Flat roofs are a great option for your building. For commercial buildings, they look sleek and professional. For homes, they create the perfect space for a unique garden or a patio with a view. However, they’re less common for homes, so residents might not be as familiar with basic maintenance routines. Do flat roofs need to be maintained yearly, every other year, twice a year, or when else? If you’re asking yourself this, you’ve found your answer here.
Do Flat Roofs Need to Be Maintained Yearly?
Yes. Flat roofs need thorough maintenance yearly or twice a year, as well as minor checkups and cleanups after a storm or during seasonal changes. Whereas sloped roofs naturally allow water and debris to slide off, flat roofs collect them. These will cause damage to your roof if not properly maintained. Other factors such as your roofing material, how old your roof is, and how well you take care of it all play into how often you should call for maintenance.
We recommend having them professionally maintained before winter—snow can really take a toll on your roof, so you’ll want to make sure everything is in good condition before any blizzards hit.
To keep your flat roof in its best shape throughout the year, here are some tips and things to watch out for:
- Clear out ponding water as soon as possible after rainfall. If left alone for too long, you might find yourself with a leak, new (unwanted) vegetation growing, or serious structural problems. Doing this manually takes quite a bit of work, so consider installing a draining system, if you don’t have one already.
- Check the interior of your roof for dark spots. This indicates water damage.
- In order to cut down on debris or other damage, trim back any tree branches that have grown over your roof.
- Consider more gutters, if you only have one or two. Gutters will save you the some of the effort of clearing out water and debris.
- Keep an eye out for blistering. Blistering occurs with hotter weather, when the heat causes air to bubble up underneath your roof’s membrane. This allows water to pass through more easily.
- Look for splits and cracks in your roof. You might be able to fix minor cracks yourself, but if you spot a big one, you’ll want to call in a pro.
- Always, always, always have snow and ice taken care of as soon as possible. Again, snow causes a great deal of damage to flat roofs if left on too long.
And as with any home project, you’ll save yourself time, money, and stress if you maintain regularly before a problem occurs.
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Needing your flat roof repaired or maintained? If you live in southwest Missouri, contact Taylor-Made Roofing. With over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial roofing, Taylor-Made Roofing is a company that you can trust with all of your roofing and guttering needs. Our family-owned business offers quality services, a reassuring warranty, and free estimates. For more information, please give us a call at 417-326-8778 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!