Energy consumption is particularly high in southern Louisiana, where summer heat kicks in during spring days and doesn’t relent until well into fall. Once winter does begin, the region’s humidity creates a whole new set of bone-chilling climate control demands to protect valuable merchandise and keep employees and customers comfortable.
Louisiana’s extreme temperatures cause more than sunburn and chattering teeth, however. For commercial and industrial properties with large, paneled roofs, the constant expansion and contraction of materials caused by fluctuating temperatures leads to air infiltration and energy waste.
What is the stack effect?
Differences in indoor and outdoor temperature and moisture lead to variances in air buoyancy. These variations push air into and out of buildings, and professionals call this movement of air stack effect. When a compromised roof meets the stack effect, business owners begin to lose large sums of money to their HVAC system as buildings must be continuously heated or cooled just to maintain a consistent temperature.
How does it impact commercial and industrial properties in Louisiana?
Louisiana’s extreme temperatures means that local business owners are more subject to stack effect than in more moderate climates. During the region’s hot summer, warmer indoor air rises and escapes through cracks and channels in the roof. That might sound like a good thing, but the warm air leaves a vacuum in its wake that pulls cool, conditioned air out as well. During the winter season, the stack effect is reversed, making it a challenge to keep buildings comfortably warm.
Owners of commercial and industrial properties are particularly vulnerable to the stack effect as larger commercial and industrial properties tend to generate greater buoyancy force. When a commercial property’s roof is compromised by UV rays, inclement weather, and wear and tear, the stack effect can result in astronomical utility bills.
How does spray foam minimize energy consumption?
Spray-in-place roof foam provides industrial and commercial buildings with the highest R-value on the market. The insulating effect of spray foam helps keep temperatures more consistent, which reduces the stack effect.
Spray foam roof insulation like GacoRoofFoam does more than insulate, however. This state-of-the-art product can be applied to any pre-existing roofing substrate, creating a monolithic barrier against air and moisture infiltration. By sealing up crevices and cracks, spray foam virtually eliminates the stack effect that drains business resources year after year. That’s why the cost of spray foam is well worth the investment.
What are the other benefits of spray foam roofing?
Spray foam roofing keeps buildings more comfortable and affordable through its sealing and insulating features, but it also makes buildings more robust. Spray foam’s bond with your building’s existing substrate increases your property’s structural integrity, even withstanding the weight and moisture of permanent ponding. It resists the wind-lift that peels traditional roofing materials off rooftops, and it even resists mold, mildew, and other moisture-related issues.
Ready to learn more about how spray foam roofing will save your business money and extend the life of your commercial and industrial properties? Get in touch with the roofing specialists at Sunlight Contractors for a free consultation.