A home with a flat roof has interesting architecture. Plus, if you use your roof as a deck, a flat roof can add fun to your living space. However, flat roofs have special concerns when it comes to leaking. You might have a membrane, foam, or built-up roof. While they're tough, they all can eventually leak.
That's why regular inspections and quick repairs are vital to the longevity of your roof and to preventing water damage to your home. Here are things a residential flat roofing contractor looks for and repairs they may need to do.
Tears From Foot Traffic
If you use your roof as a deck, all the foot traffic it gets might harm the membrane. Tears and holes let in the rain when they leak and need to be repaired. It's quick and easy for a roofer to patch up a membrane roof, so you'll want to have the work done promptly.
If you have a built-up or foam roof, you probably don't want to walk directly on it very much. If you like using your flat roof as a deck, talk to a residential flat roofing contractor.
The roofing contractor can devise a way for you to enjoy your roof without damaging the roofing. This could involve putting down mats or installing a deck above the roof so you can enjoy the space without having to walk on the roofing material.
Blocked Roof Drainage
It's a good idea to monitor your flat roof for drainage when you walk on it. Leaves from trees can pile up and create a dam that keeps rain from rolling into the gutters.
Flat roofs have a slope that is high enough to allow for natural drainage as long as the water path isn't blocked. The roofer may need to clean off the roof or clean out a drain or gutter to get rain flowing away freely again.
Gaps Where The Membrane Is Loose
Membrane roofing often uses membrane flashing. Foam uses foam flashing. If the flashing comes loose, rain can get in the attic. The roofer will probably check the flashing with each visit and fix it if it's loose or put on new flashing. Seams of membrane roofing can also work loose.
This is less of a problem with built-up roofing since the seams are covered with gravel. Foam roofing doesn't even have any seams. If a seam in a membrane roof works loose, the roofer can seal it again to make the area watertight.
Your flat roofing contractor will look for all types of damage on your roof, including damage that might be underneath the roofing. They can tell if there's a moisture problem under the roof by the way the roof feels when walking on it or by checking the roof with a moisture meter or other device. Moisture damage needs to be repaired or your roof may start leaking.
After struggling with the appearance and structural integrity of my home, I realized that I had to do something to make a difference. I realized that part of the issue had to be the roof, since the home had been in my family for years and nobody had ever addressed the roof before. I met with a roofing team to talk about the problem, and they were instrumental in helping me to get things sorted out. After a few renovations, things had really improved, and I felt like things were on the up and up. I wanted to start a blog that focused on finding roofing for your home, so check out this blog.