FLAT ROOFING

Flat roofing is usually designed for use on small buildings such as, garage roofs, bay windows, outbuildings and extensions.

The type of flat roof mainly depends on the type of building, costs and purpose of the building.

There are three main types of flat roofing:

Felt
Rubber
Fibreglass

FELT ROOFING

prestige20160526_083133 — The old felt flat roof is showing signs of needing replacing – as well as the dirt, debris and moss growth it is also leaking

prestige20160526_102047 — We removed the old mineral felt flat roofing material

prestige20160401_092513 — Removal of the old felt roofing and laying down new roofing boards

prestige20160401_121119 — Laid the underlay

prestige20160401_145203 — Laying down the mineral felt flat roof material

prestige20160401_145214 — The Finished Product – New Felt Roof

RUBBER FLAT ROOFING

EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) is a man made rubber that’s been around a long time. A good example is the rubber that’s used around car doors or windscreens, out in all weather and exposed to the sun for years.

EPDM is a rubber material consisting of the main compounds ethylene and propylene. A flexible rubber matrix is formed when a small amount of diene is added to the mix.

EPDM is available as a reinforced mix, both of which are commonly used and available in either a cured or uncured state.

Insulating a flat roof

Insulating a flat roof using the warm roof construction method means you place the roof insulation over the timber decking.

Warm roof construction is considered to be much more efficient and is a better build. Cutting pieces of roof insulation between the joist is a skillful job and takes time, unfortunately if the roof insulation is not cut correctly and air can get between then cold bridging can begin

WHY DOES MY FLAT ROOF LEAK?

The top reasons why a flat roof leaks are

Bad design

Not having an adequate fall on the roof or adequate outlets for water to drain from the roof.

Bad workmanship

The roof covering not being installed to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Settlement

The roof holds water because the timbers supporting it have sagged and now allow water to pond on the roof.

Lack of maintenance

Solar-reflective stones or paint haven’t been applied regularly.

Puncturing

People walking and working on the roof without taking care.

Poorly installed flashings

Flashings not dressed to the surrounding walls correctly or incorrect use of flashing materials.

TORCH ON FELT FLAT ROOFING

Torch on felt has predominantly taken over the market because of the ease of installation.

The new, high tensile, torch on felts that have taken over from the traditional mineral felt roofing systems are now so good that some manufacturers are guaranteeing their products for 20 years.

WHAT IS MINERAL FELT ROOFING

Mineral felt roofing is a type of roofing material made from bitumen (asphalt) reinforced with a base layer, such as fiberglass or polyester, and topped with a layer of mineral granules.

This material is commonly used for flat or low-pitched roofs due to its durability, waterproofing properties, and ease of installation. The mineral granules protect the bitumen from UV rays and weather damage, extending the roof’s lifespan.

CAN MY FLAT ROOF BE INSULATED?

Most old flat roofs can be insulated, however, sometimes the cost becomes restrictive, take an example of a flat roof that has a bedroom under it and above a balcony opens up onto the flat roof, the step of the door out onto the roof is only 50mm above the existing roof.