Before a roof is a failure, it is a problem. The owners of buildings with flat roofs in Derby have probably experienced leaks or the roof is showing its age. There are ways that the life of a flat roof can be extended. Extending is one thing, but if the roof is in serious disrepair and its long past its prime, then the only solution is to completely replace the roof.
For flat roofs in Derby that retain their basic soundness and they are still maintainable, there are options other than replacement.
Restaurant coatings:
Restaurant coatings have been used for many years as an effective way to extend the life of a built-up roof. A restaurant is made up of fillers, penetrating oil and un-blown asphalt. This mixture is applied by spray over a swept gravel roofing surface.
Being exposed to the conditions, the upper surfaces of the BUR deteriorates more rapidly and more extensively than layers below it. By applying a restaurant to the top surface of flat roofs in Derby, the surface can be effectively rejuvenated. Many of the original properties of the roof can be restored, including the ductility, flexibility and cold flow characteristics.
A restaurant can also benefit the felts. If they are dry and brittle, they will regain their flexibility and water resistant properties. Over the years, weather can scour away the top gravel coating of the BUR, providing a pathway for water penetration. Restaurants tend to seal the felts that are exposed, restoring the effective waterproofing feature.
A restaurant will seal over cracks and other imperfections in the flood coat, adding thickness and restoring the water resistance of the roof. As bitumen naturally ages, it erodes and cracks the flood coat, which is the primary defence against leaking of a BUR. If the flood coat is broken down, water can penetrate into the structure of the ply, weakening the roof.
Restaurants are not the end all and be all that they may appear to be. There are limitations to the use of restaurants on flat roofs in Derby. The process should not be done when the roof has extensive blistering and splits in the surface. Regardless of how the restaurant is applied, a non-functional roof will remain non-functional. However where they can be used, they may add two or three years to the life of the roof and they are inexpensive to do.
Polyester reinforcement:
A second option to increase the life of BUR is a polyester reinforced system.
Polyester has the ability to elongate whereas fibreglass does not. This makes polyester the preferred choice when used with a cold-applied elastomeric coating. Polyester is not affected by water; it retains its properties whether wet or dry. It is also resistant to mildew and solvents. The system is ideal for flat roofs in Derby; it is inexpensive and lightweight and can be applied with a small crew of technicians.
For new installations or repair of flat roofs in Derby, the company best suited to do the job is W R Leivers Roofing. They specialise in larger roofs such as found on warehouses, hotels and nursing homes.
