Flat Roofing for Commercial Buildings: Why It Works and What It Needs
Flat roofing for commercial buildings is the norm because a low-slope roof covers a large footprint with the least roof area, gives HVAC units and solar arrays a surface crews can walk, and keeps equipment out of sight behind parapets. To last, a commercial flat roof needs what a house roof rarely does: drainage with […]
Energy Efficient Flat Roof Options: Cool Surfaces, Insulation and Solar
An energy efficient flat roof keeps heat out in three ways: a reflective “cool” surface that turns away most of the sun, continuous insulation above the deck, and a watertight membrane that keeps that insulation dry. A flat roof is also the easiest roof to fit with solar panels. In California these choices are partly […]
Flat Roof Installation: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Flat roof installation follows a set process: permit, tear-off to the deck, deck repair, insulation and tapered slope to the drains, a cover board where the system calls for one, the membrane (TPO, PVC, modified bitumen or built-up), flashing at every wall, curb and drain, then a final inspection. What to expect as a homeowner […]
How to Repair Flat Roofing Without Replacing the Entire Roof
You can repair flat roofing without replacing the entire roof when the damage is limited to a few places (an open seam, a puncture, a lifted flashing, a blocked drain) and the membrane, insulation and deck around it are still sound and dry. The repair has three parts: find where the water really gets in, […]
Flat Roofing Solutions for Homes and Businesses: When a Flat Roof Fits
Flat roofing solutions for homes and businesses draw on the same membrane systems (TPO, PVC, EPDM, modified bitumen, built-up roofing and coated spray foam), but each building type asks different things of them. A business needs a roof that covers a large area economically, carries equipment and service traffic, and meets commercial energy rules. A […]
Flat Roof Design: Edges, Drainage, Color and Rooftop Use
Flat roof design comes down to four choices that decide both how the roof looks and how well it keeps water out: the edge (a parapet wall, a thin metal edge or a deep overhang), the way water drains off a surface that still has to slope slightly, the membrane color, and whether the roof […]
Flat Roofing Systems: Everything You Need to Know
Flat roofing systems are the membranes and multi-ply assemblies used on roofs with little or no visible slope: single-ply TPO, PVC and EPDM, modified bitumen, built-up roofing (BUR), spray polyurethane foam and liquid-applied coatings. A “flat” roof is really a low-slope roof, built with enough fall (at least 1/4 inch per foot under the California […]