ONE OF SPRAY FOAM’S GREATEST STRENGTHS IS ITS ABILITY TO ADAPT TO A PARTICULAR SITUATION
No two buildings are exactly the same, and no two roofs are exactly the same. Because of this, no roofing solution is right in every scenario. There will always be times where one roofing system is better than another. Some systems are better for typical roof styles (metal is great on large, mostly flat, orthodox roof types), while other systems are better fitted for the unique, challenging roofs (spray foam). Let’s look at some of the unique situations that we have faced in the past, and how spray foam performed a job that other systems couldn’t.
Building Needs Improved Drainage
This is a pretty common hurdle that spray foam overcomes. A roof has ponding water and would like to improve the flow of water after a storm. Most roofing systems would require that changes be made to the roof deck, not just the outer substrate. Spray foam, however, can easily be applied at different thicknesses, and therefore can improve the roof’s drainage simply by building some areas up and leaving other areas lower. This leads to lower material costs, lower labor costs, and less time on the roof.
Many Different Roof Levels
If a building has been remodeled or added onto, it will often have multiple roof levels that don’t quite line up with one another. Many roof systems would require major modification to fit these areas, but spray foam can simply be spray applied to both levels and then sprayed between them to join or “bridge” the varying roof heights. This saves time and money, and also helps to eliminate a point of failure on the roof.
Many Different Roof Types
Similar to the situation above, a building that has received multiple renovations or additions may have many different roof types to deal with. Spray foam contractors don’t have to worry about how to fasten the new roof deck to each different material as you would with a metal roof, but they can instead spray the foam directly to the roof surfaces without hassle. Again, this eliminates time on the roof.
Asbestos Problems
This is a situation we encountered recently, where a roof had a significant amount of asbestos beneath it. Any other system that required tear out would have disturbed the asbestos and specially trained roofers would have been needed to remove the asbestos. However, the foam was applied directly to the roofing system and encapsulated the asbestos without disturbing it.
Conclusion
These are just four unorthodox roofing situations where spray foam has an advantage over other roofing systems. Can you think of any other scenarios where foam works best? Let us know!
