Flat roofs behind parapet walls are everywhere in the Valley, and they take the full force of the sun all day. Spray foam with a reflective coating seals the roof in one seamless layer and keeps a lot of that heat out of the house.
Spray polyurethane foam goes on as a liquid and expands into a solid, seamless layer that bonds to the roof below it. There are no seams to split, and it can be sloped toward scuppers to cut down on ponding. Each inch adds insulation, which matters when a dark flat roof can pass 170 degrees in July.
Foam cannot handle UV on its own, so it is always covered with an elastomeric coating, usually white. That coating reflects most of the sun back up and protects the foam underneath. The coating is the part that wears, and keeping it maintained is what lets a foam roof last 30 years or more.
Plan on a recoat every 5 to 10 years, depending on coating thickness and how much foot traffic the roof sees from AC service. When the coating wears thin you will see the tan or orange foam showing through, chalky spots or small pitting from hail and birds.
A recoat is a fraction of the cost of new foam. We clean the roof, repair any damaged foam, reseal around penetrations and AC stands, and apply fresh coating at a measured thickness. Skip it too long and UV starts eating the foam itself, which turns a routine recoat into a much bigger repair.
Most leaks on Valley flat roofs start at the edges. Parapet walls crack where they meet the roof, stucco caps split, and scuppers clog with dust and leaves until water backs up behind them. Older roofs often have low spots where water sits for days after every storm.
When we foam a roof we carry the foam up the parapet walls, rebuild scupper outlets and build in extra slope where water has been ponding. That detailing is where a good flat roof and a bad one differ, and it is where we spend the most time.
Foam color showing through worn white coating
Water standing more than 48 hours after rain
Cracks where the roof meets parapet walls
Blisters, soft spots or bird pecking damage
Upstairs rooms far hotter than the rest of the house
Fresh coating over foam that is still sound. The routine maintenance that keeps a foam roof going for decades.
New spray foam over a prepared existing roof or a clean deck, finished with a reflective coating.
A reflective elastomeric coating over a sound built-up or modified roof. A lower cost option when the existing roof is still dry.
Drone flight, moisture check and core samples to see what the existing roof can support.
A written estimate comparing recoat, new foam and coating where each makes sense.
Cleaning, repairs to wet areas and edge detailing before any foam or coating goes on.
Foam and coating applied in suitable weather, then measured and photographed.
Our flat roof over the family room had been leaking at the scupper for two summers. Luis explained why the old repairs kept failing and they rebuilt the scupper and foamed the whole section. It made it through a very wet August without a drop, and the room is noticeably cooler.
We appreciate you, Priya. That scupper had been fighting you for a while, and we are happy it finally behaved this August.
Recoat on our 1984 Dobson Ranch house. Crew was on time both days, cleaned and patched the foam, and sent photos of the finished coating with the thickness readings. Simple and professional.
New foam roof on our patio section and it looks great. Took a little longer than planned because they would not spray on a windy day, which I respect. Only reason it is not five stars is a bit of overspray on the patio furniture, which they cleaned up when I called.
Derek, thanks for calling us right away about the overspray. We have tightened up our covering routine on patio jobs since.
A foam roof can last 30 years or more when it is recoated on schedule. The coating protects the foam from UV and is the part that wears out, typically every 5 to 10 years. Roofs that skip recoats can fail in half that time because the sun breaks down exposed foam.
New foam on a typical East Valley flat roof generally runs in the range of $5 to $8 per square foot, depending on thickness, tear-off and edge work. Recoats typically run about $1.75 to $3 per square foot. Your estimate will show the exact thickness and price line by line.
Often, yes, as long as the existing roof is dry and well attached. We take core samples and check for moisture first. Wet areas are cut out and replaced before foam goes on, because foam over trapped moisture will blister and fail.
A reflective coating can noticeably reduce heat coming through a flat roof, which often means rooms below it are cooler and the AC runs less. Savings vary by home, insulation and how much of the house sits under the flat section, so we do not promise a number.
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