A flat roof drives the contemporary home style. These flat roof types can last upwards of 25 years and are generally durable. Before you upgrade an existing roof or choose a roof style for your newly constructed Pickens home, consider the advantages of these flat roof types.
Built up roof (BUR)
For this type of flat roof, installers use alternating layers of durable asphalt and fiberglass paper, installed over top of a layer of rosin paper and roofing paper. The final layer of the roof consists of pea gravel, crushed granite, or a sheet of aggregate material (a rock alternative). This last layer of the roof resists sun and weather damage.
You can use BUR roofing on existing or new roofs; however, it must be determined that the roof substrate is strong enough to withstand the layers of fiberglass and asphalt. For existing roofs, the original roofing materials must first be removed before installing the BUR roofing.
Modified bitumen
A European import, this flat roof is another asphalt option; however, polyester or fiberglass layers are added to the asphalt to give it more holding power. This roofing developed as a response to low-quality asphalt roofs due to the use of crude oil. To boost its performance, manufacturers employed plastic or rubber to the asphalt, bonding it to other materials like polyester or fiberglass.
The roof offers superior waterproofing capabilities, resists weather well and is energy efficient.
Rubber membrane
This flat roof style is constructed from rubber, typically ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The material is manufactured in long sheets of membrane, which installers can apply to the roof using either adhesives like ballasts or mechanical fasteners. The high-performance waterproofing feature of EPDM is ideal for flat roofs, as it helps prevent leaks.
The roof type is easy to install, reducing installation costs as compared to some other types of roofs and if leaks do form, they are fairly easy to fix.
For more information about these flat roof types or any other roofing questions, contact Findlay Roofing today!
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