How to tell whether your flat roof is leaking

A pitched roof is built to ensure that any rainwater runs off naturally. However, a flat roof must be designed and installed to endure repeated exposure to moisture, sunlight and more.

• Are you concerned that your flat roof is leaking?

• Are you are worried that your flat roof has been damaged or degraded to the point that it is letting water into your property?

When it comes to a leaking roof, you must always treat it as an emergency. Water entering your home can wreak havoc in a matter of days. If you don’t deal with the problem straight away, a leak can end up being incredibly costly.

Remember that when it comes to a flat roof, the source of the leak may not be directly above the damage. The only way to determine where the flat roof has been compromised is by visually examining the roof’s surface on a dry day.

Please also bear in mind that walking on a flat roof comes with its own perils. Particularly if its integrity has been compromised by a leak. In the first case, try to spot the damage using a ladder and/or binoculars, or ask a professional roofing company to help.

• A low spot surrounded by a dirt-stained ring on your flat roof’s surface may be evidence of pooling water
• Holes in the seams of your flat roof’s membrane
• Flat roof panels have come apart and cannot be patched up
• The undercoat is exposed
• Your flat roof is covered in moss, algae or grass, which compromises the protective roof covering
• Water stains, mould or wet insulation inside your home or on exterior walls
• Water trickling at the spot you identified inside your house when a hose has been sprayed in the area you suspect is leaking

Please note: if you spot any blisters, they need to be dealt with as soon as possible. They are a weak spot on your roof that will eventually tear and allow water to seep underneath your flat roof’s protective covering.

Finding the source of the leak is something a careful homeowner can do. However, getting it fixed or replaced is best left to the professionals. Even a decent DIY job is likely to only delay the inevitable – another leak in the future!

Covering Essex and surrounding areas, High-Tech Membrane Roofing has been replacing and installing cutting-edge, proven flat roofing systems for more than 15 years. We have the knowledge, experience and resources to help you deal with any issue.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you are concerned that your flat roof is leaking. High-Tech Membrane Roofing offers free advice and a LIFETIME guarantee with the installation of any maintenance-free flat roofing system.

Please call High-Tech Membrane Roofing today to book a free, no-obligation site visit.