Foam Roofing
Foam roofing has a number of benefits over roofing materials that were more common in the past. Not only does foam roofing provide a reliable weather barrier, but it also provides a number of environmental benefits. Understanding these benefits can help building owners to see why foam is the ideal roofing material.
Foam Roofing Reduces Energy Bills
One of the big advantages of foam roofing is the energy saving properties of the material. Foam roofs reflects heat from the sun, while also preventing the loss of conditioned air from inside the building. In fact, studies have shown that the cost of a foam roof is recovered in about two years from energy savings alone. Over the life of a foam roof, the amount of energy savings is very substantial.
Foam Roofs are Easy to Produce
Foam roof material requires very little energy to make. The small amounts of materials and energy needed to make foam are dwarfed by the energy needed to mine, refine, transport and install metal, asphalt and stone roofs. Urethane is the most common form of foam used for roofing. It is made from a simple chemical reaction that was first discovered in the 1930s. Once the chemical reaction is complete, the resulting foam is a stable material that does not release chemicals into the environment like many other roofing materials do as they degrade.
Foam Roofing is Long Lasting
One of the most pressing environmental problems that the world faces is the disposal of waste. Each year, construction waste piles up in the nation’s landfills waiting for an effective method of recycling to be created. Though solving the problems of landfills is complex, foam roofing can play a small role in reducing the amount of trash that is left in a landfill. As foam roofing has a very long life, it saves space in landfills by not needing to be replaced at frequent intervals. In addition, the foam roofs process does not create a lot of waste as with traditional roofing materials that have to be cut and fitted to a space.
