Recovering Your Old Flat Roof With A PVC Membrane Could Postpone The Need For A Roof Replacement
If your flat roofing is old, you may be wondering if you need a new roof or if you can save the old one. A lot depends on if your roof has any water damage. Water ponding is common on flat roofs that have drainage issues. Standing water can leak into seams and holes if your roof has damage.
If the roof deck and insulation boards soak up too much moisture, they have to be torn off and replaced. If your roof is dry and structurally sound, your roofer might be able to put a PVC membrane over your existing roof. Here's why you may want a new membrane and how it's applied over an old flat roof.
Why Recovering Your Roof Is A Good Idea
If the roofing contractor recovers your roof, the old roof doesn't have to be torn off. That saves you money on disposal fees and labor. It also reduces the amount of disruption on your property while the work is going on.
Covering an old roof isn't always possible, but if a roofer thinks it's suitable for your building, then you'll save money on the cost of getting your roof work done. Plus, the new PVC membrane should last for many years.
What Type Of Flat Roofs Can Be Recovered
Most roofs can be recovered with a PVC membrane. However, the roofer takes into account how the PVC will react with the old roofing. The new PVC membrane may go directly over the old roofing or insulation boards may be put down first to keep the new membrane from touching the old roof. If the old membrane roof is covered with gravel to hold it in place, the gravel has to be removed before putting the new membrane down.
How An Old Roof Is Recovered
A PVC membrane is spread out over the roof and joined to the membrane next to it by heat welding the seams together. Since PVC melts, the roofer can bond the membranes to each other using heat. This ensures a tight bond that is waterproof.
The membranes might also be held down with screws or glue. If rocks were removed from the old roof, these can be put back down to hold the new membrane in place. Your roofer chooses the right installation method based on the type of old roofing you have on your flat roof.
Recovering your old roof can help you postpone the need to get an entirely new roof for several years. However, you'll want to keep up with repairs so your new membrane doesn't start leaking and cause roof damage that shortens the life of your roof.
For more information about recovering your flat roof, contact a local contractor.