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SPF Contractors Learn the Ins and Outs of SPF Through SPFA’s Accreditation Courses
By Jessica A. Baris
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VENDOR TEAM
Intech Equipment & Supply
Arizona
1921 W. Grant St.
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Voice: 602-257-0720
Fax: 602-257-1121
California
731 S. Lugo
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Voice: 909-388-1071
Fax: 909-388-1027
Missouri
310a W Linn
Marionville, MO 65705
Voice: 417-463-4000
888-920-1313
www.intechequipment.com
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It’s not every day that contractors get access to SPFA Accreditation Courses in their own hometowns. For a group of Phoenix, Ariz., contractors, this was made possible by Intech Equipment & Supply, an equipment supplier for commercial roofing and spray foam insulation contractors.
 “We wanted to bring training regionally to contractors,” says Jake Jacobson, director of business development at Intech. “SPFA is the only association dedicated specifically to SPF, so if you want to differentiate yourself as an SPF contractor, then you want to get accredited by SPFA.”
Over three days, SPF contractors, foremen, and managers convened at the Arizona Roofing Contractors Association (ARCA) facility to take three of the six Accreditation Courses required by SPFA: Equipment (an SPFA approved equipment course); Course 101, Fundamentals of Spray Polyurethane Foam; and Course 101-R, Fundamentals of Spray Polyurethane Foam for Roofing Applications.
“There were guys with zero experience all the way up to 40-year veterans,” says Jacobson. “The questions they asked were wide-ranging. Even the veterans expressed that they got something out of the classes. It was a good refresher of basic fundamentals.”
 Bob Jutras taught Intech’s Equipment course, which he designed; it’s approved by SPFA. Some of the topics it covers include material supply pumps, proportioners, heated hose assemblies, and spray guns. “We got good feedback for the Equipment class. It’s straightforward— emphasizing what you need to know about the equipment. The more hands on you can be, the better,” says Jacobson.
Mason Knowles taught courses 101 and 101-R. As SPFA’s former executive and technical director—along with his 40 years of experience in SPF—he knows what it takes to climb to the top of the industry.
“Not many become fully accredited and fully certified,” Knowles says of SPF contractors. “We want to get more applicators certified and also give them exposure to safety and health practices.
“I wanted to make this more available to folks in the different regions, and I know SPFA wants to as well. I partnered with Intech and others to make these classes available so contractors don’t have to travel as far.”
Course 101 includes discussions of health, safety, and environmental aspects of SPF and coverings; SPF chemistry and physical properties; and SPF application and coating equipment. Course 101-R covers building codes, testing standards and methods, foam application, coating chemistry and applications, job site quality control, maintenance, and inspection. The Health and Safety Chapter has had significant updates in 2010, which will bring contractors up to speed on best practices as defined by the SPF industry and regulatory agencies such as EPA, NIOSH, and OSHA.
At the end of each course, students took an exam. Students must score 90 percent or higher to receive a certificate of completion. Once all six SPFA courses are successfully completed and inspections are performed on three jobs, the contractor becomes fully accredited by the SPFA for roofing and building envelope applications. Inspected roofs must be at least 5,000 square feet each. Inspected building envelope applications must be of projects with a minimum of 2,500 board feet and must cover at least three of the following assemblies: floor, ceiling, walls, below grade, or basements.
 Intech had an attendance of 64 people over the three days, with 24 who received training. The high attendance had a lot to do with a local roofing consultant, Jerry Brown of WRE Corp, who writes specifications for schools and municipalities in Phoenix’s metro area. Applicators who work on his projects are required to take the SPFA courses.
Contractors across the United States are not required to take the SPFA courses to do SPF applications. However, there may be bid specifications that require the contractors to be SPFA accredited. Accreditation gives contractors credibility in the eyes of those who would potentially hire them, and it’s also a great way to stay up to date with the industry.
“The industry changes, equipment changes, codes change, safety and health change,” Knowles says. “Contractors can demonstrate their knowledge to the rest of the world. They always come away from the courses with something helpful.”
“Nobody wants to go to class,” Jacobson acknowledges. “But we need to share knowledge with each other in an effort to grow our industry and markets. If we have a scarcity mentality and hoard our knowledge, then we can’t advance the SPF market. If we have an abundance mentality and share knowledge, that will enable us to grow the SPF markets and applications.
“The contractors have a common bond, despite competing against each other. Applicators have an amazing balance of patience and persistence in their craft because of the nature of what it takes to do a good SPF job. You have to be able to apply foam and be a mechanic when there’s a glitch or hiccup in the equipment or the material. They can’t afford to stop the job. Ideally, these guys are artists and mechanics. It’s a difficult combination to find in any one person.”
When asked why he thinks contractors should make the effort to take the courses, Knowles offered up some words of wisdom shared once by John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach: “It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
“That’s a good way to describe the classes,” says Knowles.
To learn more about SPFA’s Accreditation Courses, visit www.sprayfoam.org and on the right click “Accreditation.”
Companies represented at the Phoenix SPFA training:
Progressive Roofing
SprayFoam Southwest
Renco, LLC
Starkweather Roofing
Foam Experts Roofing
Centimark
AS Urethane/Young Builders
Inca Roofing
Diversified Roofing
BASF
DAS Products
Phoenix1 Restoration
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