Fire Protection Starts at the Top: How Locked-In Granules Make Roofs Safer and Longer-Lasting

Your Roof’s First Job: Stop Fire in Its Tracks

When people think about roof performance, they often focus on leaks, wind, or hail. But there’s another enemy your roof has to fight — fire. Whether it’s an ember from a nearby blaze, fireworks, or a lightning strike gone wrong, your roof is the first and largest surface exposed to danger. A fire-resistant roof can be the difference between a scare and a catastrophe.

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What Makes a Roof Fire-Resistant?

In the roofing industry, fire performance is measured by ASTM E108 / UL 790. These tests simulate real-world fire hazards:

• Flame Spread Test – Measures how far and fast flames travel across the surface.
• Burning Brand Test – Drops a flaming “brand” (wooden ember) on the roof to see if it ignites.
• Intermittent Flame Test – Exposes the roof to bursts of flame with cooling periods in between.

A Class A rating — the highest available — means the roof can handle severe exposure without igniting, sustaining flame spread, or dropping burning debris.

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The Secret Weapon: Roofing Granules

Asphalt is highly flammable on its own. Without some form of protection, it can ignite and sustain burning when exposed to flame or embers. This is why asphalt shingled roofs rely on mineral granules as a shield to pass these tests.

Here’s why they’re critical:

• Non-Combustible Shield – Granules don’t burn, so they physically block flames from reaching the combustible binder beneath.
• Heat Buffer – They absorb and disperse heat, slowing down ignition.
• Flame Spread Control – A dense, well-bonded granule layer stops flames from racing across the surface.

Without granules, your roof is essentially wearing a thin, flammable jacket in a firestorm.

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The Weak Link: Granule Loss

Here’s the catch: On traditional roofs, granules don’t stay put forever. UV light, weather, foot traffic, and even ponding water loosen them over time. Once granules start shedding:

• The fire-resistant barrier thins.
• UV rays attack the binder, accelerating aging.
• Fire performance — and your Class A rating — can decline long before the roof’s expected life is over.

The Liqua-Roof Difference: Granulock™ Technology

We’ve solved the problem with Granulock™ Technology — our proprietary resin system that locks granules in place permanently. Granulock is a proprietary feature of Liqua-Roof that locks visible roof granules into a durable resin, enhancing impact resistance, UV protection, and weatherproofing. Applied as a liquid, it restores and strengthens asphalt shingled roofs while improving their appearance.

Instead of loosely embedded particles, our process fuses granules into the coating surface so they can’t wash away under rain, wind, or standing water.

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Why it matters:

• Consistent Fire Resistance – Year after year, the protective layer stays intact.
• Class A Performance That Lasts – Granules remain bonded, so your roof’s fire safety doesn’t fade with age.
• Extra Durability – Locked-in granules also boost impact resistance, abrasion resistance, and color stability.

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Performance Beyond Fire Safety

Granulock™ doesn’t just help in a fire.

• UV Protection – Stops harmful rays from degrading the coating film.
• Impact Resistance – Granules disperse the energy of hail and debris strikes.
• Ponding Water Defense – Because they’re locked in place, granules don’t float off or migrate under standing water — a common failure point for flat roofs.

A Safer, Smarter Roof Starts Here.

Fire safety, UV resistance, and long-term durability all come down to the same thing: the integrity of your granule layer. We’ve taken that proven protection and engineered it to last.

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With Liqua-Roof’s Granulock™ Technology, you’re not just getting a Class A roof — you’re getting a Class A roof that stays Class A.

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