Were you to acquire a drone, strap a camera to it and fly it over your nearest town, you’d see the wide variety of flat roofs atop the various outbuildings, commercial properties, offices and home extensions nearby. First of all – just take our word for that, as people don’t tend to take too kindly to unmanned flying cameras swooping over their property.
The point here is that, although flat roofs have been popular for decades, property owners themselves aren’t always up to speed on what’s the best solution for protecting their premises. After all, any new roof is going to be a costly expense, and that old adage of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” certainly seems valid whenever we’re faced with a potentially large financial outlay.
However, the problem with flat roofs is that, one day, they will break – and need to be fixed. When that day finally comes, the expense of replacing the roof will still be the same, but the potential damage to the property is likely to significantly increase. Essentially, it’s important to replace any flat roof before its time is up, which is why GRP is such a great option for almost any property.
A long lifespan for a reasonable cost
The first major benefit of GRP, which stands for Glass Reinforced Polyester, is its lifespan. Although it is more expensive than felt roofing, GRP does last far longer and is far easier to maintain during its 20 years of robust performance. With no seams, it’s far less likely to let in water but just as easy to repair as felt if damage does occur.
GRP is suited to smaller roofs, primarily, as its only main weakness is that, over larger areas, it can weaken due to expansion and contraction. Along with cost, this is one of the main reasons why people tend to choose felt over GRP for the likes of outbuildings and extensions, as it just seems to make sense to spend less when dealing with a smaller area.
Still, a felt roof will only last for around 10 years, so you’re realistically looking at two felt roof replacements for every GRP roof – which option makes more sense now? Unless you’re certain that you’ll be moving home in the next 10 to 20 years, a GRP flat roof replacement provides a more effective return on your investment than even the most advanced felt roofing system. You may read here to thoroughly understand the roofing requirements.
Versatile and more eco-friendly
In some circumstances, GRP is even a feasible solution for smaller pitched roofs – a professional roofer will be able to advise you further on this. In terms of its impact on the environment, too, GRP is extremely low on waste. As GRP roofs are prefabricated, essentially designed and cut to fit your roof exactly, there are no ‘cut-offs’ to send to the local skip.
At all times, GRP roofing needs to be fitted and repaired, if required, by a professional roofer. Felt roofing can be fitted with only the right tools, and a certain degree of patience, by anybody – but this is highly inadvisable in any instance, as mistakes are almost inevitable. Durham roofing companies, such as Findley’s, specialise in flat roof repair and replacement across the North East of England, so be sure that your replacement flat roof is installed by a similarly reliable, experienced company.
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