Tag Archives: flat roof

What Is the Best Material for a Flat Roof? Installation and Info

Today we are going to write about what is the best material or a flat roof. This is a common question we see many people ask online and we wanted to provide you with a professional guide so you can learn about flat roof materials and a lot more info on the subject. Let’s get started.

Despite having a reputation for repairs and leaks, flat roofs are the first choice of many people because of the flexibility they offer. Of course, the word flat does not mean that they are flat. The roofs are called flat because of their slight pitch of ½ or ¼ per foot. Although the pitch creates enough slope for water drainage, it often becomes a problem if its material is poor or has structural flaws.

That means choosing the right material for your flat roofs is vital for its longevity and lifespan. The good news is that there are plenty of options when it comes to selecting material for the flat roof. There is no need to choose the same conventional hot-mopped built-up roofs that rarely provides the long-term reliability as well as safety you want in the flat roofs.

So What Is the Best Material for a Flat Roof?

Here we have rounded up some of the most common types of flat roof materials to help you make an informed decision.

Best Materials for Flat Roofs

Single Layer Membrane Roof

The roof membrane is one of the most advanced roofing technologies. That makes it a top choice in the commercial roofing construction industry. They are popular with the name of plastomeric or elastomeric roofing membrane in the market. This single-ply roof comes in a variety of categories that includes;

Polymer-modified bitumens
Neoprene (polychloroprene)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM)
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene Sheet and Chlorinated polyethylene

The common and most sought-after single-ply membrane material is EPDM, which is also called rubber roof. This material makes the first choice for commercial and residential use for roof construction.

One of the key advantages of this single-membrane rubber roof is that it is affordable as compared to other roof membranes. If you choose darker shade of EPDM membrane, it has great quality to absorb heat. The feature drives up energy bills for you.

The roof experts install a thin sheet material (0.03 inches) and apply it to the roof as single layer. Because this flat roof material uses polymer and synthetic rubber, it gives wonderful elasticity and flexibility of the roof. Moreover, this feature gives EPDM an excellent ability to handle weather and temperature changes and other impacts as compared to traditional built-up roofs.

You can attach these roof membranes in the number of ways. For example, your roofing expert can lay the material partially or hold it down using rock ballast (a structure requires to support roof weight). You can also get your roof fully adhered to its deck. Use of adhesive is common to fasten the roof seams of Neoprene and EPDM. PVC roof seams, however, are heat welded.

Built-Up Roofing

It is one of the traditional roofing material options and still makes a popular choice for solving the low-pitch roofing problems. The roofing material is at least a century old and can handle the roof challenges better than asphalt shingles.

The installation process of Build-up roofs includes layering of roofing felt – a special type of roofing layer. This roofing felt impregnates and embed asphalt in bitumen.

Roofing experts apply this roofing felt with a hot mop. The coal-tar pitch and hot-applied asphalt blend deeply with bitumen roof felt. The fine mixture creates a strong monolithic and shiny roof membrane. The roofing professional repeats the tar layering process by overlapping roof felt until all materials make two to five piles of thickness.

To protect this build-up of assembly, roofing professionals applies a surface of compressed stone granules to the top. This layer serves as a protective shield against the harsh weather and UV lights.

Modified Bitumen Roof Material

Like build-up roofing, modified bitumen cap roofing sheet dates back to 19 century. Developed in 1960s, it is a replacement technology for build-up roofing. The roofing material typically uses BUR technology and adds multiple roof wear layers and cap sheets. These cap sheets include polymer to increase the life span and strength of the material.

There are plenty of techniques you can choose to install these roofs. It is always better to determine the best installation technique by considering specific requirements of your property. Some of the common installation methods include;

Hot applied
Torch applied
Cold applied
Self-adhered

The polymer in these roof sheets provides an excellent flexibility and elasticity; particularly in the low temperature or winters. Styrene butadiene styrene and Atactic polypropylene (APP) are the common polymers used in these roof sheets. Both are great to add a rubber-like characteristic to the material.

Generally, roof professionals use hot asphalt or cold adhesives to install bitumen cap. However, Thermoplastic APP roof sheets, uses the torch method for the proper and long-lasting application.

Material Life Span

Flat roof’s lifespan generally depends on a wide variety of the factors in which proper installation is the most important one. If you live in the area that experiences volatile climate, the material you put in will undergo more stress and that may reduce its longevity and lifespan. Plus, if your roof has a heavy traffic, the material will wear down fast.

Here is a quick overview of material life span one can expect from roof materials;

PVC – 10 to 30 years.
TPO – 8 to 15 years.
EPDM – 15 to 20 years.
Bitumen – 15 to 25 years.
Built Up Roof – 20 to 25 years.
Spray-On – 30 years.

Bottom Line

In a nutshell, finding the perfect flat roof material requires you to consider some common problems your roof might face (volatile climate, and traffic) in the future.

Not only this, you also need to consider your property structure and budget. Many roof experts recommend hiring the services of professional roofing contractors to assess or examine the specific surface coating your roof needs.

Thus, the article includes useful information regarding the best roof material for a flat roof to help you choose the most suitable one.

Silver Roof Coating for Flat Roof Guide Every Home Owner Needs

Silver or aluminum roof paint is one of the popular ways to maximize the function and life span of your flat roof. Silver paint offers an array of benefits to homeowners looking for a long-term solution for their fading roofs.

Aluminum roof coating is an excellent choice to keep your home cool in the hot seasons and helps you save on your energy bills.

It is worth noting that silver coating on the flat roof surface is not silver but is only silver-based. Plus, these silver paints do not look like metallic. An aluminum coating is more like dry white paint that creates a unique and subtle effect. Besides this, these roof coatings are beneficial when it is about inhibiting fungal growth and keep your roofing material safe from algae for a long time.

Because they are self-priming, they have become a quick choice for coating flat roofs. If you are considering this option, keep on reading to find out more about a silver roof coating.

How to Find Out if Flat Roof Needs Silver Coating

It is important to know that a flat roof is not flat. The term is common due to the slight slope in the roof structure. This is one reason why flat roofs soften face drainage issues. That is why many roofing experts advise coating your roofs as a preventive measure to keep drainage problems such as leaks at bay instead of correcting them.

Know that severe leaks may lead to cracks in the roof, commonly called crazing. If your roof shows structural damages, it is an indication that it needs coating. Even if your roof does not show signs of physical damage but has been more than six years since its last coating, it is worth coating it.

How Often You Should Coat Your Flat Roof

A flat roof needs coating more than other types of roofs. It is because flat roofs are susceptible to structural damages and require frequent maintenance to last. Silver and aluminum coating is s one way to maintain your flat roof. The average lifespan of a flat roof is not more than ten years, but if you coat it every four to five years, it can extend the roof’s life enormously.

Moreover, coating your flat roof with silver or aluminum paint helps you save money you might have to spend on the repairs in the future.

Who can Coat Your Flat Roof?

The best way to coat a flat roof is to hire roof experts as they are professionals and know how to handle the repairs and damages before coating. They begin with cleaning your roof and then apply the coating. Many professionals also use primer on flat roofs before coating. It helps coating adhere thoroughly.

However, if your roof has other underlying issues, including ponding and leaks, make sure your contractor address them and take the right safety precautions. It will make silver coating durable and long-lasting.

Benefits of Silver Roof Coating

There is no denying that reflective coatings (aluminum or polyurethane) for roofs act like a tough barrier between the roof and external elements. The right type of roof coating has an impact on resistance to help your roof handle the traffic.

Here are some proven advantages of using roof coating, specifically silver roof coating for flat roofs.

Reduced Energy Bills

Silver roof coating is one of the energy star qualified coatings that can help you lower the surface temperature, ultimately decreasing the interior temperature of the house. It primarily happens because aluminum roof coating is reflective. When you apply it to your roof, it reflects more sunlight from the roof surface. That reduces the heat your roof structure has absorbed, translating into reduced energy cost.

It is worth mentioning that, applying quality coatings for your roof is important to reflect damaging UV rays and infrared sunlight from your property. This thermal emittance process allows your roof to cool down and build temperature, resulting in the reduction of energy usage.

Extend Your Roof Life

As stated above, a roof coating is essential to create a strong and resilient barrier between the roof’s uppermost layers and elements. Not only can this, choosing the right coating to help you increase the waterproof quality of your roof to guard it against the harmful ultraviolet rays.

Silver roof coating, in this respect, reflects damaging heat away from the surface of the roof. This works great when it comes to increasing the longevity of roofing and lowering its maintenance expenses.

Avoid Roof Replacement

Another benefit of coating your flat roof is that it can cover the minor leaks and damages. People often avoid full-scale roof replacements if they use the right coating for the roof. Roof restoration through coating can save you 50 to 70 percent as compared to the entire roof replacement process.

Adhere to Roofing Materials

Aluminum and silver roof coating comes with an excellent quality of adherence. This feature allows it to adhere to a variety of roofing surfaces such as composite roofs, wood, asphalt roof, and galvanized metals.

However, before you apply roof coating to materials like shingles, it is important to check the manufacturer’s warranty. The brushes and sprays used in silver roof coating may void the roof’s warranty.

Fade Resistance

One reason why many people choose silver roof coating over other types is that it maintains roof color for a long time. This helps improve the overall look of the property. A well-maintained home with appealing roof coating can increase the resale of the property significantly.

Bottom Line

Choosing the right roof coatings is imperative whether your c property is commercial or residential. It is because environmental concerns and labor costs are on the rise. A proper roof coating can act as a barrier that helps you protect your roof from various elements such as UV rays and also reduce the energy costs of the building.

Silver Roof coating, in this regard, limits contraction and expansion cycles that can cause premature failure to your roof due to some poor underlying maintenance applications.

Roof Temperature in Summer and How it Affects Your Roof

This article is about roof temperature in summer. Did you know that your roof might come under specific pressure during the summer? Most of this is because of the heat, and this can cause a number of problems.

There can be a few other issues in summer as well. So if you want to know a bit more about roof temperatures in summer, like what your roof can sustain and how to make sure your roof is always in the right condition, then you’ve found the right article.

In it we’re going to look at a number of issues that could arise during those warmer months along with how to prevent them. We’ll also look at a few different ways to keep your roof protected during the summer, as well as how to keep your home cool even when the temperatures outside are at their hottest.

Roof Temperature in Summer – How can high temperatures affect your roof?

You might already know how many issues winter weather can cause for your roof. Especially ice and heavy snow. That’s why many homeowners have new roofs fitted or require extensive repairs because of winter weather.

Other weather conditions like heavy rain and wind which aren’t unique to the winter can also cause problems but so can the heat. You might think your roof is strong enough to withstand high temperatures, but it isn’t always. So let’s have a look at how heat can affect your roof:

Violent storms are one of the biggest problems roofs can face during the summer, but they aren’t the only problem. Heat is an issue too. We’ll look at violent storms in a bit more detail in a minute. But how can general warm weather be a problem for your roof? Firstly, UV rays can actually cause damage. This can happen even when it’s cloudy, but especially when it’s not.

These rays can make the oils and materials in your roof dry out and ultimately crack. This can lead to costly repairs being needed. Wood can get bleached by the sun and also weaken and crack. Asphalt shingles are also prone to buckle and split under high heat, especially if they haven’t been treated.

All of these reasons mean that a prolonged spell of hot weather could have a number of adverse consequences for a range of different types of roofs, including yours.

Unshaded roofs are at particular risk. A roof without shade might get up to 160 degrees F when the outside air temperature is only 90 degrees. This actually speeds up the effects we looked at in the last paragraph.

An unventilated attic can also exacerbate the problem and make damage more likely. This can also cause problems with condensation.

There’s another issue with your roof that could be a problem when it’s really hot. That’s called thermal shock. This is when high temperatures during the daytime and cold nights cause roof materials to expand and contract too quickly.

While all roofs are built to expand and contract a certain amount, extreme heat during the day and cooler nights can make this expansion and contraction happen too quickly for the roof to be able to cope.

This can result in a weakening of the roof’s structural integrity. Metal roofs suffer from this even more and can become warped or gaps can appear. This is also especially problematic if you have metal elements in an otherwise non-metal roof.

However, before you worry too much there are a couple of things to remember. Heat damage to your roof is normally cumulative which means it builds up over time. Unlike one night of heavy wind, a couple of days of high heat shouldn’t be enough to cause much damage to your roof.

This could actually take years, which means you might spot the problem and be able to make changes before it’s too late. Most good quality roofs won’t start to crumble from heat damage for at least the first ten years.

If you’ve got an older roof or aren’t sure how old your roof is, make sure you lookout for some of the signs of heat damage so that you can make fixes rather than leave it to the point where costly repairs or replacements are needed.

Don’t forget year-round weather conditions

There’s another thing to remember when looking at how the weather can affect your roof. Just because it’s summer, that doesn’t mean some year-round weather conditions aren’t a problem. Heavy rainstorms can still occur during the summer months, especially if there are thunderstorms or you live in unpredictable weather areas. So while most of this article is about how heat and sun can affect your roof, you might not be clear from heavy rain and wind either.

Some parts of the world will also suffer extreme winds during the summer months, especially if you live in hurricane areas. This article won’t go into too much detail about extreme weather conditions like hurricane season, but it goes without saying that you need to consult a professional and make sure your roof is strong enough if a hurricane or other extreme storm looks likely.

How can your roof benefit from high heat?

While most of this article is about the damage high temperatures and sunshine can do to your roof, it’s not all bad. There are some tweaks you can make to your roofing provisions so that you and your home can actually benefit.

The most obvious one of these is by applying solar panels. Not only can solar paneling act as a block so that harmful rays don’t get through to parts of your actual roof, but you’ll actually be using that energy to provide power to your home.

This can save you loads on bills and might even generate you enough to start selling energy back to the grid, making a profit in the process. So if you live somewhere that has a lot of heat during the summer, you might want to consider solar panels.

Hopefully, you now know a bit more about how heat affects your roof, and what you can do about it.

How to Find a Leak in a Flat Roof And Fix It

If you’ve got a leak in your flat roof but aren’t sure where it’s coming from – you’re not alone. It can be a stressful time when you can’t find that leaky spot. How to find a leak in a flat roof is the topic of today’s article and we will try and help you out.

How can you start fixing your roof if you don’t know exactly where the leak is coming from? Thankfully, if this is a problem for you right now, then you’re in the right place.

Lots of the info out there on finding leaks in a roof is for traditional pitched roofs. While these might be the most common type of roof in America today, they aren’t the only roof. If you’ve got a flat roof, a lot of the advice out there simply isn’t relevant to your specific build.

There are a range of unique issues when it comes to finding a leak in a flat roof, and we’re going to look at them.

So if you’ve got a flat roof with a leak, then look no further. How do you find a leak in a flat roof?
Let’s have a look…

How to find a leak in a flat roof

The problem with finding a leak in a flat roof that sets it apart from finding one in a sloped roof is that the water can run in any direction. With a traditional sloped roof, a leak can be found quite easily as water will flow in a downward motion. So all you need to do is simply follow it up to its source. This isn’t how it works with a flat roof, so things can be more difficult.

You might have first been alerted to a leaking issue because you recently saw a damp patch or water stain on your ceiling. There’s one important thing to remember here: These patches or stains do not necessarily mean that the leak is directly above them.

The only real way to find the specific location of the leak is by getting up on the roof and examining it on a dry day. After all, how can you spot a leak on a wet roof that’s being rained on continuously? You can’t.

Remember: safety should always be your number one concern when getting up on your own (or any) roof. If you aren’t sure what you’re doing or don’t have the right safety equipment, then don’t do it. Get a professional roofer in instead. Make sure you have the right supervision, that your roof is easy and safe to access and is well-lit at the time.

Once you’re up on your flat roof on a dry day, the next step is to carefully look over the entire roof for any evidence of leaks or holes. Have a look out for any low spots, especially ones surrounded by dirt-stain. This could be evidence of pooling water. If there’s any actual pooling water itself, this makes spotting the problem even easier.

Common reasons for leaks on flat roofs

A common cause of leaks on flat roofs is often flashing. Thin pieces of material (sometimes metal) that have been installed to weatherproof the roof and stop water entering at angles or joint. This flashing is normally installed around pipes and at roof edges, but it isn’t always that durable. It’s these sort of areas you’ll want to check carefully, especially to see if any of the flashing has cracks or holes in it, or if it’s peeling.

This flashing and other roofing materials can suffer from heat damage over the years and may bubble or develop cracks. These cracks can also be the location of a leak.

Once you’ve found an area that you think is the source of a leak – you need to make sure. Many holes or cracks on your roof might just be simple wear and tear rather than actual leaks. While these could develop into leaks over time, it’s important that you find out for sure where your leak is coming from before you try and repair.

How to make sure where your leak is coming from

To check for sure, you can use these tips:

take a hose (safely) up onto your roof and spray the suspected area. Go inside and have a look to see whether water is tricking inside at the spot you suspect. If you have a friend to help you, one can stand inside to check while the other uses the hose. This can present more accurate results, and might also make it easier to find the exact location without having to guess where you were standing. It can take a few minutes for water to arrive through the roof even if you have found the leak location, so don’t be impatient. If you were mistaken about the location of the leak and this first step doesn’t confirm it, you might have to try a few other spots on the roof or do some further explorations.
There might also be more than one source of the leak, so just because you’ve found one spot – that doesn’t mean it’s the only one. Since you’re up there, you might want to try testing the whole roof area to save time going up there again for another leak in a few months.

When you’ve found the leak location, you can plan what to do next. If you’re good at DIY, you can consider fixing the leaked part of the roof yourself. How easy this is to do will depend a lot on the type of roof material you’ve got and how bad the damage is, as well as how good you are at this sort of thing.

Many people decide to call in some professionals for a high-quality finish, and that’s something you could do too. For really leaky roofs, you might want the whole thing replaced rather than just a quick repair.

This could be more expensive, but it might be worth it in the long-run. Shop around for competitive quotes and make sure you go with a highly-recommended roofing firm with years of experience in your area.

Finding the leak yourself shouldn’t be too difficult in the right circumstances. It’s what you do next that could be a bigger decision.

What Does SBS Roofing Stand For And What Are The Advantages

An SBS roof is one constructed from specific materials to help make it waterproof. If you’d like a little more detail on exactly what SBS roof is, and what the benefits are – then this article is for you.

We’re going to dive deeper into the subject so you know exactly what does SBS roofing stand for and what it is, also why it’s a good option for your roof.

SBS specifically stands for Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene, but this might not mean much to you unless you’ve got a strong background in chemistry. Another way to look at SBS if you don’t really know what Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene means, is that it’s a family of synthetic rubber.

SBS is widely used in the roofing industry for waterproofing roofs because of its flexibility and elastic properties. That means it can adapt it’s shape in various weather conditions while still keeping the integrity of the roof and also making sure everything underneath the roof stays dry.

SBS therefore isn’t just used in roofing, and is relied upon in a number of other applications that need this level of flexibility and durability – like coatings, sealants and paving.

What are the advantages of an SBS roof?

There are a number of advantages to using this type of chemical sealant in a number of different applications, including roofing – let’s have a look at them.

1. SBS is compatible with a huge number of different applications that aren’t simply limited to roofing (although that’s one of its most popular uses). It can be used to waterproof all sorts of surfaces, including tons of different types of roofs – but also car decks, bridges and more.

2. It’s also an extremely resistant and resilient chemical, and will stand up against extreme heat and cold without giving way. That means you can keep a wide range of surfaces watertight no matter what the weather. It’s also resistant to frost, freeze-thawing, heavy rain and heavy snow.

3. SBS roofing is also an extremely long-lasting solution. It retains integrity and water-proofing decades after being applied to a surface.

4. Another reason more and more professionals are starting to use SBS for roofing and more is that it’s extremely flexible while managing to maintain the integrity of a sealed roof. One of the main issues with large roof constructions is that many of them are required to move slightly under different environmental forces.

5. Buildings (and therefore roofs) can expand and contract during hot and cold weather conditions, or sway under heavy winds. This can sometimes make it difficult to keep a proofing sealant in place, but not with SBS. This flexible solution can stand up to extreme pressure and will keep your roof watertight no matter what the weather.

6. SBS roofing solutions are also easy and cheap to install, and that’s another key advantage. You can get a large roof sealed in under a day, and it can be applied after the roof construction has finished (sometimes a long time after). That’s something other proofing solutions often fail to match.

SBS proofing can be torch applied or mechanically fixed depending on the specific roof or surface in question.

An SBS roof is also a secure one – both against weather and any other external threats you can think of. You won’t need to worry about leakage or damp, or even cracks opening that could lead to a security risk.

These can sometimes be a problem with unprotected or old roofs that haven’t been sealed. One small opening could be enlarged and used to enter your property. But not with an SBS roof – there won’t be any gaps in your coverage.

Why do roofers like using SBS?

More and more roofing professionals have been turning to SBS coverage, and for good reason. Many older sealant processes fail to match up on many (if not all) of these benefits.

Traditional plastic-based roof sealants are often nowhere near flexible enough and can create cracks and other issues when a roof naturally moves.

One other key reason that roofers like SBS is that it’s easier, safer and cheaper to install. When torching an SBS roof sealant in place, it can actually be applied with a much lower temperature. This is a big benefit to roofing professionals.

Not only is it cheaper and easier to reach a lower temperature when compared to the high ones needed for other roofing sealants – it’s also safer.

What sort of roof is right for SBS?

As we’ve already touched on, SBS is a great product not just for roofs, but a wide range of other solutions. That means it’s also great for a wide range of different roof solutions. SBS has grown in popularity for all sorts of roofs – but particularly flat and industrial roofs.

Because of the solution’s excellent flexibility and all-weather finish, it’s particularly useful for roofs that are in places with extreme weather conditions.

Not only can it cope with heavy rain and snow, but it’ll also keep in place when your roof expands and contracts because of high or low temperatures.

SBS is particularly recommended for those roofs that retain water for long periods – like flat or nearly flat roofs (or ones that don’t have the best drainage). That means it’s also a great option in areas that receive a lot of snow – especially if it sits on the roof for long periods and slowly melts.

It’s also thick and extremely durable which makes it a good option for roofs that people walk across regularly.

Hopefully, you’ve seen how good an SBS coating can be for your roof. There are tons of reasons why more and more roofing professionals are deciding to use SBS coating to weather-proof their roofs. SBS could be the right option for you.

Most Common Flat Roof Problems And How To Address Them

If you’ve got a home with a flat roof, you might already be aware of some of the flat roof problems that come with it. If not – then this article might be for you. Whether you already live in a flat roofed home, are thinking of buying one, or are thinking of getting one installed – there are some things you need to know first.

While flat roofs can be a cost effective solution – they aren’t always the best choice. If you already live somewhere with a flat roof, you might seriously need to consider getting your home re-roofed if you want to avoid them.

The reality of that is – a new roof can be expensive. You might not even be able to fit a new non-flat roof on your property or be allowed it because of planning restrictions.

You might be asking yourself: if flat roofs have so many problems – why do so many homes have them? There’s one common answer to that question – they’re cheap.

Flat roofs can be some of the quickest, easiest and least-expensive ways to get a new roof on your property and are used extensively in home developments that want a quick and cheap finish.

But often – you get what you pay for. And flat roofs have more problems than most.

If you want to know more about flat roof problems – you’re in the right place. Let’s have a look at them:

Flat roof problems: Leaks

One of the most common problems with flat roofs, and one many flat roof homeowners have been complaining about for years – is leaks. If you think you’ve had leaking problems with your traditional roof, you probably haven’t lived in a home with an old flat roof.

While some flat-roofed properties manage to get by without leaks – many don’t. While all roofs can develop leaks from time to time, because the flat roofs are flat – the water doesn’t have anywhere else to go other than straight down.

That’s why leaks are such a problem with flat roofs – it’s not that they are more likely to occur, it’s that when they do, they cause a much bigger problem.

When moisture goes straight down instead of draining off like it might on a leaky normal roof, the water can get into the roof itself and cause problems with mold and fungus.

If you’ve got a flat roof and are worried about leaks leading to complications like this – the best solution is to get your roof inspected by a professional roofing contractor often and any issues dealt with quickly and effectively as soon as you find them, to prevent any complications.

Alligatoring

While alligatoring might sound unusual – it’s actually one of the most obvious signs that your roof needs replaced. Alligatoring is a result of aged old asphalt cracking due to a loss of elasticity.

The cracked and bubbled roof is said to resemble the skin of an alligator. If this happens to your roof, there normally isn’t anything you can do about it other than getting a new roof installed.

Membrane buckle

While flat roofs are often built in a similar way to traditional shingle roofs – one way they differ is that the membrane on a flat roof is all one piece. This can cause a number of issues – particularly that over time, buckles can occur in the membrane as it doesn’t have the space to shift or move as your home does when it ages.

A buckling roof is no longer safe, and can cause even bigger problems if you leave it. You need to get a buckled roof fixed as an urgent priority.

Flashing is another common problem with a flat roof

Along with shifting due to the age of a home, asphalt roofs also expand and contract in phase with changing weather conditions. What this means for your flat roof is that extended expansion and contraction can cause the flashing to come away from the corners and edges of the roof.

This can cause moisture to get trapped inside the roof itself – causing similar issues to those we looked at earlier.

While flashing doesn’t always call for a completely new roof straight away, it needs to be maintained carefully and any leaks need to be fixed quickly and effectively. When they get too serious, you might need a new roof.

Water pooling

When it rains, there’s nowhere for the water to go on a flat roof. That’s one of the main reasons traditional pitched roofs have been so popular for centuries.

They provide easy drainage so that any water that goes on the roof can flow off. It’s also why flat roofs are mainly used in places that don’t get a lot of rainfall (or snow).

So if you’ve got a flat roof somewhere where it does rain – you’ve got problems.

As your home ages, it might move a bit and the roof may settle in, making water pooling issues even greater – and making it even harder for rainfall to drain off.

This can cause water to get into divots or dips in your roof and can even seep into deeper layers of the roof, causing further problems.

If you’ve got a flat roof, especially on a slightly older home – you might want to take extra care to make sure you’re draining it regularly, especially if it’s been raining a lot.

Make sure you sweep excess water off regularly if you have safe access to your roof. You can also install other drainage solutions. If you leave the problem without addressing it, it might cause damage that requires your roof be completely replaced.

A poorly draining flat roof could need to be completely replaced much sooner than one that drains well.

OurBlog