When flat roofs leak, repairs can be costly and don’t always last. However, Foam Roof Solutions have a proven process for roofs of all ages and sizes. Our system can help you forget about those constant repairs when you choose our permanent, leak-free roofing system using spray polyurethane foam (SPF). Our expert teams work on flat roofing in the Bay Area and around Sacramento and provide a smooth experience from consultation to installation.
The Conventional Approach to Dealing with Flat Roof Repairs
Most conventional flat roof systems may only have a lifespan of about 10-15 years. If you’ve just started the process of entertaining the idea of roofing bids, you’ll hear lifespans ranging from 20 years to “lifetime” from the salesperson. This may be true, but it’s not 20 years to life when it comes to the actual workmanship and certainly not for leaks. These long-term warranties are for the product, not the service. A spray foam roof will last a lifetime if properly cared for and if it was installed correctly. This could be the final flat roof repair you ever need.
Until recently, there were few choices when it comes to flat roof products and flat roofs repair. Probably the most popular is tar & gravel. A tar & gravel roofs that were installed in the 60s & 70s are much different flat roof systems in used today. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed today to find a company that will install tar & gravel, simply because flat roof products have changed over the years and have been pushed into a corner by environmental laws.
Some of your more modern (in the last 30 years) flat roof applications are bitumen, TPO (single ply), PVC, torch down & sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF). Tar & gravel just hasn’t been able to keep up with the environmental requirements, so is quickly becoming outdated.
The best solution for flat roof systems is a sprayed polyurethane roof with an acrylic coating, that helps protect your home or building from the sun’s UV rays. Other systems will eventually need to be replaced. Here’s why:
- Conventional flat roofs are affected by gravity and will eventually collect standing water except for a spray foam roof. A spray foam roof becomes its own structure adding strength rather than weight. When applying a spray foam roof, these areas of standing water can be “sprayed out”, so the water will move towards its natural drainage and will never return to that area. Other systems have to rely on tapered foam board for drainage, which are very difficult to purchase during supply chain shortages.
- Conventional flat roofs have seams, so no matter how much you try to cover the roof with a reflective coating, those seams will come apart. A spray foam roof is completely seamless and typically has a 1.5″ – 2″ barrier between the substrate and the top of the roof. A TPO or PVC roof has become popular these days, due to the cost-effectiveness of the product. So much so that the manufacturers are pushing the material on every contractor and their brother. The problem with these roofs is they use screws & glue to keep the roof down and we all know what happens to screws & glue, right? They come up and they come apart. Eventually, the 20 year material will separate, and you will be replacing the roof every 10 years or so. As well, these flat roof systems can’t compete with the spray foam roof’s insulation qualities. In order to have an insulated PVC or TPO roof, the contractor will need to install a 3″ foam board underneath. What happens when water gets underneath these materials? The foam board insulation will absorb the water and now you’ve got water trapped under your roofing material. A spray foam roof is spray applied and is 100% attached to the substrate. A spray foam roof is the only roofing system that has naturally occurring insulation during the installation and will not absorb water. Spray foam does not leak!
- Not only is a spray foam roof the perfect solution to a flat roof problem, but an SPF roofing system is the only roofing system that offers a full, “no-leak” warranty for 15-20 years. A spray foam roof will not crack or break, it only compresses. In fact, a closed-cell urethane will close back on itself if it’s punctured. A spray foam roof is almost indestructible and millions of square feet of spray foam roofing are applied every year when people are fixing HVAC units, skylights, and all kinds of mechanical equipment. And yes, you can walk on a spray foam roof!
If you’re tired of constant repairs and are looking for a better approach to your flat roof’s repair, we can help!
Whether it’s currently tar & gravel or any of the other products mentioned here, you really should consider a spray foam roof. If you currently have a spray foam roof and it’s leaking, please give us a call and we can provide a FREE consultation for a roof restoration.
Over 90% of the existing spray foam roofs that have been applied since the 1970s can be restored, so don’t let anyone tell you it needs to be replaced until you call Foam Roof Solutions.
Our telephone number is (800) 878-1480 or you can reach Gus on his cell phone at (925) 433-1192 direct. We offer a free consultation for flat roofing in the Bay Area quickly and smoothly.