The roofing industry has changed quite a lot over the years. These days, homeowners are rarely opting for the standard, 3-tab shingles that were so popular a few decades ago. Instead, they are going with architectural shingles, and in some cases, with even more eco-friendly options like green roofing or slate. Whether you're shopping around for a new roof or are thinking of having repairs made to your current roof, it pays to be educated. Learn the basics on this blog, where we discuss roofing in the modern world. We explore various roofing materials, roofing techniques, and how to find the right roofer.
There are a few options for a commercial roof. You might choose metal, membrane roofing, or spray foam. Foam roofing is an interesting choice that has a few advantages over other types of roofing. Talk to a commercial roofing contractor about whether spray foam would be a good choice when you're ready to get a new roof. Here are some reasons you might like a foam roof.
The Roofing Material Is Sprayed On
Being able to spray foam on the roof has a few advantages. One important advantage of this is spraying eliminates seams. Other types of roofing have seams that can come apart and leak. Foam creates a single, continuous surface on your roof that has no breaks or seams.
Spraying also makes installation quick and easy. Spraying is much less disruptive than hammering or other methods of installation, so your employees won't be bothered too much when the roof goes on. Plus, a foam roof is often applied over an old roof, so the old roofing doesn't need to be torn off.
Another advantage of spray foam is that the commercial roofing contractor can spray it around pipes and parapet walls to make flashing that self-adheres. This, along with having no seams, makes a foam roof watertight and at a lower risk of leaking.
A Foam Roof Is Energy Efficient In All Seasons
A foam roof might save money on your energy bills and help your building keep cooler in the summer and warmer during wintertime. The foam is white so that helps reflect UV rays. A foam roof also has a coating on it that has reflective granules. The granules also reflect the sun so solar heating is reduced in your building in the summer.
A foam roof also doubles as insulation. The foam is the same foam that's used to insulate attics and crawlspaces. It has a higher R-value than other types of insulation that are commonly used on roofs. The R-value of insulation lets you know how well a material blocks heat from transferring through it. Foam does a good job of blocking heat transfer so warm air stays inside your building better in the winter.
A Foam Roof Is Easy To Repair
Your maintenance crew might make minor repairs to your foam roof with caulk. This allows them to keep nicks and small chips repaired so rain doesn't get in the foam. Repairs might be done by drying out the hole and then filling it in with caulk to seal it. However, if the damage is large, you'll probably want to call a commercial roofing contractor to make repairs to ensure water doesn't get trapped in the roof.
When your roof gets old and the coating wears away, the roofing contractor can apply a new coating and get many more years of life from the foam roof. By making repairs on time, your spray foam roof could have a long life and be a good return on your roofing investment.
For more information, contact a local company like Georgia Restoration Company.