Have you noticed a dramatic increase in your commercial building\’s energy bills? You\’re not hallucinating. Experts note that the summer commercial sector price for energy will go 4.7 percent in 2022.
The high electricity prices are a reflection of higher wholesale power prices in general.
While you can do nothing to control the price of our power, you can control how much energy you use. The right roofing system can reduce your energy bills dramatically.
A spray polyurethane foam roofing system has proven to drop energy bills, protect commercial buildings from roof leaks, and boost the structural integrity of buildings. Keep reading to learn about the massive benefits of spray polyurethane foam.
What Is Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofing?
Spray polyurethane foam or SPF is a spray foam for roofs that creates an insulating and waterproof seamless barrier for roofs. A contractor will spray a liquid polyurethane unto your roof, and it will instantly begin to expand.
In chemist terms, the engineers who created SPF blended isocyanate (A) and polyol (B) by using heat and pressure. The contractor sprays these chemicals in a liquid form. When they combine, they react on contact and form a lightweight, solid membrane that fully sticks to your commercial roof.
You can find modern spray polyurethane foam roofing material in both closed-cell and open-cell grades. You typically find closed-cell foam on commercial roofs.
Ultimately, the treatment saves energy costs by keeping water out and allowing your climate control system to do its job more efficiently.
Reduce Energy Bills
Foam roofing offers superior insulation properties. Within the foam are suspended aluminum particles. These particles reflect UF rays.
As a result, polyurethane slows down thermal drift. This means as the sun beats down on your commercial roof, the SPF roofing system reflects the heat and ultimately saves you in energy costs.
Your foam insulation will also keep your building warm in the winter. It prevents heat from leaving and the cold air from permeating your building because it seals your roof. Your building tenants will enjoy a toasty building in the winter and a cool building in the summer.
Developers of SPF claim it can save you as much as 30 percent on your air conditioning costs. You end up with 30 percent more money back in your pocket to pay for the things you need.
You also contribute positively to the environment by consuming less energy.
Add Value
When you invest in a foam roofing system, you not only improve the quality of your building\’s climate control system, but you improve the quality of your building. You add value to the building overall.
Great roofing systems make your building more marketable should you ever need to sell it. You can boast of the low energy costs because you invested in a quality roofing insulation system.
Furthermore, you quickly recuperate the cost of your investment with your lower energy bills. The amount you save on energy quickly pays for the amount you spent on the roof.
You may even be able to receive a tax rebate or tax credit because of your investment. Your local utility company or tax advisor will have more information on how weatherizing your building will help you earn credit or rebate.
Spend Less Time Maintaining
Spray foam roofing systems are notoriously low-maintenance roofing systems. Once the contractor has sprayed your roof, you need only clean off the roof once or twice a year to keep the roof white. Regular cleaning will maximize the reflective qualities of the roof and keep it looking nice as well.
Most polyurethane spray foam roofing systems are resistant to discoloration and dirt. This is what helps them attain maximum energy savings and reflectivity. If you do somehow sustain a leak in the foam because of storm damage, you can repair it with a caulk gun.
Protect Your Building
SPF keeps moisture out of your building as well. It contains unique waterproofing qualities, making it an ideal insulator.
The closed-cell foam used in SPF is the only insulating material on the market that does not soak up water. If you live in an area with high rainfall, SPF will work well for your commercial building.
Thus the spray foam roofing system works well whether you live in an area prone to lots of rain like the Pacific Northwest or an area like the Southwest that receives periodic monsoon-like torrential downpours.
When the contractor applies the foam, it comes out in a liquid form. It quickly forms into a single membrane that covers your entire roof with one large foam.
Other commercial roofing systems will have pieces with seams that need sealing. Those seams will break down and eventually let in water. SPF has no such seams.
Thus, foam roofing creates a virtually leakproof roofing system.
Beef Up Structural Integrity
Polyurethane foam can boost the structural integrity of your building. Its flexible nature allows it to move with the expansion and contraction of the structure.
This means the seals stay intact even as your building materials change with the weather. This will protect your roof from harsh weather and will keep the building structurally intact.
Quality SPF can tolerate high wind speeds, rain, hail, intense sunshine, and other natural elements. Furthermore, foam roof systems are fire-resistant, protecting your building in another way.
Promote Drainage
When the contractor applies SPF, they\’re essentially applying a waterproof seal over your commercial roof. The water will no longer pool in low spots and then begin to seep through cracks or joints in your roofing
Instead, foam roofing will allow rainwater to run into the drains. The contractor who applies SPF will create thinner areas and thus slop the roof to direct water toward drains and gutter systems.
You end up with a flat roof that isn\’t so flat. It has low spots just where you need them so rainwater gently flows off your roof and into its proper place.
Protect Your Roof, Protect Your Building
When you invest in spray polyurethane foam roofing, you invest in your building. You lower energy costs, reduce the potential of water damage, and boost your building\’s structural integrity. You recuperate the costs of the roofing through lower utility bills.
In short, the benefits of spray polyurethane foam roof systems outweigh the costs.
Do you need new roof insulation? If so, contact us. We can boost your building\’s value and protect your building with one simple application.
