At this time of the year, householders sometimes find out that their garage roof that they thought was sound is in fact leaking. Puddles of water may appear on the garage floor, or they may realise that whatever is stored in the garage is getting damp each time it rains. If left this can result in expensive repairs needing to be carried out to the structure of the garage roof as the roof timbers will be affected so it is important once the issue is found that swift action is taken.

It is sensible to get a roofing company or a builder to inspect the roof to see what the damage is. It may be that the roofing felt has blown up and then it is a simple job to reattach it again or it could be that over time the roofing felt has deteriorated any will need replacing. If this is the case then the decision will need to be made about what type of roofing material to replace it with.

The cheapest option is to simply have the roof re-felted as this is the commonest material it is relatively simple to do. An alternative roofing material that is becoming popular because of its long lasting qualities is a rubber membrane roof. Most companies state that this material will last for about fifty years whereas the traditional felt roof may only last ten years. Although more expensive the rubber roof alternative is a worthwhile investment for any householder.

Many buildings have areas where a flat roof has been used, this may be over a garage or an outbuilding or it could be part of your main roof. If fitted and maintained properly then there’s no reason why your flat roof should give you any problems. However, over the years the felt that is used to cover the roof can deteriorate and that’s when problems can occur. The roofs can last a long time however they will usually need some sort of repairs after about 15 years, so if you’re moving into a property with a flat roof you may want to get it checked.

Some problems to look out for are things like pooling. This is when rainwater doesn’t come off the roof into the gutters but instead sits on the roof in pools causing potential damp issues.

If you see signs of vegetation growing such as moss or weeds this is usually an indicator that there could be a damp issue also.

Over time the material covering the roof can lift, crack or blister, leaving the roof exposed to the elements and causing long term damage, get these things looked at and fixed early really is the key to maintain a good solid flat roof.