If you’re building a home or business you’ll have an endless variety of roofing materials to choose from. While most people are tempted to go with something standard like asphalt shingles or metal panels, this isn’t always the best choice. There are a number of specialized roofing materials that can serve you better, depending on what your needs are. Flat roofing is one of those materials.
Most home and business owners are uneducated on how a flat roof works and what its main advantages are. Below, we’ll go over all the pros and cons associated with this roofing style, as well as help you decide if it’s right for you.
The Advantages of Flat Roofing
If your building structure can support one, there are many pros to using a flat roof over other traditional styles. The biggest advantage is cost. Flat roofs require a much less extensive installation, and they are a thousand times easier to maintain. If you ever need to have your roof reworked or resealed, it typically only requires a new coating to be applied.
Another advantage of flat roofing is that it comes in multiple materials all at different price points. Whether you want a rubber roof like EPDM, a TPO roof, or a built-up shingle roof, you’ll find that there’s no shortage of options. Finally, flat roofs are also much more versatile. If you’d like you can install a living space or outdoor patio on your roof, greatly expanding the square footage of your building.
Disadvantages of Flat Roofing
Despite having numerous pros, there are still disadvantages of flat roofing that need to be considered. Instead of jumping blindly into this kind of installation, you’ll want to think about:
- Building Style: Can your existing home or business support a flat roof? In most cases, this roofing style has to be decided on at the time of construction.
- Weather Considerations: Because of their non-sloping nature, flat roofs do not allow rain and snow to fall off as easily. If you live in a climate with lots of snow and ice, it could potentially build up on your roof and create leaks.
- Longevity: Most flat roofing styles do not last as long as shingled roofing and will need to be reapplied often, usually once a decade.
