Roof Nano Coating in Ottawa with NuRoof Fortify

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. It is a preventive fortifying shield against extreme weather. It penetrates and reinforces the shingle rather than sitting on top of it, it does not alter the roof's appearance, and it extends the life of your roof by up to 20 years. It is a preservation treatment for a healthy roof, not a rescue for a roof that has already gone.

This page covers one product and the mechanics of the job. For the wider picture of what PROTEXA applies across roofs, driveways and concrete in Ottawa, the PROTEXA home page is the overview.

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 treatment makes the shingle hydrophobic, so the surface sheds water instead of soaking it up. Less water in the shingle means less water available 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 is what starts granule loss.
• Grime and organic growth. The treated surface resists dirt, grime and organic growth, which keeps the roof 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 the reason a treatment that keeps water out of the shingle matters here more than it does in a mild climate.

In winter, any water a shingle has absorbed expands when it freezes and works at the shingle from the inside. Repeat that through a season of thaws and refreezes and 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 ponds meltwater and pushes it backward under the shingle course. Then summer UV dries out the binder until the roof starts shedding granules into the gutters, which strips the layer that was protecting the asphalt from the UV in the first place.

We apply a nano coating before that damage becomes a replacement bill. It 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 still in sound condition. It is the strongest treatment in the roof line and it carries the longest life-extension figure of the three, up to 20 years. If your roof is newer than five years, is not leaking, and still has its granules, it is the product we will most likely recommend. Age is not the only gate: eligibility also comes down to the Roof Health Score GoNano assigns your roof at the assessment.

Not every roof qualifies. Three things get checked on the assessment before anything is quoted:

• Condition of the shingle surface. Bare patches where the mat is showing through mean the shingle is past preserving.
• Whether the roof is watertight now. The treatment goes onto a roof that is not leaking. It 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, where the job is penetrating deep into the shingle to rebuild flexibility and reinforce structure, and creating a hydrophobic barrier that protects against water, algae and surface erosion. Losing granules is one of the signs that a roof is a candidate for it. NuRoof Revive adds up to 12 years of roof life. See shingle restoration with NuRoof Revive in Ottawa for how that differs.

When PROTEXA recommends NuRoof Boost instead

GoNano NuRoof Boost is the entry tier, formulated with GoNano's nanotechnology and renewable bio-oils. NuRoof Boost is generally for roofs 15 years or older. It is the option for older roofs that no longer score high enough for Fortify or Revive, and suitability is decided by the Roof Health Score at the assessment.

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, against up to 20 years for Fortify. 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: a free on-site assessment, prep and any minor repairs, then the treatment itself, which goes on in one day. We do not just sell the product. We assess the roof at no charge, do the prep, and apply the treatment ourselves.

1. Free roof assessment. A technician gets on the roof, checks its condition and photographs what is up there, at no charge. This is the visit where the roof either qualifies or it does not, and where the product tier is decided. You get the photos either way, including the ones that argue against selling you anything.
2. Prep and repair. If the roof qualifies, we take care of any minor repairs it needs and clean the surface thoroughly so the product has sound shingle to penetrate. Coating over dirt, moss or a loose shingle just locks the problem in, so this stage is not optional and it is not something we skip to hit a date.
3. Protective treatment. We apply NuRoof Fortify across the whole roof in a single day, slope by slope, so no section is left half-treated. It soaks into the shingle rather than curing into a skin on top, so the roof looks the same when we leave as it did when we arrived, and it extends the life of your roof by up to 20 years.

What happens on the day of the application?

The crew arrives, sets up roof access, finishes the surface cleaning and any minor repair work, treats the roof, and is off the property the same day on a typical home. Larger, steeper or harder-to-access roofs take longer, which is one of the things we establish at the assessment so the day is not a surprise to either of us.

You do not need to be home for the roof work itself, though someone should be reachable by phone in case we find something up there that was not visible from the assessment, such as a soft spot in the decking. We will not carry on treating over a defect we have found without telling you first and agreeing what to do about it.

What weather does the application need?

The roof has to be dry when the treatment goes on and it has to stay dry while it sets, which is why we book applications around the forecast rather than to a fixed date. A wet or frozen shingle surface will not take the product properly.

In practice that limits roof work in Ottawa to the frost-free part of the year, and it means a booked date can move if rain arrives. We would rather push you a few days than put product on 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. Clear vehicles and anything fragile away from the sides of the house we will be working on, keep pets indoors for the day, and make sure gates and side access are unlocked so the crew can move ladders and equipment without waiting on you.

It also helps to point out anything you already know about the roof before we start: a spot that has leaked before, a skylight that sweats, a section that was repaired by someone else, 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, NuRoof Revive by up to 12, and a full NuRoof Boost treatment by up to 10. Every one of those is an “up to” figure, and 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, and it is worth reading before you decide.

The honest framing is that a treatment buys time on the roof you have. It delays replacement rather than cancelling it. If you want 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 under it 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 that actually needs doing.

Two more cases where NuRoof Fortify specifically is the wrong pick:

• The roof scores into the NuRoof Revive or NuRoof Boost band instead. 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. NuRoof Fortify is an asphalt shingle product. Flat commercial roofs are a different treatment entirely: GoNano's nano roof treatment for elastomeric membrane roofing.

We say so at the assessment. The whole line is built around whether the roof qualifies, and telling you that it does not is part of a free inspection.

What does it cost, and how do you find out?

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 for the crew, 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.

The way to get a real number is the free on-site assessment. We come out, inspect the roof, photograph its condition, and give you a written estimate with no obligation. Book your free on-site estimate, or read what determines roof nano coating cost in Ottawa first if you want to understand the drivers before anyone visits.

Where in the Ottawa area is this available?

PROTEXA applies GoNano treatments across Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orleans, Gloucester and Stittsville. The assessment is done on site in every case, so we see the actual roof, the actual pitch and the actual access before quoting anything.

Common questions about NuRoof Fortify