Help Yourself: Go Seam-Free

If you’ve read more than three or four posts on our blog, you’ve probably seen that we like to tout the fact that we have a seam-free system. We love a system that goes on evenly and without the need for bonding and sealing at the seams, which is why we are so dedicated to our foam and coating solutions. Not having seams is a great feature that provides many advantages over other roofing systems, but just what exactly are these advantages?

No Seams Means Fewer Leaks

First and foremost, a system without seams will experience fewer leaks than a system with seams. It is really quite simple: seams weaken a roof’s waterproof membrane and offer more opportunities for water to sneak in, so systems with seams tend to let more water in.

Imagine a city with a wall built around it 1,000 years ago. They didn’t build gates right next to each other, they build only a few gates. In some instances, only two for an entire city. They did this because the gates were the weakest point. A roof can be compared to an old city with a wall, and seams are like the gates: go seam-free to give your roof a better opportunity to succeed!

This advantage comes at two different times: when the roof is initially installed and when you have to maintain the roof during its life. Let’s look at each of these categories and see how not having seams is an advantage in each.

When you first install your roof, it can be very time consuming if you have to glue, staple, weld, nail, or otherwise secure a seam every 5-10 feet. Imagine how long this would take on a 500,000 square foot roof! Not having seams in a liquid-applied system means you can install the roof faster, easier, and with lower labor costs.

Once your roof is installed, you can expect to perform some repairs over the years to keep it in great operating condition. If you have seams, these often lead to the repairs as the come unsealed. Eliminate the seams; eliminate many of the repairs. Again, this saves time and money.

Seams are also a common place for heat to escape your building in the winter and cold to escape in the summer. A system with an R-value of 5 (decent insulation capabilities is what this means) might have an R-value of only 2 or lower at the seams, so your whole roof is compromised. The air will find a way out, if there is one. Seamless systems don’t lose heat like this because there are no weak spots in the roof.

Above are three major areas in which a seamless roof system provides major benefits. Don’t waste time and money on a roof with lots of seams: get a silicone roof coating or spray foam roof on your building next time you make a change.