It’s a bit of a misnomer to say that there is such a thing as a flat roof as there really isn’t. All flat roofs have a slight pitch and angle to them so that otherwise they will collect water and be next to useless. They can last for a very long time, but you do need to keep an eye on them. A company like the Plymouth Flat Roofing company http://centralroofingsw.co.uk/grp-flat-roofing-plymouth/ are certainly the type of people that you need to consider should any of the following signs start to occur. The first thing is to see what material the roof is made from. Older roofs are sometimes made with felt and this should really be changed. There is now a substance called EDPM which can give you much more durability. You should check the roof is ok every Spring and Autumn or if we’ve had a bout of really bad weather. Let’s look at what issues can happen.
Splitting. This is can be quite a common occurrence with felt roofs. The splitting can come from a variety of reasons, if someone has walked on it or that its not been maintained properly or installed correctly in the first place. The most common is if freezing conditions have weakened it. Leaks will start if it’s not treated.
Ponding. It might not come as surprise to find that this is the collection of pockets of water on the roof. It’s an indication that the roof angle may not be correct and there is a chance that this can be put right with the inclusion of some additional drains or a building up of the angle again. The collection of water is not good as it can seep through the cover if left untreated and unattended to.
Blistering. This is where air gets underneath the covering and starts to bubble up very much like an actual blister. This bubble can rupture and punch through the membrane allowing water to get in. It will take a professional job to sort it out and reseal the area.
Regular maintenance is a pretty essential bug bear that you’ll need to have to endure when you have a felt roof. Some of this you can do yourself as long as you take due care and ensure that planks are laid down should you venture up onto the roof you can clean away any of the accumulated muck and rubbish that’s made its way up there. A leaf blower is your friend in these circumstances.