CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004 FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM
At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
FLAT ROOF MAINTENANCE
Flat roofs require more maintenance than do sloped roofs because debris tends to collect on them. But they’re safer to walk on than sloped roofs. As long as you’re careful not to damage the roofing material as you work, it’s easy to keep them functional.
Properly maintaining a flat roof is essential to prevent damage to your home and keep those living under the roof safe. It’s extremely important to make sure that the roof system functions properly. As a result, flat roofs often require more roof repairs and roof replacements than other options. The most common concerns for flat roofs are leaks, water collection and debris buildup. There is also a concern for wear and tear of the roof membrane material that could potentially buckle and blister for homes with flat roofing.
Routine Maintenance Procedures
Maintaining a flat roof is relatively simple. The best method for flat roof maintenance is consistency. Constantly inspecting the roof is an essential part of your maintenance plan. Regular roof inspections empower you to nip any potential issues in the bud that would otherwise become a costly and possibly dangerous issue over time.
Keep debris off the roof
Due to the structure of a flat roof, it’s common for debris to accumulate on the surface of the home. Between trees lining the street to the pollution that makes its way through the air, it’s essential to consistently collect and remove any debris that has gathered on the roof. This is particularly important to do during the colder months of the year. During the winter, it’s easy for debris to accumulate under piles of snow, causing further damage to the roof due to increased weight.
Check the drainage regularly
Despite the name, flat roofs are not actually flat. They are built at a slight angle to allow water to drain off the top of the home through a gutter system or other centralized draining system. While they have this additional feature to help with water drainage, flat roofs lag behind in the efficiency of water and snow drainage compared to traditional sloped roofs.
Inspect for leaks and fix promptly
Keeping your flat roof clean and regularly maintaining your drainage system is only one piece of the puzzle. Make sure to consistently check the roofing material for any punctures or rips. While roofing material will vary, a tear in the roofing membrane can result in leaks. Typically, the roofing membrane of a flat roof is installed with multiple layers of your chosen roofing material for longevity, but it’s still important to thoroughly monitor the material as the roof ages over time. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on your roof during the colder months. Winter damage is a common occurrence that results in leaks unless promptly fixed.
Keep unnecessary weight off the roof
A common problem that many homeowners with flat roofs neglect to consider is sinking. This is a typical problem for older roofs with materials that have weakened over time and roofs that have not been properly maintained. However, excess weight can also result in significant damage to the seal coating of your flat roof. Before bombarding the top of your home with a full outdoor renovation, make sure that you consider the weight of heavier objects, as these are likely to create depressions or ponding in the roof over time.
Remove trees/overhang promptly
In addition to being mindful of weather conditions, homeowners with flat roofs need to be cognizant of trees and other foliage that overhang the roof. While the greenery might contribute to your rooftop space, if left unchecked, it can result in serious issues in the long run. Knocked-down trees and fallen branches can cause significant damage to exposed areas of the roof and home structure, especially during extreme weather or natural disasters. Plants can also result in some critter nests that may or may not be welcome in or around your home. Moreover, overhanging plants and nature will leave a consistent buildup of dirt and other organic matter that can result in critical drainage or blockage problems. Leaves can clog your gutters, plants provide easy access for pests to nest on top of your home and numerous other serious problems should be considered.
Maintenance of a flat roof should involve:
Removal of all accumulated leaves, dirt and debris.
Clearance of rainwater outlets, downpipes and gutters. Ensure gratings over outlets or gutters are clear.
Replacement of any surface protection which has been dislodged or removed.
Inspect the roofing
Most flat roofing systems have seams. While you’re cleaning debris, check the seams for signs of lifting or separating. Even small cracks can cause leaks and should be repaired promptly.
Check also for blisters that occur when air is trapped underneath the membrane. They need to be “popped” to let the air out, then patched with roofing cement or overlaid with a patch of the same roofing material.
Look for blistering and alligatoring
Blistering
Blisters form when there are pockets of air or moisture trapped between layers of your roof’s membrane or between the membrane and the roof deck. As the sun heats the roof, those pockets expand and stretch the membrane. In severe cases, the membrane will actually crack when the pressure becomes too great.
Even if the roof membrane doesn’t crack, blisters are usually a cyclical problem. That is, once they form, the membrane stretches permanently, which allows for even more air or moisture to infiltrate the membrane layers. This causes even more expansion. Each time the sun heats your roof, there is the potential for the blisters to grow a little larger.
Alligatoring
Alligatoring is a sign that your roof is aging. The sun’s UV rays dry and damage the roof’s surface, and after three to five years, the coating may develop small cracks. If left untended, the problem will get worse. Ice, sunlight and the heating and cooling shifts between day and night will all cause new cracks to appear while widening the existing cracks.
Inspect the flashing
Flashing protects plumbing stacks, roof vents and other protrusions to prevent leaks. Look for cracks or gaps that could allow water to seep in. Repair and cracks with roofing caulk.
Flat Roof Repair
There are several flat roofing systems in common use. When leaks occur, you can repair most with a patch of the same material as the roofing. For materials like modified bitumen (similar to asphalt roll roofing), apply the patch with roofing tar. Other materials, like EPDM rubber, TPO (a type of plastic) and PVC (another plastic), need to be heat-sealed.
Pinpointing a leak can be challenging because water may seep under the membrane for a considerable distance before finding a path through a seam. Call a professional!
Flat Roof Replacement
When the roof covering exceeds its warranty period, it’s time to think about replacement. But if you notice any of the following conditions, replacement should happen sooner than later:
Damage to the membrane, seams or flashing in several places
Multiple leaks
Water habitually pools in certain areas
There’s impact damage from a fallen tree branch or other debris
Leave roof replacement to the pros. They’ll remove the old membrane, rotted plywood and fascia, damaged roof vents and plumbing stacks. They may also replace insulation. After cleaning up, they’ll lay a new membrane, re-flash all the vents and install new perimeter flashing and fascia.
CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004 FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM