Depending on your particular project and needs, you may be toying with the idea of a flat roof instead of a pitched one. Here at Solomon Roof, we are big fans of flat roofing, having seen the wonders it can work for residential and commercial properties across Seattle. However, if you’re not convinced or you’ve not yet thought seriously about the benefits of a flat roof, we can help round up the top perks of this pitch alternative.
Accessibility
Have you ever climbed a steep pitched roof? No? Well, we have, and it is a challenge as far as accessibility is concerned, even for seasoned professionals. If you intend on managing the upkeep of your roof or even accessing it for things like practical outside storage or something more enjoyable, like a roof terrace, you are likely to find a flat roof far easier than a pitched one.
Easier maintenance
Maintenance is key when it comes to making an investment like a roof last. Flat roofs mean you can climb up to check the gutters, have a look to see how it held up after winter or reach it with a broom to brush off dead leaves and debris as the seasons change. The flat roof is just easier when it comes to basic maintenance. Of course, it is always better to leave bigger jobs like repair and replacement to professionals, but general, regular upkeep will ensure your roof stays in good condition for longer.
Durable
Some of the key components in the making of a flat roof include high performance felts. These are both extremely hardy substances when it comes to weather and general wear and tear, meaning that you won’t have so much to worry about after a storm or massive temperature plummet. Unlike their more delicate clay and slate tile counterparts, flat roofs prove durable season after season, year after year.
Storage
Cumbersome ladders? Air conditioning unit? Solar panels? All great and handy things to have, but a potential headache when it comes to sensible out of the way storage. Even aerials and satellite dishes can cause havoc when it comes to balancing them and bolting them down on a pitched roof decline. However, all of these items (and more) are easily installed and secured on a flat roof, without the careful considerations needed for steeper pitched roofs.
Options
Of course, you have plenty in the way of options for pitched and flat roofs alike. For example, the attic space of a pitched roof can be transformed into extra living space, sometimes with storage retained in the eaves. With a flat roof though, chopping, changing, adding and creating new spaces in your property is even easier – especially if you need a more traditional box-style four walls. You can build out, you can build up and you don’t have the added expense of having to top your extension off with a new and potentially costly pitched roof, which is likely to pose all kinds of architectural and structural challenges.
Cost-effective
Compared to other roofing options, a flat roof is a cost-effective choice. With a pitched roof, there are many variables that can easily take it from a sensible to a very costly design, depending on the type of tile, whether you have single or multiple pitches and what additional features are needed. On top of this, the awkward installation process for new, replacement or repaired pitched roofs can prove more expensive than flat roofs. As well as reasonably priced materials, the installation of a flat roof is straightforward, and as long as you enlist the help of qualified roofing specialists for repairs and replacements (avoiding costly fixes for bodged jobs) you will have a roof that can last very well indeed. And, the longer your roof lasts, the less you have to pay out for it.
We’ve kept it short and sweet, but it is easy to see that a flat roof can offer plenty in the way of benefits. So, whether you are looking for a new roof or a replacement, speak to our team about flat roofing and its benefits!