Spray Foam Roofs Help K-12 Schools Reduce Maintenance and Operating Expenses

By Will Lorenz, General Coatings.

Schools can save money, reduce repairs and keep students and staff protected with a spray foam roof.

The scale of U.S. public K–12 school facilities is staggering: prior to the stay-at-home orders, every school day, nearly 50 million students and six million adults were in more than 100,000 public elementary and secondary schools in about 14,000 school districts.

Although considerable variation exists, the average age of the main building of a public school today is about 44. That means many roofs and other facility elements need to be fixed, upgraded, or replaced. 

The condition of school buildings plays an important role in student achievements. Research shows that high-quality facilities help improve student achievement, reduce truancy and suspensions, improve staff satisfaction and retention, and raise property values.

With schools closing for the summer, repairs, renovations and new construction are about to get underway. School facility managers are turning to you for roofing solutions. By understanding their challenges and communicating the benefits a spray foam roofing system can provide schools, you become a valuable resource. 

In my previous posts, I’ve outlined a variety of spray foam roof benefits for healthcare facilities, first responder municipal buildings, and overall advantages. Now let’s examine how this system helps K-12 schools.

Reducing costs

Studies have found that higher levels of student achievement, controlled for socioeconomic status, are associated with better quality facility design and condition. One way to achieve this and ensure the safety of students, staff and visitors is to make sure school roofs don’t leak. 

Most school districts spend an average of 10 percent of their general operating funds for annual maintenance and operations. Unfortunately, these funds are typically not budgeted to handle major repairs such as roofs. However, you can confidently recommend a spray foam roof to help schools save money because this system is virtually maintenance-free and, should there be a puncture, it can easily be repaired with roof sealant. 

Depending on the situation and existing substrate, spray foam can often be applied directly to the existing roof without the need for tear-off – saving school districts time and money.

A spray foam roofing system is actually renewable. This saves school districts more funds because it can be recoated with additional roof coating when the system comes to its surface life in 10-20 years. It’s the only roofing system that is designed to be sustainable and to last the lifespan of the building. 

The installation of this monolithic system also acts as a continuous layer of insulation and thermal break, significantly reducing air leakage and heat transfer; saving energy otherwise used to heat and cool buildings. A coated foam roof can provide additional energy savings of 10-15 percent with a reflective roof coating installation.

Facility managers are tasked with a fiduciary responsibility to their districts. It’s important that any renovation or construction projects are done in the most efficient manner possible. As a solutions provider, you can help facility managers by discussing how a spray foam roof can reduce schools’ maintenance and operating expenses.

Preventing leaks

Roofs are at the top of the damage chain for education facilities. When a roof leaks it can result in structural damage to walls and floors, mechanical and electrical systems, and the insulation within the roof and walls, causing mold and fungus to grow, negatively affecting occupants’ health. 

Spray foam is a field-applied continuous membrane that is installed to roofs by professionally trained contractors using specialized equipment. This method ensures that the foam seals every crack and fills all crevices of the existing roof. Once sprayed, the cellular foam expands to roughly 30 times its original liquid volume. 

A spray foam roof system offers facility managers with a long-term, cost-effective solution for their schools’ leaking roofs. When properly applied, the durable foam provides no entry points for rainwater, snow or moisture by forming a seamless monolithic barrier measuring up to two inches thick. Leaks are virtually eliminated because spray foam self-flashes around irregular penetrations, parapet walls, HVAC stands, round vents and raised skylights. This roofing system also withstands the structure’s expansion and contraction, removes ponding and remains sealed to the roof for its anticipated life expectancy – additional benefits to communicate to school district facility managers.

Conclusion

Since public schools are the second-largest facilities sector in the country, you have a tremendous business opportunity. You also have a role in helping school facility managers understand how a spray foam roofing system can reduce maintenance and operating expenses.

Will Lorenz is Vice President of Sales with General Coatings and may be reached at will@generalcoatings.net or (949) 466-8552. Over his 33-years in the roofing and polyurethane foam industry, Will has received numerous awards and recognition. He is currently president of the Roof Coating Manufacturers Association, a member of NRCA and serves on the board of directors for the past two years for the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance board of directors. When not focused on roofing, Will enjoys watching the Chicago Cubs and Blackhawks, spending time with his family and attending church, and taking his pit-bull mix, Mack, for long walks around his California neighborhood.

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