Does your flat roof need repairing or replacing?
We’re all busy people. Factor in work, children, cleaning, school runs, shopping and dare we say it, a social life, and it’s all too easy to put those little jobs off. Things like DIY – after all, who has time to repaint the living room or sort out the gutters when you’re barely managing to juggle your day-to-day tasks?
However, there are some repairs that really shouldn’t be ignored. If they’re not dealt with in a timely manner, a small issue can become a big problem a few months down the line.
An example of this is a flat roof. It may only be a small roof that protects a lean-to or carport, which makes it easy to ignore. Out of sight, out of mind, right? The problem is that if you don’t look after your flat roof, you could end up with significant repairs and a large hole in your bank balance.
This is because your roof is the only thing that protects your family and your belongings from the elements. Wind, rain, snow, hail – without a roof you are totally exposed. However, many of still have traditional flat roofs, manufactured using mineral felt laid over the top of timber decking and then covered in a protective layer of loose stone chippings. Sadly these roofs are notoriously difficult to maintain and can degrade over time, blistering, expanding, contracting, cracking and eventually succumbing to the impact of both high and low temperatures. Traditional bitumen roofs are also susceptible to being damaged by moss and algae, further degrading the integrity of your property.
With this information to hand, it is not surprising that many insurers actually refuse to insure any contents that are protected by a flat felt roof that is over seven years old.
Therefore, it is vital that you check your flat roof periodically to ensure it’s still up to the job. Statistics show that approximately one quarter of all roofs have hail or wind damage that cannot be observed from the ground, so you need to get ‘up close and personal’ to inspect it properly.
If you are unable to do this yourself , there’s no reason why you can’t ask the professionals to help. Get in touch with a few reputable roofing contractors and ask them to assess the condition of your roof. If they believe that work needs to be done, you will then be able to request quotations from a variety of contractors in order to gain a fair price. Plus, if major work does need to be carried out on your flat roof, remember to contact your insurer as you may be able to make a claim on your building insurance.
Don’t brush your failing flat roof under the carpet!
Yes, we realise that this is physically impossible but you get the point – minor repairs may only cost a few hundred pounds if you deal with the issue in a timely manner. But by ignoring the problem, you may end up with a flat roof that can no longer be repaired – it needs to be completely replaced. In the meantime, water damage from your failing flat roof could have damaged your property’s joists and ceiling. You may very well be looking at thousands in repair costs.
It’s simple really – the longer you put off fixing your flat roof, the more expensive it will be when you finally have to.
Do you need to replace your flat roof?
If you’ve been given the news that your current flat roof cannot be repaired, please call High-Tech Membrane Roofing today. Based in Basildon, Essex, we supply and install a range of market-leading Single-Ply PVC roofing systems to residential and commercial customers across the region.
Unlike traditional flat roofs, our carefully selected membrane roofing systems offer the ultimate in protection – they are 100% waterproof, weather resistant and maintenance-free. They will never blister or crack, are unaffected by UV rays, moss and algae.
By choosing High-Tech, you are assured of a first class service and high quality flat roofing products, all backed by our no-quibble LIFETIME guarantee.
Sadly your roof isn’t going to magically fix itself – so if you believe you need to replace or upgrade your existing flat roof, get in contact High-Tech Membrane Roofing.
