Newmarket Roofers installs and repairs flat roofs on extensions, garages, and outbuildings in Fordham, and we want every roof we fit to last as long as the materials are capable of.
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A new flat roof is a significant investment, and the way you look after it once the roofers have left has a real bearing on how long it performs well. Most flat roof failures are not sudden events. They are the result of small problems - a blocked outlet, a loose flashing, a minor split at an upstand - that are left unattended until water finds a way in. The good news is that most of these problems are easy to spot and cheap to deal with if caught early.
We fit felt and EPDM rubber flat roofs for homeowners in Fordham and the surrounding area. What follows is practical guidance on keeping a flat roof in good shape between professional inspections.
Drainage is the most critical functional requirement of any flat roof. If the outlet or gutters block up, water backs up across the surface. Even a small amount of standing water accelerates membrane degradation and puts weight on the deck. Leaves, moss fragments, and wind-blown debris accumulate on flat roofs faster than on pitched roofs because there is no slope to shed them.
Check and clear the outlet grating, any internal drain, and the gutters at the edges at least twice a year - once in autumn after leaf fall and once in spring. A blockage at the outlet can cause water to pond in the centre of the roof where it does the most damage to the membrane. A five-minute check with a gloved hand is all it takes.
Some ponding immediately after heavy rain is normal on flat roofs. What should not happen is water still sitting on the surface 24 to 48 hours after the rain has stopped. Persistent ponding means either the outlet is partially blocked or the roof does not have adequate falls in that area. Both are fixable, but neither fixes itself.
If you notice water sitting in a particular area repeatedly, note where it is and mention it when you next have a roofer on site. Correcting the fall is not always straightforward after the fact, but the outlet side of the problem often is. A small amount of tapered insulation can sometimes be used to redirect water to the drain without a full strip and re-deck.
Where a flat roof meets a wall, the membrane is turned up the vertical surface to form an upstand, and the top of that upstand is usually protected by a metal flashing - typically lead or aluminium - set into the mortar joint. Both the upstand and the flashing need checking periodically.
Signs to look for:
These are the most common points of entry for water on an otherwise sound flat roof. Catching a loose flashing early - re-pointing the mortar and pressing the flashing back - is a straightforward repair. Leaving it until water has been tracking down inside the wall for months creates a much larger problem.
You do not need to climb onto the roof for a visual check. From ground level, or from an upstairs window if the roof is on a single-storey extension below, look for:
EPDM rubber membranes typically do not blister in the same way as felt, but they should be checked for any punctures, loose seams at the edges, or areas where the adhesive has released. A small split on an EPDM roof can often be repaired with a patch and cold adhesive if caught before water penetrates the deck.
Moss grows on flat roofs in damp conditions and retains moisture against the membrane surface. It will not immediately damage a modern EPDM membrane, but it adds weight, blocks drainage channels, and over time can degrade felt surfaces. If moss is present, brush it off gently with a soft-bristle brush - do not use a pressure washer on a flat roof membrane. High-pressure water can force its way under lap joints and edge seals.
Biocide treatments designed for roofing use can slow moss regrowth, but check with a roofer before applying anything to a rubber membrane, as some chemical products are not compatible with EPDM bonding adhesives.
Ground-level visual checks and clearing outlets are sensible homeowner tasks. Going onto the roof to investigate is a different matter. Flat roofs on single-storey extensions and garages are lower than pitched roofs, but falling from any height is serious. Beyond the safety issue, walking on a flat roof without knowing where the structural supports are can damage the deck or the membrane - particularly on older roofs where the deck may already have soft spots.
If you see something that concerns you during a ground-level check, the right step is to call a roofer for a proper inspection rather than climb up yourself. A professional inspection of a flat roof typically costs £50 to £150 depending on access requirements and the size of the roof, and it is money well spent against the cost of a missed early-stage problem.
A flat roof in good condition should be inspected by a roofer every two to three years. If the roof is more than ten years old, or if it has previously had repairs, annual inspection makes more sense. After any significant storm - high winds, heavy prolonged rain, or a freeze-thaw period in winter - it is worth a visual check at ground level and a call to a roofer if anything looks different from before.
Frost is particularly hard on flat roof edge details. Water that has crept under a loose flashing freezes and expands, widening the gap. A minor lifting flashing before winter can become a significant leak by spring if left unattended.
When a roofer is inspecting a flat roof, it costs very little extra to check the associated elements at the same visit:
If your flat roof in Fordham is due a check, or if you have noticed something during your own ground-level inspection, call us to arrange a proper survey. We cover Fordham and the surrounding area from our base in Newmarket. Tell us what you have seen and we will advise on the most sensible next step.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
