Spray Foam Is A Popular Type Of Commercial Roofing That Works Well For A Flat Roof
The type of commercial roofing you choose for your building depends on whether your building has a flat or sloped roof. Common roofing for flat roofs includes membranes, foam, and metal. Sloped roofs can use metal, shingles, or tiles. Your choice may depend on your budget and the appearance you like best. Here's why foam roofing is worth a close look.
Foam Can Go Over Old Roofing
Spray foam roofing is lightweight, so it's often put on top of old roofing. It's a common practice for commercial roofers to put new roofing over old materials as long as there is no water damage to the roof. This saves time and money since the old roofing doesn't have to be torn off and taken to the landfill.
Foam Is Easy To Install
It takes practice and experience to install spray foam roofing well, but once a roofer has the experience needed, spray foam is easy to install. The foam is simply sprayed on and allowed to expand and dry. It's similar to spray painting. However, the roofer has to be careful of the spray blowing in the wind and they need to wear protective equipment while working.
Foam is also easy to angle. The foam can be sprayed to any thickness level, so the roofer can build up a slight slope to make sure rain will roll to a roof drain. This makes it easy to avoid problems with water puddling on your roof.
Spray Foam Makes Flashing Too
Traditional roofs need to have metal flashing applied to vents and other protrusions. With a foam roof, the spray foam is also used to make flashing. This helps with the appearance of the roof and also works to make the roof watertight.
The Top Coating Keeps Your Building Cooler
A foam roof is finished by applying a top coating. This is often made of silicone, and it may have granules embedded in it. The coating protects the foam from UV damage, and as a bonus, it reflects the sun so your building stays cooler during the summer.
A cool building is important for a large commercial building with many people working inside. Your workers can stay more comfortable while you control your power bill with help from the foam roof system.
It's easy to see why foam roofing is a popular commercial roofing option. You may want your roofer to compare a foam roof with your old membrane roof so you can decide which roofing material is best for your building when you have a new roof put on.
Contact a local roofing service, such as United Contracting Group, to learn more.