Sacramento Roofing Contractors and Flat Roofing Systems
The Yancey Family, Serving Sacramento Since 1888
Your local Sacramento roofing contractor is very knowledgeable when it comes to flat roofing systems. A flat roof has the job of keeping your structure dry and safe from the elements. There are several flat roofing technologies on the market today, some of which are better than others.
The benefits of a flat roof include being easy to build, and very economical, over their pitched roof counterparts. If you have a very large building to roof, for example, a flat roof is probably your only option, unless you engineer the building to support the additional weight of a pitched roof.
The Uppers of Flat Roofs
HVAC equipment can be installed on a flat roof, instead of on the ground. Furthermore, a flat roof can be used as an extension of the inside space, for a roof top deck, penthouse, or even as a green roof, which is very popular these days in urban areas. The economic benefits of a flat roof, along with their ecological advantages make them appealing. Oil base asphalt shingles for sloped roofs end up in landfills each year, which can be very detrimental to our environment. Flat roofs don’t use shingles.
The Downers of Flat Roofs
There are downsides to having a flat roof as well. Water and snow can just sit on the roof, and while water can be properly drained, snow may gather until spring melt-off. An engineer would need to plan a high load for such roofs in colder climates, so they could handle the weight of that snow.
Standing water, on top of the roof, can cause leakage. A slight pitch is needed, along with several drains, to take care of this problem. Tapered insulation to direct the flow of water towards the drains can fix the retention issue. It is important to have adequate drain systems to avoid any possible damage to the structure, house or building.
Experience in Low Sloped Roofing is Important
It is important for a roofing contractor to be experienced in low sloped roofs, especially in the Sacramento area, where roof pitches are quite shallow. A Sacramento roofing contractor will be able to give you a good quote on what it will cost to re-roof your home, or whether you can get by with a simple repair instead.