Spray Foam Performance

Spray foam roofs can be more expensive than other roofs. Spray foam is not always the most expensive roofing option, but it is rarely the least expensive. Are the benefits of spray foam great enough to outweigh the costs? Is it worth the sometimes larger upfront investment to save money down the road? Let’s look at the different aspects of spray foam performance and see if they provide a benefit great enough to offset the cost.

Spray foam roofs are completely waterproof. When installed correctly, they simply do not leak. There are no seams and no fasteners; you would basically have to intentionally poke holes through the roof to cause a leak. Is that peace of mind and effectiveness worth the increased cost? Maybe.

Spray foam is not only an amazing waterproofer, it is an incredible insulator. The insulation properties provided by spray foam are unparalleled in the roofing industry. Insulation properties are measured in R-values, and spray foam offers the highest R-value available on the market. Nothing else is rated as highly in terms of keeping heat in and cold out as spray foam is.

In addition to being an impressive insulator, spray foam is coated with a reflective barrier after installation. This is most often a silicone or acrylic coating, and these coatings reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere. So, not only does the foam keep your building’s temperature constant, but the coating keeps the rooftop cooler. This is a nice perk for anyone who gets on the roof frequently, and also helps to combat the urban heat island effect.

A major problem for flat roof buildings is wind-uplift. In a big storm with high wind speeds, the wind can creep under a flat roof and lift it straight off the building in huge chunks, leaving the interior completely exposed to the elements. Thanks to spray foam’s self-adhering properties that eliminate fasteners, there are fewer weak points and wind-uplift is reduced.

The last major performance piece of spray foam that we’ll look at here is its long life. Spray foam roofs have been known to last over 50 years with minimal repair work and only simple recoats being needed. Any roof that lasts that long is certainly worth taking a second look at, no matter the cost.

There are many aspects of spray foam performance that can make it worth the large investment it often is. Outside of these five performance factors, there are many other benefits of spray foam that you can benefit from after having a roof installed on your building. If you’d like to learn more about spray foam performance, contact us today.