Protecting your property against extreme weather involves a number of critical factors. Choosing the right roofing for your house is the first and the foremost need, but proper maintenance of the structure as well as quality of that roof is also important. Indeed, properly installed functioning roofing improves the rental or sells value of your asset. As such, understanding residential roofing and in particular flat roofing, maintenance helps owner to own that their building is in proper condition. Unlike the shingle roof a flat roof is not much to look at, but it serves a vital purpose to prevent water from entering your house. There are certain things which every house owner must know before contacting a flat roofing company for his or her project.

A proper deck : Before the installation of a roof, there is a requirement of a deck which made usually of steel, plywood, concentrate, etc. Why is a deck important? A deck is something on which the whole roof stands. For instance, you are a wooden deck which has numerous leakage holes is bound to affect the functionality of the roof as little amount of water will slip through. A deck should be strong enough to withstand more layers of materials. Ask your potential flat roofing company about which deck will be best for their house?

The drainage : To be honest, a flat roof is not completely flat; it is slightly low slope roof. The low slope is there to allow water to reach the drainage areas, and this is made of a special material. There are numerous positions in which the slope can be designed, it have a high point with the slope in two directions, slope to one side. But remember, they can never have a center low point. Each design acts as a funnel to the drainage areas.

Various Drainage Systems : 

Gutters: You can opt for normal gutters like aluminium gutters are best. Here a proper slope is critical.

Scupper Box: This is basically a built-in drainage area on the roof. The flat roof funnels water to the Scupper box which turns runs the water down a wall.

Inline Drains: It is built into the building, constructed with a low spot; it provides a route for the water to flow.

You have to maintain each of this drainage system, check for blockages for the proper working of your flat roof.

The Material :

EPDM: This is a type of rubber material which is lightweight and highly durable, it resembles an inner tube. The flat roofing company normally fastens it stone or glue. Its pros are: durable to tear, lightweight, and leakproof. And, the drawbacks are: costly, vulnerable to punctures, and absorbs heat.

Modified Bitumen: This is the most used flat roofing material, it is single plywood. It has a limited color range. Comes in two surfaces: Granulated and smooth surface, the granulated surface reflect heat better than the smooth surface. And, the Modified Bitumen also cost less than the above EPDM material.

The above has given you a brief on flat roofing, so, now you have the knowledge to ask some valid question from your potential contractor.