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David Pletcher Posted: Mar 31, 2012 12:54 AM	Foam roof with raised spongy areas First of all I am not a contractor, just a small business owner with a roof problem. I had a spray foam contractor spray this roof Oct 5th 2005. I chose the spray foam over all the other options such as rubber roof ect. because I thought,and still do,that this is the best way to cover a flat roof. But now there are areas that are raising up at least a couple of inches and one area is now cracked open at the surface. some of these areas are oval in apperance about 10"to 12",others maybe a couple of feet long and spongy when you walk on them. This was a rubber roof,contractor put down the black celotex over the rubber and sprayed over it. The actual roof is 2" tung and groove wood on top of steel bar joist. The roof is 75'x40' and the problem seems to be only in on area but is about 1/4 of the total roof. Called the contractor, suppose to have a warranty on this but need input from an expert before I hear what they say the problem is. My guess is they will say it's somthing I caused. HELP!!!
mason Posted: Mar 31, 2012 09:14 AM	Blisters are fairly common on a spray foam roof and are typically easily repaired by a competent person. Foam pak units of the same density of the spray foam on the roof can be used after the blisters are removed and the substrate prepared properly Check out the SPFA technical document AY 107, Blister Paper at spray foam.com. It discusses the types of blisters and industry recommended repairs. There is also a technical guideline on the Renewal of Sprayfoam Roofing AY 122 that you might want to review. It has inspection, repair and recoat procedures for existing spray foam roofs.
David Pletcher Posted: Mar 31, 2012 11:53 PM	This blister area is really not what I would call blisters, but big open cracks at the top where the foam has raised up. I have made some repaire to small cracks or damage areas where there has been somthing that has ben dropped and made a small hole or surface defect, by filling with paintable caulking. The one issue that really puzzles me is why the foam has lifted up in some areas, while other areas remain flat and secure? I know it may be difficult to pinpoint the cause without actually seeing and inspecting. I just thought maybe someone had seen this problem before. Anyway, thank you for your feed back.
John Shockney Posted: Apr 01, 2012 10:34 AM	Sounds like moisture in those areas at the time it was sprayed. But I don’t do roofing. Mason ? what do you think? I agree that you should cut out the bad areas and refoam/recoat. Airpro
David Pletcher Posted: Apr 01, 2012 03:23 PM	Hey, thank you guys for the feed back, i really do appreciate it. I will call the contractor who sprayed it. Hopefully I can get this taken care of. On another note, I was reading in the forums about some problems in your industry with cut rate contractors. I hope the spray foam industry can do somthing to weed these people out, maye a national certification program or somthing to keep the standards high because cheap prices results in sub-standard work and everyone suffers especially the comsumer like me who wants the work done right. Reminds me of a sign I saw in a repair shop that said "Cheap work is not good--Good work is not cheap--The quality remains long after the price has been forgotten" I love the spray foam products and hope nothing destroy's it's reputation. Good Luck Guys, Keep Spraying! dpcruise
mason Posted: Apr 02, 2012 08:05 AM	could be a lot of things happening to the roof. I agree it would take an onsite visit to determine the specific problem, causes and repair option. Getting the original contractor back is a good start. In any event, the most common fix is to remove the bad foam, prepare the substrate and respray. PS, SPFA is developing a certification program. They already have an accreditation program and courses. More than 6000 persons have taken the fundamentals of SPF for roofing course since it began in 1987. I personally have taught the course to over 500. persons. Always ask your spray foam contractor what type of training and education their applicators have.

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Comments

David Pletcher

Posted: Mar 31, 2012 12:54 AM

Foam roof with raised spongy areas

First of all I am not a contractor, just a small business owner with a roof problem.
I had a spray foam contractor spray this roof Oct 5th 2005. I chose the spray foam over all the other options such as rubber roof ect. because I thought,and still do,that this is the best way to cover a flat roof.
But now there are areas that are raising up at least a couple of inches and one area is now cracked open at the surface. some of these areas are oval in apperance about 10"to 12",others maybe a couple of feet long and spongy when you walk on them. This was a rubber roof,contractor put down the black celotex over the rubber and sprayed over it. The actual roof is 2" tung and groove wood on top of steel bar joist. The roof is 75'x40' and the problem seems to be only in on area but is about 1/4 of the total roof. Called the contractor, suppose to have a warranty on this but need input from an expert before I hear what they say the problem is. My guess is they will say it's somthing I caused. HELP!!!

mason

Posted: Mar 31, 2012 09:14 AM

Blisters are fairly common on a spray foam roof and are typically easily repaired by a competent person. Foam pak units of the same density of the spray foam on the roof can be used after the blisters are removed and the substrate prepared properly

Check out the SPFA technical document AY 107, Blister Paper at spray foam.com. It discusses the types of blisters and industry recommended repairs.

There is also a technical guideline on the Renewal of Sprayfoam Roofing AY 122 that you might want to review. It has inspection, repair and recoat procedures for existing spray foam roofs.

David Pletcher

Posted: Mar 31, 2012 11:53 PM

This blister area is really not what I would call blisters, but big open cracks at the top where the foam has raised up. I have made some repaire to small cracks or damage areas where there has been somthing that has ben dropped and made a small hole or surface defect, by filling with paintable caulking.
The one issue that really puzzles me is why the foam has lifted up in some areas, while other areas remain flat and secure?
I know it may be difficult to pinpoint the cause without actually seeing and inspecting. I just thought maybe someone had seen this problem before.
Anyway, thank you for your feed back.

John Shockney

Posted: Apr 01, 2012 10:34 AM

Sounds like moisture in those areas at the time it was sprayed. But I don’t do roofing.

Mason ? what do you think?

I agree that you should cut out the bad areas and refoam/recoat.

Airpro

David Pletcher

Posted: Apr 01, 2012 03:23 PM

Hey, thank you guys for the feed back, i really do appreciate it. I will call the contractor who sprayed it. Hopefully I can get this taken care of.
On another note, I was reading in the forums about some problems in your industry with cut rate contractors. I hope the spray foam industry can do somthing to weed these people out, maye a national certification program or somthing to keep the standards high because cheap prices results in sub-standard work and everyone suffers especially the comsumer like me who wants the work done right.
Reminds me of a sign I saw in a repair shop that said "Cheap work is not good--Good work is not cheap--The quality remains long after the price has been forgotten"
I love the spray foam products and hope nothing destroy's it's reputation.
Good Luck Guys, Keep Spraying!
dpcruise

mason

Posted: Apr 02, 2012 08:05 AM

could be a lot of things happening to the roof. I agree it would take an onsite visit to determine the specific problem, causes and repair option.

Getting the original contractor back is a good start.

In any event, the most common fix is to remove the bad foam, prepare the substrate and respray.

PS, SPFA is developing a certification program. They already have an accreditation program and courses. More than 6000 persons have taken the fundamentals of SPF for roofing course since it began in 1987. I personally have taught the course to over 500. persons. Always ask your spray foam contractor what type of training and education their applicators have.

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