A flat roof is often used on a single-storey extension on a domestic property, it can also be found on a dormer roof as part of a loft conversion and on bay window or porch roofs. You will also find flat roofing structures on most modern office blocks or large city residential blocks as they need the flat area to house, air conditioning units, water towers, fire suppressants and satellite dishes but to name a few.
Most signs of damage to a flat roof will be found internally.
1. Mould – this will appear after a period of time and where a leak is only generating a small amount of liquid coming into the property.
2. Water Staining – This will appear on the walls and ceilings and can be a sign of a previous ingress of water.
3. Water dripping into the property, often this will appear through a light fitting or down the sides of a wall and will mean there is a major issue. (DO NOT turn on the lights – isolate the power to that room and contact a roofer and an electrical contractor immediately.)
Signs of damage to a flat roof during an external inspection.
If you suspect there are issues with your flat roof and you want to be able to tell a roofing contractor what you think the issue may be, it is always worth trying to take a few photos and sharing them with the roofing contractor in advance of them making a visit to your property. Most reputable roofing contractors will not charge a call-out fee without prior discussion with a customer.
Soft or sagging decking – this is the surface of the roof, (also known as substrate) as you look at the roof you may see the surface bowing and be very aware not to stand on this surface as you may fall through. This can be a sign that the OSB/Ply may have failed. However, this may not be the case. Pooling of water on a flat roof can be quite common, and you should contact a local roofing contractor to do a visual inspection on your behalf (a small cost may apply for this inspection)
Cracking in various places on the flat roof, generally on upstands and welted drip edges. You will have possibly already seen leaks internally, but cracking on the flat roof surface doesn’t necessarily mean its leaking but it could mean maintenance is needed.
Cracking and lifting of lead flashing (also repointing of lead flashing) – The majority of flat roofs will have some lead flashing where the flat roof joins the abutment wall, this can fail over the years and although the cracks may seem very small, water ingress is likely to permeate.
Bubbling on the flat roof surface, this is due to moisture being trapped between the products, this can be founds on all flat roofs and usually suggests poor installation or a failure in the product.
These are just some outlying issues, there may be more complex issues which would require expert advice.
If you think you have any issues with your flat roof, contact our office team to book in for a quotation.
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