How to choose your flat roofing material

An article by admin    No Comments

You may have a small flat roof on your house – most houses do. It might be above a bay window, it might be on an extension you had built, or it might be the roof on your garage. Whichever part of your house the flat roof is on, it is going to have a limited life-span. When it comes to changing it, you’re faced with a number of options. Do you replace it with a like for like material (likely to be bitumen or built-up-felt if the roof is over 10 years old) or do you go for one of the new materials in GRP (glass reinforced plastic) or rubber (known as EPDM, or Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer to give it its full title).

But what are the advantages, or disadvantages of each type of roof material?

Built-up felt
Built up felt (known sometimes as 3-part felt) is one of the cheapest options available to you when it comes to replacing your flat roof. You will find that mostcompanies will be able to fit it and it’s relatively cheap as an option. However, it has a life expectency of around just 10 to 15 years – depending on how well it has been laid so you’re likely to be replacing the roof again in the not too distant future.

Fibreglass
GRP, or fibreglass roofing is an excellent ioption if you want a long lasting roof in a slightly different colour. GRP can be coloured to vitrually any shade, so it can fit in with the rest of your home’s decor. Furthermore, GRP fibreglass is incredibly hard wearing and can be walked on without fear of it cracking or breaking. It’s superb, therefore for balconies. More expensive than felt, but much longer lasting (with a life expectency of some 30 to 40 years).

Rubber
EPDM rubber is a single membrane that is fitted to flat roofs. It is a relatively new product which requires that it is laid down by an experienced fitter. As such, you need to make sure that your roofer of choice is a skilled EPDM expert. EPDM has a very long life expectency – similar to that og GRP roofing, but again it comes at a higher price that traditional felt roofing.

Whichever roofing material you choose, you need to be sure that the company you use is skilled, respected and able to do the job correctly. Flat roofing is a skill which requires experience and knowhow – not something that everyone has. Ask several important questions of your provider, make sure that they have fitted and constructed rubber, felt or fibreglass roof before and, if you are going to choose felt, it is torched on using a flame. As such, you need to be sure that the roofer you use is suitably insured against damaging your home.