A flat roof design is unlike your traditional home roof in that it doesn’t make use of the steeped arrangement traditionally attributed to homeownership. Instead, the roof is — as the design name states — flat.
In the past, flat roofs haven’t been as popular with homes and businesses because they tended to do a poorer job of runoff, triggering potential problems over the long term. But this design has come a long way, and it was made for several popular uses. In the following article, we’ll be looking at a few.
But First Let’s Address That Flat Roof Design ‘Flaw’
Rain and snow can admittedly create problems for a flat roof, provided it was improperly installed. The reality is some less-experienced contractors may build the roof too literally. They don’t realize that a flat roof isn’t really flat at all.
Each one should have a slight slope to facilitate runoff so the roof doesn’t become weighed down by the collected precipitation. Once such a roof is installed properly, it’s easier to take advantage of these benefits.
Usable Space
When you have a steeped roof installed, you’re confining your usable space to the interior of the home and whatever type of yard you possess. But a properly designed flat roof adds to the area of your home for purposes of entertainment, relaxation, and functionality.
Homeowners have used their flat roofs for everything from gardens and patios to outdoor living areas. They’ve also harnessed this unique design to save money on energy, as we’re about to see.
Energy Usage
Yes, a flat roof can help your energy usage in one of two ways. Firstly — and this depends on the height of the ceiling, it removes the vaulted ceiling concept from consideration. While vaulted ceilings may look nice (so does a properly installed flat roof), they tend to waste energy usage year-round instead of keeping the hot or cold air on the ground to be enjoyed by you and your family.
A second way flat roof homeowners can benefit from energy usage is to more easily install solar panels on the roof of their homes. This gets one “off the grid,” so to speak, and according to NerdWallet, it can be a huge source of savings for parts of the country with particularly high summer and winter electric bills.
Does Flat Roof Design Make Sense to You?
If you could see yourself enjoying any of the uses mentioned above, then a flat roof may be your best bet. But before going that route, ask the tough questions of yourself and your contractor. Improper installation can be more trouble than it’s worth. Give us a call or stop by the site should you have concerns you want us to address, or if you need a replacement on your existing flat roof.
[Featured Image by Wikipedia Commons]
