Flat roofing comes in a variety of options. Single ply, lead, felt and liquid applied membranes available for installation on residential roofs, or Industrial and commercial roofs. Ideally suited for extensions, out-buildings and garages, Superior Roofing Solutions can install, repair and maintain your roof with any of the above options. 

Flat Roof Advantages

By far the biggest advantage of using a flat roof is the expense. From the initial building and installation to the materials most often used to cover the roof, flat roofs are fairly cheap  which makes a flat roof extremely affordable both for the initial installation and the maintenance and upkeep.

Another advantage to using a flat roof is the fact that you can now make use of the space once the roof is done. Get your air conditioning units up off the ground and put them on the roof. Install solar panels on the roof that are less obvious from the curb. Plant a roof top garden or design a living roof. The possibilities of how you can use a flat roof are nearly endless, and this is by far one of the greatest benefits to using one.

Going hand in hand with the last advantage is the fact that with a flat roof, you have the ability to have a more versatile interior space as well. Finished attics and the use of a top floor apartment become more readily available without the sloped walls that a traditional pitched roof would produce. This makes a nice option for homes where the maximum amount of interior space is needed.

Finally, flat roofs are generally more accessible than sloped roofs. So cleaning your gutters, making repairs, and installing things like satellite dishes or solar panels become easier and less expensive to do as well.

Flat Roof Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage to installing a flat roof is the drainage, or lack thereof. Flat roofs do drain, but not nearly as efficiently as a roof with any kind of pitch. Therefore, water has a tendency to puddle and remain on the roof, which could lead to the roofing material breaking down or to eventual leaks, particularly along the seams.

The second disadvantage is the lack of roofing material options. The vast majority of flat roofs use a type of rolled roofing; rubber, EPDM, TPO, or bitumen. These are all relatively inexpensive materials and easy to install, but most of them have a limited lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Rubber shingles are available that can be installed in conjunction with rolled rubber roofing, and some new materials such as polycarbonate roofing and PVC roofing are becoming available that may last longer and give some style options, but these come at a higher price, and lack the kind of history that can help predict how long they will last.