Hot Flat Roof Construction

Inverted warm deck roof.

Hot flat roof construction.

While there are many variations there are two popular options used to create a hot roof. For instance a worker who doesn t have a lot of experience with flat roofs may not understand how to apply waterproof sealants. As you might imagine this is the cheapest version possible and good for covering a shed. Because flat roofs require specialized materials and construction methods any roofer you choose to work on yours should have a large resume of past work on flat roofs.

Also known as the built up roof bur this type of flat roof features three or more layers of waterproof material mixed in an alternating fashion with hot tar and a layer of smooth stone like gravel. Once made of tar paper these types of roofs gradually are using more advanced materials such as fiberglass membranes. The most important thing to know about a flat roof says tom is that it s not flat to prevent water from pooling and eventually invading the home flat roofs are always built on a slight incline at least 1 8 inch per foot. Air from outside is permitted to come in through the soffits and exit through the top of the roof which creates a cold attic during the winter months.

However depending on the severity of the damage and the type of material installed repairing a flat roof can cost as much as 600 800. A typical flat roof repair costs at least 350 400 and involves locating sources of leaks and patching the seams or holes. The sandwich warm deck roof is the most common type of flat roof. The insulation is placed below the waterproof covering and is either mechanically fixed or bitumen bonded on to the top of the deck.

Attics typically have an insulated floor and have ventilation. This method is intended to deter ice dams by keeping the roof cooler. The first method revolves around foam sprayed in place generally sprayed in between the rafters trusses while the second utilizes foam board generally placed on top of the exterior roof sheathing. Many slope in several directions like squashed hip roofs toward scupper holes that connect to downspouts.

Built up roof bur the traditional hot tar and gravel roof is built from three or more plies of waterproof material alternated with hot tar and ballasted by a layer of smooth river stone.