A spray foam roof is a good choice for your home when it has a flat roof. Spray foam is durable and resists leaking, but the material is not indestructible. Here's a look at the types of damage a foam roof might have over the years and the roof repairs that your home could need.
What Causes Damage to Spray Foam Roofs
It's important to know that a spray foam roof has a topcoat applied to it that protects the foam. It will gradually wear down so it has to be applied every few years. If the coating isn't replaced in time, sun and rain exposure can cause damage to the foam roof.
A foam roof can develop holes in it, crack, or break off in chunks. Like most other types of roofing, spray foam can be damaged by hail. The hail may leave dents and knock off the coating, or the hail might puncture the foam. One good thing about spray foam roofing is that it doesn't leak unless the puncture goes all the way through the roof. However, roof repairs should still be done right away to keep water out of the foam.
Repairs Your Roof Might Need
Your roofer might only need to make spot repairs in the case of an isolated area of damage, but when damage is widespread, your roof could need major repair work. However, as long as the base of the roof is still in good shape, your roofer probably won't need to remove the old foam to put on a new roof.
When your roof has widespread damage and the damage is confined to the top of the roof, the roofer can slice off the top of the foam roof to remove all the damage. The remaining part of the roof should still be in good shape, so then more spray foam can be added to the top. After that, a coating is applied and the roof is like new and may even get a new warranty.
When the roof has isolated areas of damage, the roofer can fill the hole, seal a crack, or build up a dent and then apply foam on top of the repairs along with a topcoat. Before anything is done to the roof, the foam has to be completely dry. Even if your roof isn't leaking, water might seep into the foam if there's a hole in the roof. The roofer has to remove the water and dry the roof before any roof repairs can be done.
