Why do our roofs smell like black cherry?
In the chemicals business, like we are with our commercial roof coatings, it’s inevitable that someone is going to take exception to how your product smells. And it’s human nature to associate certain odors with particular feelings or emotions.
The smell of chocolate or a neighbor’s backyard grill, for instance, can make your mouth water in anticipation of a tasty treat. The aroma of pine needles can put you in a joyous holiday spirit.
On the flipside, scents can have a negative connotation. Some of our roofing products are petroleum-based and emit a gasoline-like scent. While there is no specific hazard or danger to the fumes these products emit, there is undoubtedly a certain “chemical smell” to them that some may perceive as being hazardous or dangerous.
In order to diffuse some of that misperception, we now have the ability to infuse a masking agent in a black cherry scent to these products. Not only is it a much more desirable fragrance, but it works to lessen the perception that the coating “aroma” is dangerous.
Why black cherry? We tested various scents and even engaged a blind smell test with an “odor panel” of people to solicit direct feedback, and what we found was that not all smells were compatible with the chemistry of roofing products.
Some masking agents, like sassafras and cotton candy for instance, were very pleasant smells on their own, but when combined with our roofing chemicals they worsened the problem. A modest infusion of black cherry, however, resulted in a pleasant odor that complemented our products’ chemistries and scored high marks among the panel.
The added scent costs a slight upcharge so it is added only by request from our customer. The scent can last upwards of a year depending on various climate-related factors. The black cherry scent dissipates over time much like the chemical smell would if left untreated. Once the black cherry scent is gone, there is no more offensive odor left in our product either.
Facilities such as hospitals, schools and other well-populated or “odor-sensitive” buildings are prime candidates for the scented product. For more information, please contact Michael Dohar, Chief Operating Officer at 330-629-7663 ext. 2101 or mdohar@simonroofing.com.
