So, you’ve come to a juncture where you need a new roof and are looking for prospects. Fixing leaks after the leak is becoming a rather irritating part of your job description. Should you continue the short-term gain of fixing leaks, or should you invest in a more cost-effective, long-term option? The first question I have for you is, how long until you plan to retire? The second question I have for you is, how open are you to making changes in how you do things? When it comes to spray foam roofing systems most people aren’t open to change and just install the same roofing system they’ve had on for years. But for anyone to change, clear benefits need to be there.
Let me elaborate on this…
Spray foam has the highest R-value of any commonly used roof insulation. Here are the average R-values for some common roof materials
- Spray Foam: 6.6 per inch
- Metal: 0.00 per inch
- BUR Gravel: 0.34 per inch
- EPS Insulation: 3.85 per inch
- Polyiso: 5.5 per inch
- BUR Smooth: 0.24 per inch
- XPS Insulation: 5.0 per inch
R-value is the capacity of an insulating material to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more significant the insulating power.
The higher the R-value, the less heat or cool air that will pass through. Higher R-value = less HVAC use = lower energy costs
Total payback of your new roof usually occurs in less than ten years through savings in heating and cooling costs.
One of the benefits of a foam roof is its ability to be re-coated. A properly installed and maintained spray foam roof should not require re-coating for 10 to 20 years. The best way to determine when a spray foam roof needs to be re-coated is to measure the remaining coating thickness on the roof and recoat before the coating is too thin to provide U.V. protection. The first application of the coating is usually applied at a thickness of 20-30 mils. After 10 years, the coating could be reduced to a thickness of 7-10 mils, depending on the wear of the roof. Many coating manufacturers offer extended warranties with each re-coat. This option, along with scheduled maintenance, allows a spray foam roof to be a truly renewable roof system.
Spray foam roofs are typically installed quicker than any other roofing system, due to:
- Spray foam roofs are spray-applied, meaning they can go around penetrations with ease
- Spray foam roofs require less material and equipment than traditional roofing systems
- Most SPF roofing projects involve little to no tear-off
One example would be roofing around a penetration. With spray foam being “spray-applied”, it would take about 2 minutes to roof around a penetration, as opposed to rubber roofing, which can take at least 30 minutes due to the custom cutting of materials.
Self-flashing refers to spray foam’s ability to conform to irregular shapes. Watch the video below which shows spray foam being sprayed around a curb:
In the video, it says it might take a conventional roofer 30 minutes to flash around a curb, spray foam can be applied in about two minutes.
Other roofing systems, like rubber, will need to be custom cut to be installed properly around a curb.
Self-flashing allows spray foam to be applied faster around all penetrations, including:
- Parapet walls
- Vents
- Drains
- Pipes
- HVAC units
- Skylights
A big advantage spray foam has over other roofing systems is that it’s seamless.
Being seamless, and therefore monolithic and watertight, bypasses conventional single-ply membrane seams that are oftentimes the origins of leaks.
Perhaps a sharp tool has been dropped or the HVAC guy planted the HVAC panels in your roof like a javelin.
To fix these minor repairs, all you’ll need is a utility knife and some caulk.
Step 1: Cut out the defective area
Step 2: Dry the area out
Step 3: Apply caulk and smooth
That’s it. Minor repairs can be done by the in-house maintenance team.
In fact, here at ArmorThane, we’ll take time at the end of the project to demonstrate to you how easy it is to repair a small incision.
Since the early 1960s, spray foam roofs have been installed and re-coated, bolstering the popular phrase, “A spray foam roof is the only roof you’ll ever have to install.”
Multiple roofs that have been installed decades back are going on their 2nd or 3rd re-coat.
Perhaps a sharp tool has been dropped or the HVAC guy planted the HVAC panels in your roof like a javelin.
To fix these minor repairs, all you’ll need is a utility knife and some caulk.
Step 1: Cut out the defective area
Step 2: Dry the area out
Step 3: Apply caulk and smooth
That’s it. Minor repairs can be done by the in-house maintenance team.
In fact, here at ArmorThane, we’ll take time at the end of the project to demonstrate to you how easy it is to repair a small incision.
Multiple roofs that have been installed decades back are going on their 2nd or 3rd re-coat.
BE YOUR OWN BOSS START YOUR OWN COATINGS BUSINESS
Without a profit stealing franchise model that restricts business potential, we assist you in developing a financial plan and formulating product costs that position you for success once you join the ArmorThane applicator network. Starting your own coatings business has never been so easy.
A small investment for coating equipment and products will get you started in a new polyurea, polyurethane, and spray foam business or increase the revenue of an existing company. With no franchise fees or royalties, starting a protective coating business or other ArmorThane dealer business is a relatively low cost venture.
We provide personal training to get your new polyurea or polyurethane system up and going. Plus, we have a dedicated support team ready to assist you anytime you need us. We sell to dealers around the world who use our products for a wide variety of applications. These include everything from truck bed liners to animal habitats.
