WHICH ROOFS ARE THE BEST FOR SPRAY FOAM?
Spray foam roofing is a great system in many different roof situations. It can almost always improve the installation process and performance of the roof somehow. Whether that means it is installed more quickly than another system, operates more efficiently, or costs less to install, or a combination of these and more. Spray foam can usually benefit building owners.
There are certain situations in which spray foam really stands out, though. Sometimes, spray foam simply blows away other roofing options in terms of cost and/or performance. Let’s look at some of the perfect scenarios for spray foam roofs, and how they outperform the competition.
Perfect Scenarios for Spray Foam
Unique Roofing Situations
If you have a roof or a building that possesses unique features, you can probably benefit from spray foam roofing. Other roofing systems are manufactured to be installed on the most common roofing systems, the standard situations. They can’t adapt as easily to changing conditions like spray foam can.
Barrel Roof
Barrel roofs mean the slope changes the further towards the edge you go. They look like a barrel that was cut in half and then flipped over. The changing slope of these roofs make it difficult for many systems to work. Metal panels, for example, are generally not a good fit for barrel roofs. Since spray foam is spray-applied and can mold itself to the shape of the roof, it is a great fit for barrel roofs.
Lots of Penetrations
Some buildings have very few penetrations or roof features. Not many skylights, not many vents. These roofs are easy fits for any roofing material. But other roofs are littered with skylights, have vents a plenty, and have other roof features and penetrations that are difficult to work around with most roofing materials. A spray foam roof is a perfect fit for these buildings because it can be applied all the way up to the edge of these penetrations and then coated over, and you’re done. It’s about as easy as it gets.
Different Levels and Materials
Many building were either poorly planned, designed intentionally with varying levels, or had sections added over the years that led to them having multiple different materials and roof levels. Because spray foam is so versatile and can be applied over the top of so many different substrates, varying materials are not a problem for this system.
Roofs with Asbestos
A roof that is found to have asbestos in it must be treated with extreme caution. Tearing off a roof with asbestos can lead to major problems for those on and around the roof, and those handling the material after it’s torn off. Sometimes, it’s best to leave asbestos alone. But what can you do if your roof leaking and you need to replace it? Retrofit it with foam! Don’t tear off the roof, simply install spray foam right over the existing roof, fully encapsulate the asbestos, and you’re done.
Thanks to spray foam’s long life and capacity to be recoated, that roof can realistically be left on the building until the building is torn down. That’s a handy solution for asbestos.
Structurally Sound Roofs That Are Failing
Sometimes, you’ll find a roof that is in great structural shape, but is failing for one reason or another. Perhaps leaks have developed from excessive foot traffic, while the roof deck is structurally sound. Do you want to constantly make repairs to the roof to keep it from leaking? No. But do you want to completely replace a roof that is in great structural condition? No. So what can you do? Apply spray foam directly to the roof. Capitalize on the good condition of the roof, but eliminate those leaks. This new spray foam roof will improve the insulation values of your roof, extend its life, and save you money.
Conclusion
Spray foam isn’t perfect in every situation, but it’s perfect in a lot of them. There are even some situations (like above) where spray foam is head and shoulders above the rest. Spray foam is an amazing product that can improve the performance of most roofs. Give us a call today if you’d like to learn more about the capabilities of spray foam.
