Do It Yourself Home Repair

Flat Roof: Out of sight out of mind

Question: “My flat roof is only seven to ten years old and has a twenty year warranty. It’s not leaking, so why not leave it alone until I have to do something?”

Few people would purchase a new car and not change the oil until the motor starts clacking. Unfortunately, because the roof is “out of sight,” we tend not to give it much thought until there is a problem.

Many of the roofs that I have repaired and replaced over the years have been roofs that were under three years old and already leaking because of several main factors:

Poorly maintained flat or shingled roofs, combined with the extreme weather conditions in Chicago, plus the less than professional workmanship, lead to most new roof leaks.

Put those three factors and you have lots of flat roof repair to do in places like Chicago or Detroit where the temperature has extreme variance from summer to winter.

Few homeowners ever see their flat roof. A full roof inspection that includes photographs, combined with proper upkeep and repairs, solves the mystery and saves you money.

Flat roofing systems

Most low slope or flat roofing systems in the Chicago area should receive maintenance at least every other year for several reasons. First, in most cases, this is a requirement for extended 10 and 20 year manufacture warranties. Second, you save money over the long term by extending the life of the roofing system to its maximum potential.

Third, by performing regular roof maintenance you prevent unnecessary and more costly repairs in the future (such as the expense of repairs to the interior of the home caused by water damage), not to mention the general aggravation and displeased tenants.

If your flat roof is more than five years old, it’s a good idea to have an inspection and appropriate degree of restoration performed.

A few of the most common flat and low sloped roofing problems:

1. Ice dam at roof end caused by frozen gutters causing back flow down the interior wall
2. Cracks along the transition from roof deck to parapet wall, especially in corners
3. Leaking around vent stacks and penetrations caused by worn boots, excessive cracks in roof membrane, and/or faulty seams
4. Loose or displaced chimney and/or wall flashing
5. Fishmouths, buckles, holes, tears and or cracks in roof membrane
6. Open seams
7. Skylight leaks

Shingle roofing systems

The same applies for residential shingle roofing systems. By performing regular maintenance you can extend the life of your roof. In these tough economic times, repair and maintenance can put off the expense of complete replacement until better economic times.
These are some of the most common shingle roofing problems:

1. Dormer and other wall flashing failure
2. Valley leaks
3. Leaking around stacks, other penetrations and vents
4. Skylight flashing failure (normally caused by improper installation)
5. Chimney flashing failure
6. Deteriorated shingles

No matter where you live, regular roof Maintenance saves money in the long run. Having the roof inspected directly after a new install is also a good idea that can save you in the long run.

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