How Spray Foam Insulation Secures Commercial Buildings
The Spray foam industry is a huge one, and requires the use of different types of equipment. One example of a spray foam machine is a proportioner, which is necessary for roofing and insulation businesses. Many contractors opt for such machines from reputed manufacturers for the sake of high performance, productivity, and dependability. Reputed companies are able to provide such machines and their parts to the contractors.
Reliable spray foam equipment
A contractor will need to get spray foam equipment to carry out proper spray foam insulation in a commercial building. Manufacturers must be able to offer contractors the most suitable spray foam equipment as per the tasks in question. Certain companies such as Graco offer the best equipment in the market, and their products must be carefully considered.
Spray foam insulation for commercial buildings
Contractors must look for companies which have been in the business of making spray foam insulation material for at least 10 years. A full range of products are available here for:
- Open cell foam insulation – Small bubbles that make up the foam are known as cells. When these cells are deliberately kept open to make the foam soft and highly flexible, it is known as open cell foam insulation.
- Closed cell foam insulation – When the above cells are completely closed to moisture and air, it is known as closed cell foam insulation. Since these cells are pressed close to each other, they are more rigid in comparison to the above.
- Roof coatings – Any SPF (Spray Polyurethane Foam) roof can be adversely impacted by humidity, moisture, wind, sunlight, and surface temperature. To prevent this, special coatings for these roofs are available. With these coatings, roofs can withstand harsh weather conditions for several years. One such example of a coating is a Polyurea coating.
- Roofing foams – Polyurethane foam is commonly used for high density insulation
Top advantages of using roofing foams
Contractors use a seamless layer of foam and apply it to a suitable commercial surface. This offers a number of benefits, including:
- Maintenance of structural integrity – This foam has the ability to withstand the expansion and contraction of the building. They are sealed to the roof for a long time, thereby protecting it from high winds, rain, snow, and other weather conditions.
- Enhanced fire resistance – Roofs that are foamed have better fire resistance than those without spray foam
- Installation is very flexible – Roofing foams are suitable both for new and existing roofs. They are also suitable for roofs of different types, which include flat, metal, wood, concrete, pitched, and domed. They are also suitable for irregular roofs.
- Low energy bills – Suspended aluminum particles present in the roofing foams are able to reflect UV rays, thereby ensuring that lesser heat is required to keep the space warm. Similarly, lesser cooling is necessary to keep homes cool in winter. Overall, it results in a reduction in energy bills, making them economical attachments for all types of commercial spaces.
- Directs rain towards the drain – Foams create a slope for rain water to run down the drains. For this purpose, a little bit of thickness is added to the low areas. In other words, this roof has a slight slope and is not flat.
How spray foam insulation differs from fiberglass and cellulose
Spray foam insulation behaves both like an air seal and an insulator. With the help of R-values, which denote a sample’s capability of reducing the heat flow rate in the existing conditions, it is observed that cellulose, spray foam insulation, and fiberglass are at similar levels. However, only spray foam insulation manages to protect attic ducts from extreme temperatures, and not the others.
Mobile spray foam rigs
In order to carry out small spray foam insulation jobs, mobile spray foam rigs can be used. All the necessary equipment required to carry out an SPF job can be accommodated into a mobile unit, thereby giving it the name ‘mobile spray foam rig’. These rigs are available as portable units, but can also be customized to carry out large commercial jobs.
Mobile spray foam rigs commonly make use of trailers for installation. These enclosed trailers are able to keep all the hoses, drum materials, generators, and other equipment. The task of spray foam insulation is ideally carried out over several days, and even weeks.
Other than those mentioned above, some of the advantages of these spray rigs are as follows:
- They can be used to advertise one’s brand
- All the tools and equipment can be locked inside the trailer, so that it is never stolen. Of course, this also means that the trailer should be kept in a secure place.
Following best practices
Best practices must be followed while using spray foam machines. This will ensure that the contractor is able to use the machines for a long period of time. Manufacturer instructions must be understood correctly.