Q: I see a number of white roof coatings on the
market. What makes Hawaiian SunGuard different?
Not all white coatings have ceramic held in suspension. The
ceramic-titanium granules that we add to our coating act as an
incredible heat shield which can lower the surface temperature of a
roof by 60 degrees or more!
In a recent test conducted by the Engineering Dept. of the University
of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), two identical “clone” buildings were built
in the desert. Alike in every respect, including their orientation to
the sun, the two building were fitted with identical A/C units with
separate electrical meters. The only difference was the white coating
that was applied to one building (walls and roof) had ceramic material
added. Here are the energy-usage results:

Incredibly, the
building with the ceramic added to the coating used 51.3 % less
kilowatt hours to maintain the same temperature inside! Imagine
what this can do to your electric bill here in Hawaii, where energy
costs are nearly twice the national average!
Q: The energy savings are impressive, but I am more
interested in stopping the leaks in my building. Why is Hawaiian
SunGuard good for waterproofing?
Hawaiian SunGuard uses only premium acrylic resins. Resins are the
building blocks of any acrylic coating. We use a high-performance
acrylic resin called Lipacryl®. Manufactured by the same folks that
make plexiglas®, the building blocks for our coating cost a little more
than other available resins but perform much better in waterproofing
applications.
Combined with our CoolFab reinforcing fabric, Hawaiian SunGuard can
waterproof almost any surface--including those troublesome areas of a
roof where water ponds. In fact, we are so confident in the Hawaiian
SunGuard waterproof membrane, you can have one of our licensed roofing
contractors install and issue up to a seven year leak-free guarantee!
Q: How much coating do I need and how much will it
cost?
The cost of materials for a reflectivity coat (epoxy primer and
coating) averages $0.85 per square foot. For a full-fabric reinforced
system, material costs are approximately $1.85 per square foot.
The amount of coating that you will need depends on several factors.
The size, type, and condition of your roof will all affect the actual
amount of coating that you will need (click here to see sample coverage
rates for different surfaces).
Also, the type of Hawaiian SunGuard system that you choose to install
will determine the amount of materials required. For a completely
reinforced full-fabric system (recommended for waterproofing flat
roofs) you will need about twice the amount of coating necessary for
applying a reflectivity coat (designed to lower temperatures and
preserves roofs in already good condition).
Q: How many coats do I need?
Generally, for best waterproofing results it is better to use three
thinner coats than two heavy coats. However, the most important factor
is total system thickness. For waterproofing applications you'll want a
total membrane thickness of at least 45 mils (about the thickness of a
quarter). Despite the extremely thick consistency of Hawaiian SunGuard,
this is impossible to achieve in just one coat. The number one problem
that most people face when applying coating is that they apply the
coating too thin. Since Hawaiian SunGuard both looks and is applied
similar to paint, the tendency is to stop once the surface has been
"painted". The thickness of paint when covering a surface is typically
one or two mils (thickness of a piece of paper). The best way to insure
that you achieve the correct thickness for your desired system
(waterproofing and/or reflectivity) is to accurately measure the
surface to be coated and apply all of the materials purchased.
Q: What is the maintenance and how long will it last?
The Hawaiian SunGuard membrane ages at approximately 1 mil per year.
Typically, after seven to ten years, you can hose down your roof, patch
any defects, and simply topcoat, using less than half the coating you
originally used. Repeat indefinitely.
Q: What surfaces can Hawaiian SunGuard go over?
If applied according to our installation instructions, you can install
the Hawaiian SunGuard waterproof membrane to any flat roof and most
sloped surfaces; including asphalt shingle, aluminum shingle, plywood,
transite panel, rubber, TPO, mineral surface cap sheet, and even pitch
and gravel, if the gravel is removed and the surface scraped smooth.
Q: How can I purchase Hawaiian SunGuard?
Our friendly staff are waiting for your order. You can have 5 or more
buckets delivered free on Oahu, or you can contact us to have an
estimator measure your roof and explain the installation and warranty
options that are available.