A flat roof is a good choice for any home but it does require routine maintenance. A flat roof relies on a combination of gravity and shingles to stop any moisture from getting inside the home. When water is allowed to pool and sit on the roof for any length of time there is a distinct possibility that it will eventually lead to a leak appearing in the roof. Roofers in Harrow know that a roof which has some degree of pitch expedites the elimination of water as it simply runs off during a rain storm; the shingles stop any water penetration until it can all run off into the gutter and dissipate.
A perfectly flat roof, even a roof with a very low pitch does not have the advantage of gravity as a steep pitched roof has. Because of the lack of gravity to move the water, the entire roof must be covered with an impregnable water barrier as well as a way to eliminate the water that stands on the roof after it has been raining.
An excellent solution for a flat roof is rubber roofing. A rubber roof is a single or multiple ply membrane that is produced from a synthetic material. This membrane covers the entire roof and is fastened using special glue or fasteners. This synthetic rubber membrane comes in wide widths so the roof can be covered with a minimum of seams as seams are always the weak point in a flat roof.
Standing water on the roof can be removed with a siphon. Roofers in Harrow can produce a siphon which operates off a timer; it is set to run for a minute or so several times during the day, as it is a siphon it will continue to remove any standing water from the roof even though the pump motor is not running. The best protection against flat roof leaks is to rid the roof of water as quickly as possible.
Although a flat roof does require more care and attention that pitched roofs they do have advantages. All the space in the home can be utilized; there is no loss of headroom because of the roof pitch. Many home-owners use the flat roof as an extension to the living area; they convert it into a roof garden which can be used during the warm summer months. It is even possible to plant grass on the roof; this actually works well as the turf absorbs water before it can even reach the rubber membrane.
Allen Roofing Supplies are Roofers in Harrow that maintain an inventory of everything you need to install a flat roof. Plywood, membrane, bitumen etc are all readily available.