Spray Foam Roofing System

At Tillotson, we specialize in quality commercial roofing services that include the installation and preservation of spray foam (SPF) roofing systems. No matter the existing structure or materials, these roofs can be the best and most inexpensive alternative to the single-ply system. Tillotson only uses high-quality spray foam (SPF) and coatings in the industry.

For most roofs that Tillotson does, the old roof will remain on, saving you money in tear-off costs, thus extending the life of your roof. Once your roof has been washed and cleaned, we will begin spraying the foam around all protrusions, including roof vents and cooling systems, which will make a seal in places where leaks tend to start.

Spray polyurethane foam (spray foam) roofing systems provide a durable, waterproof covering that bonds tightly to nearly any properly prepared substrate. Spray foam (SPF) is created when two liquid components are properly mixed. This forms a rigid polyurethane foam surface. It is so lightweight, about eight ounces per square foot, that it can be applied over most existing roof systems without exceeding the structural load capacity, yet it easily withstands foot traffic and other weight requirements.

For most installations, the old roof stays on, saving you $.50 to $1.00/sq. ft. in tear-off costs and speeding up the installation time. The insulating nature of spray foam keeps heat from penetrating in the summer or escaping in the winter, permanently lowering heating and air conditioning costs.

Unlike some roof systems, spray foam (SPF) roof systems can easily be re-coated with elastomeric roof coatings, thus extending the life of the roof. Most of these roof coatings are white, which reduces the heat load as well.

Spray foam roofing (SPF) also offers the advantage of being self-flashing. During installation, the spray foam flows around all protrusions, such as roof vents and cooling units, forming a tight bond that seals off places where leaks tend to start.

The final step in a spray foam roof is the application of a quality elastomeric roof coating. Once this is cured, it forms a seamless and flexible covering that protects the spray foam from sunlight and moisture, while the white coating helps make the roofing system even more energy efficient.

Spray Foam Roofing Application

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) roof system is applied using a specific spray gun that mixes two chemicals as the trigger is pulled, causing a chemical reaction that produces the end product. Spray foam is usually applied in thicknesses from a minimum of one inch to several inches, depending on the amount of insulation value that is desired. Polyurethane foam is a plastic and is waterproof after it is applied; however, it needs protection in the form of a coating system or a layer of rock to help it resist the UV rays in sunlight and to keep it from deteriorating.

Spray foam roofing (SPF) can be made as soft as a pillow or so hard that you could not drive a nail into it.

Spray foam used for roofing is flexible enough to be able to move with the expansion and contraction of the roof but hard enough to withstand foot traffic, impact, wind, and weather. Tillotson applies spray foam at a thickness of no less than 1.5 inches, half an inch above the minimum one inch recommended by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA).

Spray foam is able to be applied over a variety of substrates with ease. As a roofing material, spray foam roofing is difficult to beat if the applicator is using a high-quality coating and properly applying spray foam. If, on the other hand, substandard equipment is used and the ratio between the chemicals is incorrect, it can cause bubbles or blisters in the foam, potentially creating problems down the road. The same problem can occur when applying foam roofing over a wet substrate.

Among the advantages of Spray Foam Roofing (SPF) is that it creates a continuous and seamless membrane, with every square inch fully adhered to the roof deck. This means that if a puncture is created in the coating layer, it will not create a leak because water cannot travel through the foam. In fact, if a hole is made all the way through to the roof deck, a leak still may not occur because the foam is fully adhered at every point. Yet if the same hole were formed in a single-ply roof, the water would spread throughout the roof deck, finding any number of holes caused by the screws holding down the sheet system.

Spray Foam Roofs are also referred to as a renewable roof system because if the roof has gone too long without attention: any bad areas can be cut out and re-foamed, and settled areas can be filled in with additional foam. The largest savings from utilizing Spray Foam Roof comes in the form of energy efficiency. Each inch of foam roof has an R-value of around R-6.5; and then a white protective coating system is applied, which helps reflect sunlight and makes the roof even cooler. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Most Spray Foam Roofs systems pay back the cost of the roof due to energy savings alone in just a few years (5-10). In addition, the cost of renewing with a re-coat, new coating system, over an aged Spray Foam Roof will be substantially less expensive than re-roofing with another roof system.

Advantages of Spray Foam

Spray foam roofs, sometimes referred to as spray on roofs, have several advantages.

1. Spray Foam Roofs form a seamless roofing system. To be seamless means, it has no joints or seams that often allow outside water and air to pass through the roofing system into the building structure.
2. Spray on Roofs eliminate flashing leaks because a spray foam roof conforms to the substrate when installed; this seamless system is ideal for flashing parapet walls, equipment, skylights, and cooling towers. Many roof leaks are caused by faulty flashing, and spray foam roofs solve this problem.
3. Spray Foam Roofs can eliminate troublesome ponding water in re-roofing applications; ponding water may be eliminated by adding an increased thickness of roof insulation in low areas. Building up the low areas and sloping the roof so that it drains properly will eliminate ponding water. It will also help reduce additional weight load caused by this water accumulation.
4. Spray on roofs are lightweight and are excellent for roof insulation. The weight of roof insulation is around 3 pounds per cubic foot. One inch of foam roofing weighs approximately 60 pounds per 100 square feet. This is considerably less when compared to approximately 600 pounds per 100 square feet for a conventional, four-ply, built-up roofing system. This makes a spray foam roof system ideal for re-roofing, as it is possible to apply over an existing built-up roof without removing it.
5. Spray foam roofs have the highest “R” Value. A spray foam roof has an aged “R” value of 6.2 – 6.5, enabling it to provide more thermal resistance with less material than any other roof insulation. In most cases, a spray foam roof will pay for itself in 5-8 years in energy savings.
6. Foam roof insulation is chemically stable. Spray foam for roof insulation is inert, but this type of roof insulation has to be protected from sunlight by a UV-resistant elastomeric roof coating system.
7. A spray foam roof is odorless, resists attack by either mildew or fungi, and has no nutritional value. There are no bad odors for you or your neighbors while spray foam roofing is being applied.
8. Foam Roofs minimize thermal shock due to characteristics such as being seamless, having a high “R” value, and being protected by a white elastomeric coating, spray foam roofing is able to greatly reduce the effects of thermal shock on a structure.
9. Spray on roofs have great versatility. Spray foam roofs can be used on both new construction, as well as to replace old roofs. Spray foam can be applied to flat, pitched, saw-toothed, and domed or having unusual slopes or configurations. Spray foam is also an ideal spray application for tanks, freezers, coolers, piping, duct work, and various other odd jobs.
10. Spray foam roofs are rigid. While spray foam roofs are very lightweight, these spray on roofs are also strong and will not pack down or sag.
11. Foam Roofs are flexible and have the ability to withstand normal expansion and contraction without affecting the ability to keep the structure protected from the outside elements.
12. Spray on roofs are watertight. Spray foam roofs are composed of billions of minute closed cells which resist the penetration of water and vapors. It must, however, be protected by an elastomeric roof coating or crushed rock for use in an outdoor environment.
13. Spray foam roofs are long-lasting. An Elastomeric roof coating system, which protects the spray roof insulation, can be rejuvenated by the re-application of additional roof coatings. This doesn’t take place until the initial coatings system has weathered after many years of service. The normal wear of a quality coating has a lifespan of about 15-20 years.
14. Foam Roofs have little disruption to the building owner during application. A spray foam roof system can be applied in a relatively short period of time with little or no disruption to building operations. This is due to little or no tear off of the existing roof, and little manpower needed to apply the spray foam roof.

Tillotson staff are manufacturer trained and certified by several leaders in the spray foam and coating business. Spray on roofs are easy to maintain; minor repairs or modifications to a spray foam roof system can be made by in-house maintenance personnel at minimal cost.