If you're tired of dealing with seam leaks in your flat roofing membrane, you might want to talk to your commercial roof contractor about getting a different type of roofing that doesn't even have seams. All roofing might still leak if it's damaged, but at least you won't have any seams to worry about if you buy certain types of roofing.
Options to ask your commercial roof contractor about are a new spray foam roof, built-up roofing, and a roof coating for your old roof. Here's how these roofing materials protect your commercial building.
Spray Foam Goes On In A Single Layer
Spray foam is a unique type of commercial roof. Your commercial roof contractor sprays liquid on the roof that expands into foam and then spreads out over the surface of your roof. As the foam spreads, it covers the entire surface of your roof without the need for seams. This type of roofing can even be used for flashing since the foam rises around pipes to make a tight seal.
Spray foam roofing is then covered with a roof coating, such as silicone. This creates another continuous layer of protection on your roof and protects the foam from sun damage so it lasts a long time. With the spray foam topped with a coating, you won't have any seams to worry about or to inspect for gaps and leaks.
A Coating Makes Your Old Roof Last Longer
If your current membrane roof is old, you may be thinking of getting a new roof. However, you might want a coating instead. A coating can go right over an old roof and cover it in a single layer so there are no seams. The coating covers the seams in single-ply roofing so they are sealed and not at risk of leaking. A coating can last a long time, so it's almost as good as getting a new roof.
Built-Up Roofing Goes On In Overlapping Sheets
Built-up roofing is made up of sheets similar to single-ply membranes, but the sheets don't need to seam together. Instead, the sheets alternate with a layer of tar, and the sheets are staggered so the seams are all covered by another sheet and tar. This is nearly as good as having a roof with no seams, and that's why built-up roofing continues to be a popular choice for commercial flat roofs.
A commercial roof contractor can help you make the right decision for your new roofing material. You might want roofing that eliminates seams, but your roofer also wants to match the roofing material to the environment around your roof and the amount of foot traffic your roof gets.