Some Common Roofing Problems You'll Probably Encounter with Flat Roofs

Posted by: Brunwin Professional Roofing Services Ltd

Date Posted: July 16, 2015

Buildings in Surrey and Croydon have different roof types. While many have the traditional sloped roof, flat roofs are also rather common. If your home or another building you own has flat roofing, you should be aware of its differences with the conventional pitched roofs. For this article's purposes, the focus is on the maintenance. Flat roofs are less costly when it comes to initial price but they require closer attention, for example. Here are common problems you may encounter when you have a flat roof. Take note that these problems are not necessarily exclusive to flat roofs, just that flat roofs are more vulnerable to them.

Standing Water

Flat roofs are often not really completely flat. It's just that their slope is way lower than pitched roofs. The idea of at least a small slope is to provide some drainage capability. Still, they can't really match the capabilities inherent to a steep-sloped roof. Flat roofs have greater risk of retaining standing water.

According to the IRT Surveys, water starts damaging roof material if it doesn't drain or evaporate within 72 hours. Flat roofs become vulnerable during times of prolonged precipitation. If the accumulated precipitation is heavy enough, it can cause the roof to collapse.

Exposed Layers

All roofs may suffer from wear and tear due to the battering of weather, be it the heat of the summer or the snows of the winter. Flat roofs are more vulnerable due to the accessibility-foot traffic from humans and even animals are more frequent. Before long, the protective layers get chipped off and the material underneath become more exposed to the elements.

Blistering

Just like the standing water problem above, flat roofs also tend to trap moisture. When the moisture gets heated by the sun, it expands, leading to blisters. Buildings.com says that not all blisters are big causes for concern but those of significant sizes should be taken care of immediately.

Flashing Troubles

Drainage doesn't go as naturally well on flat roofs, so it's important to pay attention to flashings. Otherwise, water can penetrate junctions. Moisture build-up can lead to fungus growth, which pushes flashings.

If you haven't paid much attention to your flat roof, now is a good time to start. Regular inspection is a must and if you encounter the above or any other problems with your roofing, have it handled immediately by professionals, like Brunwin Professional Roofing Services.

Sources:
Five common flat roof defects, IRT Surveys
The Top 10 Most Common Roof Problems, Buldings.com