days than treat a roof that cannot take it. The technician confirms the window for your roof at the assessment.
What does the homeowner need to do to prepare?
Very little. Move vehicles and anything fragile away from the sides of the house we are working on, keep pets indoors, and unlock gates and side access so the crew can move ladders and equipment.
Tell us what you already know about the roof: a spot that has leaked before, a skylight that sweats, a section someone else repaired, or where the gutters overflow. We confirm the specifics for your property when the date is booked.
How many years does NuRoof Fortify actually add, and who issues the warranty?
NuRoof Fortify extends the life of your roof by up to 20 years. Where your roof lands depends on how much shingle there was left to work with when the treatment went on.
The warranty term is a different number. GoNano issues a manufacturer's warranty of 3 to 20 years. The term depends on the Roof Health Score GoNano assigns your roof at the assessment and on the number of coats applied.
PROTEXA is a certified GoNano contractor. The manufacturer's warranty is only available on work done by a certified applicator, which is a real reason to care who is on your roof.
Ask for the written terms at the assessment. The full document is put in front of you before anything is applied.
A treatment buys time on the roof you have. It delays replacement rather than cancelling it. For that comparison laid out properly, read roof coating versus replacement in Ottawa.
When is a nano coating not the right choice?
Skip the treatment and get quotes for a new roof if the roof is actively leaking, if the sheathing is soft or rotted, if flashing has failed around chimneys or valleys, or if shingles are worn through to the mat across large areas. Treating a roof in that condition wastes your money and delays the work it needs.
NuRoof Fortify specifically is also the wrong pick if:
- The roof scores into the NuRoof Revive or NuRoof Boost band. Paying for the newer-roof product on a roof that cannot use it does not extend the roof further.
- The roof is not asphalt shingle. Flat commercial roofs take a different treatment entirely: GoNano's nano roof treatment for elastomeric membrane roofing.
We tell you at the assessment. Saying a roof does not qualify is part of a free inspection.
What does it cost, and how do you find out?
Published Ontario roofing price guides put a shingle replacement at $8,000 to $20,000 CAD in 2026. That is not a Protexa price. A treatment on a roof that qualifies is typically a fraction of it, fixed in writing after a free assessment.
There is no flat price, because the number depends on the roof: total area, pitch, current condition, the number of valleys and penetrations, safe access, how much cleaning or minor repair is needed first, and which product tier the roof qualifies for. Two houses on the same Ottawa street can price differently on pitch and access alone.
Book your free on-site assessment for a written estimate with no obligation, or read what determines roof nano coating cost in Ottawa first.
Where in the Ottawa area is this available?
PROTEXA applies GoNano treatments across Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orleans, Gloucester and Stittsville. The assessment is always on site, so we see the actual roof before quoting anything.