Key Advantages of Commercial Spray Foam Roofing

Unless you want to pay lofty energy bills and spend your days either shivering or sweating, insulating your commercial space is essential—especially the roof of the building, where a significant amount of heat is lost. When it comes to choosing what type of insulation to install on your commercial building’s roof, spray foam insulation should top your list. If you’re unfamiliar, spray foam roofing essentially refers to a roofing service that involves spraying a liquid blend of polyol resin and some form of isocyanate onto a roof. This mixture will then expand to cover the roof completely before hardening and creating an airtight seal. If you’re not sure if this insulation material is right for your space, taking a look at these key advantages of commercial spray foam roofing might just change your mind.

High R-Value

One of the main benefits of spray foam roofing is its impressively high R-value. The R-value of an insulation material refers to the level of its ability to resist conductive heat flow. In other words, R-value indicates how effective an insulation material is at preventing the flow of heat into or out of a building. Materials that have higher R-values generally insulate a space better than insulation materials with low R-values.

With an R-value of around 6.5–7 per inch, spray foam roofing has the highest R-value of any other commonly used roof insulation material. To put that number into perspective, other common roofing insulation materials, such as mineral wool, expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), and fiberglass, all have R-values at or below 5 per inch.

Quick Installation Process

If you’re looking for high-quality insulation on a short time line, spray foam roofing is a great option. Unlike with other types of roofing insulation systems, an experienced contractor can quickly apply spray foam to minimize business interruption as well as labor costs. The extant amount of time it takes to install spray foam roofing will depend largely on the size of the roof as well as on its shape and substrate. 

One of the reasons why spray foam insulation has such a short installation time is because it’s spray applied and self flashing. In other words, it can easily expand and conform to even the most irregular shapes or smallest areas. Other insulation materials can take hours to flash around challenging surfaces—such as pipes, vents, skylights, or drains—but spray foam can self-flash in mere minutes. In addition, because spray foam forms a seamless membrane that locks every portion of the roof into place, the installation process eliminates the need for installing additional fastenings and joints, ultimately saving a considerable amount of time. 

Reduces Your Energy Bill

In relation to the aforementioned advantages, another benefit of spray foam roofing is that it’s highly cost effective. By preventing the flow of heat into or out of a structure, spray foam roofing can greatly reduce the monthly energy bill of a commercial space. Heating and cooling systems are one of—if not the largest—consumers of energy in many buildings. Because spray foam roofing reduces the amount of heat transfer in a building, temperature control systems won’t have to work as hard to keep the interior of the space at a comfortable temperature. As a result, owners of commercial spaces will enjoy consistent monthly savings, which can add up to significant savings over time. 

Protects Your Roof

Spray foam roofing goes beyond simply insulating your space; it also provides a beneficial layer of protection. In fact, spray foam roofing can greatly extend the life span of your roof as a result of its protective qualities. Once spray foam hardens, it forms a highly durable layer that spans across your entire roof. Such a layer will prevent roof damage from strong winds, harsh storms, and other potentially harmful factors. As such, spray foam roofing can reduce repair and maintenance costs, providing further financial savings. 

Leak Prevention

Spray foam roofing provides not only an airtight seal but also a watertight seal. Because spray foam roofing is completely seamless, it won’t allow water to seep through any cracks or crevices. As such, it’s highly beneficial for preventing roof leaks, which can result in mold, mildew, rot, and other types of property damage.

In addition, spray foam roofing can further prevent leaks in your commercial building by providing improved drainage. Spray foam roofing has the unique capability to be applied in varying thicknesses. A skilled contractor can apply spray foam in a manner that creates various channels. Such channels will improve a roof’s drainage by directing rainwater off the roof. In doing so, spray foam insulation will prevent water from pooling on top of a roof and ultimately causing leaks or other forms of damage.

Extend the Life Span of Your Roof

In addition to providing a protective layer and preventing damage, spray foam roofing can also extend the life span of your roof in other ways. For example, it can potentially eliminate the need for a complete roof replacement. If your property’s roof has already experienced damage, you may feel as though installing a brand-new roof is the only available option. However, you’ll be happy to find out that spray foam roofing can be applied to a damaged roof in certain circumstances to lock every portion of the roof in place and increase its structural integrity. In doing so, spray foam roofing can eliminate the need for a completely new roof—and save you a considerable amount of money in the process.

Paragon Protection is a leading, highly trusted spray foam insulation company that specializes in installing advanced insulation and roofing systems. If you’re looking for skilled and experienced insulation contractors to install commercial spray foam roofing to your property in Crystal Lake or another location in the Greater Chicago area, we are happy to provide the high level of expertise you require. To learn more about our insulation services and what the installation process will entail in relation to your unique property, contact us today.