How To Fix A Flat Roof In The Winter

Flat roofs must be installed on a very specific mild slope so that the water can drain off properly and if the drains and scuppers aren t cleared regularly this increases the chance of a leak.

How to fix a flat roof in the winter.

Examine the roof s slope above the area you measured. Because work is limited during the winter season contractors compete for work and lower their prices to get the job. The ice builds back up when it reaches the wall line where the house is heated and it creates an interior drip. A propane torch can be used to warm up the surface of the roof as the felt tend to dry and brittle in winter and needs to be warmed up before repairing.

A flat roof is no more or less likely to leak than a pitched roof it all comes down to the design and the competence with which it is installed. Proper ventilation rain and ice shields along with installing a drip edge will help prevent this problem. Locate the source of the leak. Be careful since being on the roof can be dangerous especially during icy winters.

Position an extension ladder at one edge of the roof. You nail shingles to the roof of course but each shingle has a tar strip on it that causes it to stick to the shingle that overlaps it. In the wintertime ice has no problem building up under the roof membrane shingles and gutters. Get a sturdy ladder and climb onto your roof.

Ensure the area to be repaired is completely dry. For a flat roof. The purpose is to keep the shingle tabs down in high winds. If you plan to replace shingles in the winter it can be done but you have to add something to bond the shingles together.

Open a container of wet application roof mastic with a screwdriver and carry the container and a wooden applicator to the roof. In fact winter is the best time for homeowners to have a new roof installed as you will get the best roof prices as well as a choice of the best roofing contractors.