Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof Provides Facelift for Historic Kentucky Building

SOMERSET, KY – April 15, 2015 – When acquiring a 125-year old building in a centrally located area of Somerset, Kentucky, a building owner found himself pondering the significant renovations the building required before he was able to put in offices and, eventually, occupants. Two of the renovations that the owner prioritized were the replacement of the deteriorated roof system and the installation of insulation. Much to his delight, the owner learned that a spray foam roof system could kill these two proverbial birds with one stone and gave the green light for its installation.

The roof system restoration, which was led by SPF contractor Purefoam Roofing & Insulation, took four days to complete. The project entailed tearing off the existing rubber system and sealing the 1,900-square-foot roof with SPF and silicone coating.

“A spray foam roof provides structural rigidity, a seamless barrier, and good R-value,” said Purefoam’s Manuel Adler. “The rubber system over the built-up roof had stretched and the wood-decking had deteriorated over the years, causing leaking in many areas of the roof. Spray foam is just the kind of roof system this building needed so it could effectively kick on its second wind and last another 100 plus years.”

Accessibility onto the roof was limited since there was just one roof hatch that could only be accessed via a small closet located on the top floor. To assess this situation, the crew made a two-by-two opening on the ceiling along the corner of the building’s top floor. Subsequently, the crew installed a Bilco roof access hatch to the wood decking, securing a ladder against the wall underneath the hatch. With this additional access hatch in place, crewmembers were able to access the roof with greater ease.

Prior to the SPF system installation, the crew replaced an existing three-inch roof scupper with an eight-inch scupper to get the pooled moisture off the roof rapidly. Even though the parapet walls exceeded five feet in height, the crew installed perimeter flagging to increase safety. Then, the Purefoam crew removed the rubber and fiberboard layer membranes, revealing the original surface of the built-up roof. After that, the crew used air blowers and brooms to rid the surface off any loose debris.

Additionally, the Purefoam crew installed new HVAC curbs, bearing in mind that, once applied, the foam would encapsulate the curbs so that the new HVAC units could be installed safely later on.

“The owner intended to install new HVAC units after our application,” said Adler. “Since the roof was sloped, these curbs were essential to keep the units firmly in place.”

The crew‘s spray rig was equipped with a Graco E-30 proportioner for the spray foam application, as well as a Graco GH 833 hydraulic airless sprayer for the coating application. They parked their rig on the side of the building and pulled up to the roof their Graco Fusion AP gun that was attached to 310 feet of hose. During the SPF and coating applications, the crew wore PPE consisted of Tyvek suits, respirators, and gloves.

The crew installed to the roof surface and parapet walls 5.5 inches of EnduraTech 10-011, a 2.8 lb. spray polyurethane foam formulated by NCFI. Once the foam cured, they proceeded to apply two 15-mil coats of Silicone FR, a silicone roof coating made by NEOGARD. The foam was coated with gray base coat, which was then topped off with white coating for increased reflectivity. After the coating application, the crew broadcasted white granules over the top white coat to complete the roof system. According to Adler, the SPF roof application provided the building with an R-value of 40 and a 15-year manufacturer warranty for materials.

“Spray foam is the cure for a failing roof system,” said Adler. “It is a fail-safe investment because not only is it a long-lasting system that provides energy efficiency, the spray foam roof system is also covered for 15 years, which gives the owner peace of mind.”

Adler added that the owner was so pleased with Purefoam’s work that he persuaded his father to secure the SPF contractor’s services for a different SPF project. 

About Purefoam Roofing & Insulation: Purefoam Insulation a locally owned and operated spray foam contracting company based in Shelbyville, Kentucky. With 9 years in the spray foam industry and over 20 years in the construction industry, Purefoam Insulation’s service area includes Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.For more information, please visit the contact information and links provided below.