A spray polyurethane foam (SPF) roof lends itself well to all types of commercial roofing situations and can be easily maintained and repaired by minimally trained in-house personnel. If regularly inspected and maintained well a spray foam roof will provide excellent weatherproofing, protecting your commercial building and its contents against anything Mother Nature has to throw at it.
Tests have proven that damage caused by hail or birds does not directly cause spray foam roofs to leak and can typically be repaired economically and before the roof begins to leak. So, what causes a spray foam roof to leak, anyway?
Here are the top 5 reasons your spray foam roof is leaking:
- UV Damage - A spray applied foam roof is impermeable to water but is UV unstable. Coatings or gravel are used to protect the foam from the sun. Overtime, exposed foam will being to break-down and lose its waterproof characteristics. Always make sure your foam is covered!
- Roof System Terminations - Details such as the roof edges and control joints do not typically last as long as the roof itself. These spots can being to crack and split, creating potential points of leaking. It is important to always check roof terminations during your semi-annual maintenance inspections.
- Penetrations - The flashing around HVAC units, exhausts and other roof penetrations are susceptible to failure much sooner than your foam roof. These spots can begin to crack and separate from the roof's substrate. These details should also be checked during your semi-annual maintenance inspections.
- Chemical and Foreign Substances - Vents should not exhaust harmful materials on to a spray foam roof surface. Nor should HVAC condensate be drained directly on to a spray foam roof (or any roof, for that matter). Chemicals and foreign substances can create adverse reactions to a spray applied foam roof, causing it to deteriorate and lose its waterproofing capabilities.
- Mechanical Damage - Heavy foot traffic can cause damage to a foam roof and wear away the coating or gravel covering. Any time scheduled mechanical maintenance or utility work is performed on top of your roof, it is good practice to check for damage soon after. You can mitigate roof leaks by understanding what work is being being performed on top of your foam roof and then following necessary maintenance precautions.
It's important to periodically inspect any roof system for damage and defects.
Call us today to set up a Roof Maintenance Program for your spray foam roof!
