Gulf Construction Online - SealTech PU foam keeps roofs well insulated

Manufacturers & Procurement

SealTech sprayed PU foam roofing ... economical and environment-friendly.

SealTech PU foam keeps roofs well insulated

01 December 2015

Sealtech, a subsidiary of Al Mazro Group in Saudi Arabia, has long been promoting spray polyurethane (PU) foam as a roofing and insulation material it claims can be highly effective for decades if properly maintained.

Foam insulation roofing has many advantages over traditional roofing methods, says Fathi Abdurahman, the company’s general manager.

“Sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing is the most economical and environment-friendly roofing system available in today’s marketplace. These systems are custom designed for buildings according to geographical location and climatic conditions. SealTech systems install quickly, cleanly, and quietly, with little or no interruption to a client’s daily operations, and can produce energy savings of 40 per cent annually or greater.”

Citing the reasons why PU foam is such a good waterproofing barrier, SealTech’s chairman Maged Mazro says: firstly, spray-applied PU system insulation has the ability to bridge over cracks and holes to form a continuous blanket over the roof; and, secondly, PU system insulation has a closed-cell structure which effectively resists penetration by water.

He says PU foam waterproof insulation roofing solutions comprises a thick seamless layer of lightweight yet hard waterproofing insulation, which is spray applied to the outside surface of a roof. The foam insulation roofing solutions will strengthen the existing roof and also offer exceptional thermal and noise insulation properties.

PU foam waterproof insulation roofing solutions are suited to almost all common types of industrial roofing, including corrugated fibro, aluminium, steel, concrete, timber, asbestos, bitumen and can also be applied over various sheet membrane systems, says Mazro, adding the company can provide different coatings, such as elastomeric acrylic, PU coating or the highly durable polyurea coatings, depending on the client’s budget.

Sprayed polyurethane foam can cover any area size, so whether a roof is 1,000 sq ft, 100,000 sq ft or even larger, it will have no seams. Even roofs with protrusions and irregular shapes can be covered by polyurethane foam, he adds.

Polyurethane foam roofing is also very lightweight. It usually just weighs around 40 kg per cu m, compared to heavy weight conventional systems.

Mazro says the insulating properties of polyurethane foam roofing are incomparable. “For such a thin material, it can give adequate thermal resistance like no other roofing option. For every one inch of polyurethane foam roofing, the R-value is rated at 7.14. This can help save as much as 30 per cent of energy costs for both cooling and heating.”

When supplied and installed by an approved manufacturer, the system comes with a guarantee of 20 years.

“If the coating is properly maintained, then a sprayed polyurethane foam roof can last a very long time. Every 10 or 15 years, the roof will need to be cleaned, primed, and recoated. If this is done, then a quality SPF roof could last 50 years or longer,” claims Mazro.

Sprayed polyurethane foam is a combination of isocyanate and polyol. These two components are fed through a Gama machine which heats and pumps the two separate components to the spray gun, where they are mixed and sprayed onto the substrate. Because it is sprayed onto the roof as a liquid, it forms a single continuous structure that is seamless and very stable.

Abdul Rahman, the managing director, says SealTech has the expertise to spray polyurethane foam for thermal insulation of roofs, ceilings and walls by using a spray applied system that is based on the latest polyurethane technology available. The process forms an impermeable waterproofing-cum-insulation layer with high thermal resistance meeting the latest thermal insulation standards.

He says the company’s Insulation and Flooring Division is fully equipped with advanced machineries to bridge the technological gap and bring in the best possible technology and quality application right to the door-step of every individual customer in the region.

“The team can visit sites anywhere in the region on request, to provide the best technical assistance on how to build a leak-proof system whether it is for an individual villa, group of villas or commercial buildings using the best of technology available,” he continues.

SealTech meets the most stringent international standards of surface preparation specified by various consultants, thereby enhancing the durability of the system installed.

The company has undertaken projects for many prominent customers, including the ministries of Interior, Defence and Health, Saudi Aramco, Alsalam Aircraft Company, the air force, Ford, Binladin Group, McDonald’s and Jarir Company.

SealTech acquires materials, machinery and technology from its sister company, Prime Seal, which is familiar with the Middle East market and is known for its quality and service of products and technology.