There is a common misconception that flat roofs are not very expensive to maintain when it comes to dealing with extreme weather conditions such as heavy rains, freezing snow or hail. However, it is not so much the type of roof you choose (flat or slope) but rather the material of the roof itself which can make the difference.
EPDM is a highly sophisticated material used in only the best quality of flat roofs because it is virtually maintenance free and much easier to maintain than even the very best sloped roofs.
1.Roof needs to be framed
The name flat roof is a bit misleading – it is not really flat to prevent water to stay on the surface and create inevitable puddles which can cause damage indoor. Always make sure the roof is a bit inclined – around 1/8 inches per foot. It can also be sloped in few different directions, mostly towards water spouts. You can create the incline either with using foam underlayment or, if the area to be built is not too large, use the wooden wedges that you nail to the roof support.
2.Fixing the underlayment
When using the sheet-rubber roofing material, you need to first put down so called ISO board – it is ½ inch thick foam with a special fibreglass backing. To make desired size and shape you can use ordinary knife and fix it to the plywood covering with screws and steel washers.
As the ISO board doesn’t expand or shrink you need to fix it precisely and tightly to each other.
3.Slanted corners
There is a short wall lining flat roofs – the rubber roof will need to be go up this wall and be glued to the covering. To prevent the water to stay in the corners, you need to fix a 45 degree wedge and screw it between the roof and the wall to create smooth transition.
4.Clear and dry-fit the roof
Make sure you remove all little bits from the roof before you put the new one. Any tiny piece could pierce it damage the whole work.
When you cut EPDM, make sure the piece is big enough (few inches plus) to cover the roof properly. The EPDM is easy to cut with any ordinary knife. Small roofs require only 1 sheet, bigger once you need to overlap sections of abt 10 inches, but glue them right at the end. If there is a breather pipe, you need to make a hole in the EPDM – big enough to be able to slide it over the chimney.
Author Resource:
EPDM Rubber roofs Service provided by Permaroof South, UK’s leading provider of Flat Roofs and EPDM Rubber Roofing System.
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