With so many different varieties of roofing available to choose from, it can be difficult weighing up the pros and cons of each in order to come to a decision of what might be the best option for your house. One type of roofing that perhaps falls a little under the radar sometimes and isn’t quite as popular as others, is flat roofing. However, there are many fantastic qualities to flat roofing, and so it is definitely something that we would recommend you consider.
To help you find out a little bit more about flat roofing, we thought we would explain what it is, and what the advantages and disadvantages of it are including elements such as life span, costs, repairs, and more.
Firstly, what is flat roofing?
Flat roofing is quite self explanatory in its title, as it is basically just a style of roofing that has an almost completely flat surface, as opposed to a lot of other roofs that tend to be sloped. Flat roofing is quite popular in modern homes now, however as more people become aware of its benefits, it is now becoming a more prevalent choice amongst homeowners.
Pros of flat roofing
Due to the shape of flat roofing, there is less material required in comparison to other styles of roofing that are sloped, therefore creating a lower cost in materials. Furthermore, they have a lower cost of installation than standard styles of roofing, which also contributes to bringing the cost down and making is quite a good cost effective investment. Due to the simplicity of flat roofing, it takes less time and poses less threat to have installed.
Another great perk of flat roofing is that it is very low maintenance. You will rarely encounter any problems with flat roofing, and even if you do, the cost of repair or replacement is typically a lot lower. Flat roofing is also very easily compatible with things like solar panels, meaning that if you wish to have these fitted, it would cost less than if you had another kind of roofing, and in addition to this, the solar panels themselves will keep electricity bills down, aswell as being a more environmentally friendly alternative.
Due to the shape and nature of flat roofing, it makes your roof a lot more easily accessible. Again, this is very handy for repairs or having things fitted such as solar panels or guttering. It means that if you have to call out a roofer to carry out an inspection or do some work on it, this is much easier for them to get to, aswell as safer.
Cons of flat roofing
Unfortunately due to the way flat roofs are designed and the materials used, they aren’t able to withstand quite as much weight as other styles of roofing can, that are sloped. Furthermore, they don’t tend to have the best lifespan. On average, flat roofing will last for around ten years, so although installation costs are less, you would have to have it replaced more frequently than if you were to have another style of roofing.
Another big disadvantage of flat roofing, is draining. A lot of roofs are designed with steep sloping, so as to direct water off the surface and into the gutter. With flat roofing, this isn’t so much the case, and instead, a lot of the time water will just gather and sit on the flat surface. Not only is this bad as the water doesn’t drain, but it also puts weight onto the roof which could be damaging and weaken the material. This also becomes a problem during the winter, because if there is heavy snowfall, this can put a lot of pressure on the roof and can result in damage if it is too much for the surface to hold.
Finally, flat roofs don’t always look the most visually impressive or glamourous. For the cost effectiveness and accessibility benefits of flat roofing, you may sacrifice aesthetics slightly.
If you would like to know more about flat roofing or have any questions, simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be more than happy to help.
