The difference between a felt roof and the leading flat roof
Not all flat roofs are the same. It would be like saying that an old second-hand car you picked up for a few hundred pounds and a brand new family saloon are the same. Yes, they are both cars. Yes, they both (hopefully) get you from A to B. Yes, they both have seats and a steering wheel. But that’s likely where the similarity ends.
Your new car will have buttons and gadgets galore to make your journey as easy, comfortable and enjoyable as possible. It may cost more to buy and insure because of its value but because of its low CO2 emissions and economical fuel consumption, you’re likely to save on road tax and fuel.
It’ll cost less to maintain and will sail through its MOTs. It will have the latest safety features and airbags to ensure that your family are protected at all times.
Whereas your cheap runaround may have only cost peanuts to buy, but it may very well end up costing your dearly to run and maintain. If you’re lucky you may get a couple of years out of it before it ends up on the scrap heap or sold for ‘spares or repairs’.
Felt roof vs PVC flat roof
The same can be said for a traditional felt flat roof and a membrane roof. They are both roofs and they both offer protection from the elements. But other than those most basic of comparisons, they are strikingly different.
A traditional flat felt roof costs less to buy and install. It will probably serve you well for a couple of years. However, it won’t be long before you are likely to have issues.
Felt is very susceptible to temperature changes. The warm summers and cold winters can cause felt roofs to become brittle, blister and crack, which means that rainwater cannot drain properly. Instead it can pool and ultimately, leak into your property’s roof structure. This can cause severe damage without you even noticing; it can rot your deck and joists long before the problem is noticeable.
In fact, it could be months before you realise, during which time large amounts of water can slowly pool until it has nowhere else to go but down… through the ceiling and into your home, causing hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds worth of damage.
Traditional flat felt roofs have an average lifespan of 10 years. Because of this, some insurers refuse to insure a felt flat roof. Plus you will probably have to repair your flat roof a number of times before the decade is up.
What about membrane flat roofs?
Modern technology is such that we now have various new options when it comes to installing or replacing a flat roof. Anti-slip, PVC single-ply membrane roofing systems have revolutionised the domestic and commercial market because of their exceptional flat roof protection.
100% waterproof, storm resistant, guaranteed to never blister or crack, unaffected by expansion or contraction and offering superior strength, roofing membranes are 100% maintenance free.
Why
Because their titanium dioxide top layer is solar reflective and provides optimum protection against damaging UV rays. Single-ply membrane roofs are also resistant to moss or algae, which can also play havoc with the integrity of your flat roof.
Much like your new family saloon, a new membrane flat roofing system will cost more initially. But with proven benefits and a LIFETIME GUARANTEE, there really is no comparison.
