Winter Flat Roof Maintenance: Things to Look Out For

So after a few days of wintery weather in the north of the UK this week, it would appear that for the majority of us this weekend could be the point at which winter well and truly arrives. It comes after the Met Office issued level three cold weather alerts for much of the UK, with warnings of snow, ice and plummeting temperatures. Rebecca Yussuf, weather producer at Sky News, is warning that Monday looks set to be the coldest day and wintery showers could be on the way for many of us: “The cold weather will be accompanied by wintery showers, bringing the risk of hail, sleet and snow just about anywhere over the next few days” Protecting Your Flat Roof In the east we have been relatively lucky so far to have avoided nearly all of the snow and freezing weather, but with this new cold snap expected to hit most of the UK we thought it was worth sharing a few handy winter flat roof tips.

• Remove All Debris: The presence of twigs, leaves and other debris on your flat roof can increase the risk of damage because as soon as snow falls onto the debris it will begin to turn to mulch. Not only does this make it twice as difficult to clean, but can also cause damage to the protective coating of your roof. Therefore you should regularly sweep debris from your flat roof before temperatures freeze.
• Check for Blockages: Another issue that arises from not regularly sweeping away debris is blockages. Leaves and twigs get washed into your guttering and over time can cause blockages that stops rain water and melted snow from flowing away from your roof. This can not only cause damage to your guttering, but also to the exterior of your property.
• Inspect Your Roof For Cracks: As we explained in our blog a few weeks ago, if you fail to get minor issues with your flat roof dealt with before the winter arrives they are only going to get worse!
• Call In The Professionals: If you are not comfortable getting up on your roof to carry out an inspection, or you have concerns over the state of your roof, it always pays to call in a professional.

Now if we do receive the cold and icy weather we are expecting then we DO NOT recommend climbing onto your roof. Instead wait until conditions are safe to do so, or call in a professional to do it for you. If you would like to arrange an inspection of your roof, feel free to give us a call on 01603 418818 or drop us an email to enquiries@roofsuk.co.uk.