Problems With Flat Felt Roofs

But you can avoid the bulk of these problems with regular maintenance.

Problems with flat felt roofs.

Flat roof defect 2 blistering. Bituminous felt is a form of waterproof sheeting that is used to cover flat roofs or as an underlay beneath slate or tile roofing. The substance itself is made from bitumen which comes from the distillation of crude oil that has been either mixed with sand or crushed limestone. A leak in a flat roof can lead to eventual collapse and tons of property damage if you re not careful.

First of all we should clear up a common. Leaks and moisture probably the most common problems with flat roofs leaks and lingering moisture are issues that can be dealt with effectively as long as you stay on top of them. Check to ensure the roof is in good enough condition to walk over. When blistering occurs it.

Just like any roof a flat roof will develop leaks but since it s flat the water doesn t have anywhere to go but straight down. And standing water on a flat roof is a common problem. Even small amounts of trapped moisture can result in your flat roof membrane detaching from the layer below and cause roof blisters. While laying felt is not an easy job it can be done by anyone who has the patience to deal with it.

This is the most common roofing problem and it tends to get worse during the day when the heat of the sun causes the trapped moisture to expand. However when your flat roof has uneven areas an insufficient slope or drainage issues the water doesn t dissipate. Step 1 prep work. Common problems caused by flat roof.

While that s all good flat roof owners do have to be more careful to prevent roof leaks damage and other problems. Felt is laid on a flat roof to help keep the roofing system waterproof. However in my own experience the problems with leaking flat roofs are usually as a result of either poor workmanship installing the roof membrane poor maintenance by the building owner or as a result of age. Obvious or unforeseen roof problems are always a pain and undoubtedly a significant expense.

Buildings magazine examined which problems are most common and the conditions that can either cause or be the result of premature failure and reduced service life of low slope roof systems. On a performing flat roof ponding water is not a problem as it will drain or even evaporate away. Skip straight to solutions or read on to. This is not a self diagnostic guide but rather an informative list of some of the problems most often battled.

Here are simple steps to get you started. On a performing flat roof ponding water isn t a problem as it will just drain away. However when your flat roof has uneven areas due to sagging an insufficient slope or drainage issues the ponding water doesn t dissipate.