roof

I can only speak from personal experience.

In selecting a foam roofing company, one should always check references and the status of their contractor's license.

Our foam roof was installed 6 years ago by Dura-Foam Roofing, a supporter of this site (and thus OK to discuss in the context of this forum). They had done many, many homes in our area, as well as the entire Bay Area, and customers claimed to be satisfied with the quality of the work. They are also a family-run business, with the father and his two sons, all being actively involved.

Naturally, any company that stands by their product and warranty, should be able to return and fix any problems that develop both in and out of the warranty period. Our roof was put on in the summer, but when the winter storms began, we noticed a small leak in one corner of the master bath. Dura Foam came out immediately and fixed it. We have not had a problem since. At the 5-year mark, we had the recoat done. Based on Dura-Foam's studies with the coating material they are currently using, they claim that we will never need another re-coat. I hope they are right.

If a less than reputable company and one that is not planning on being around in the future, does a foam roof, expect to have great difficulty in getting them to honor their warranty or return your calls. Also, from what I have heard, foam roofs should last a very, very, long time if correctly installed. If poorly installed, they can fail and need replacing. Yes, any reputable company should tell you all of your options and the risks, costs and benefits associated with them.

I do not know what causes the coating to blister, but someone at Dura-Foam could tell you.

Your post did not say where you are, but if you are looking at other roofing options and if you are in the East Bay area, Wedge Roofing, another supporter of this site, has an excellent reputation and a full-time repair department. They are one of the few roofing companies I have found that will repair roofs installed by other companies. They do tar and gravel, as well as other types of roofing, though I don't believe they do foam.

Post back, if you have any other questions.

Cathye

thank you cathye

i very much appreciate your reply and sharing this valuable information!
i will do my research but so far i agree with your findings so i hope others will also benefit from this as well!

thanks les

Blistering (on my foam roof) was caused by stupidly allowing the local handyman on the block to recoat my roof. I don't think he waited long enough after pressure spraying the old foam before applying the new. A few years later, blisters began to form where (I'm guessing here) water was trapped under the recoat.

I've popped and removed the blisters whenever possible, feathered the edges of the old and new foam, and filled any voids with an odd type of caulk only intended for foam roofs, and available from roofing supply places; I've forgotten the name of the stuff.

Next week, I'm tearing off the entire thing and replacing it with orange and teal colored composite shingles. We'll see how that works out.

You're welcome Les. Let us know how things come out.

BTW, one should never let just anyone install or tinker with their foam roof. Unlike T&G which only requires a bucket of tar and a few other simple supplies to install, installing and maintainig foam roofs is sophisticated chemistry. The various ingredients for the foam must be mixed in the right proportions; at the right temperature; and applied at the right rate, and under the right pressure and temperature. In otherwords, it is technique sensitive. Your well-equipped foam truck, for example, runs in the $100,000 range -- just a bit more costly than a bucket for tar. This is certainily not handi-man or DIY territory, as the previous poster found out.

Foam roofing continues to be the standard for most flat-roofed commercial structures, of which there are many. If it was a poor roofing choice, than it would not be so widespread today. I would just like to caution anyone that has had Joe's or Tom's or Bob's or Uncle Bob's foam roofing company (AKA the guy down the street) installing or working on their foam roof, to not extrapolate your experience to all foam roofs or roofing companies. There is no comparison.

And, before I get off the soapbox, I will add that I have been hearing a lot of rumors about an unlicensed and completely unethical foam roofing company that has been "shut down many times" but is still operating in the Bay Area. (They have NEVER been associated with the Network). I cannot emphasize enough, just how important it is to actually check the status of the contractor's license, as well as customer references, before hiring a foam roofing company.

I'm off now...

Cathye