Roofing Advice Please

[catholic]

My sister is having to replace the flat felt roof on her property and is receiving conflicting advice. The property is a park home or static caravan and the existing roof is leaking badly. Local roofers have mentioned new felt or fibreglass. I've also read about something called EPDM. Felt is cheaper with a guarantee of maybe 10 years? Fibreglass more expensive but with a longer guarantee. One roofer wouldn't recommend fibreglass at all. Any advice gratefully received please.

[Togo]

A fibreglass roof is easier for future repairs and is liable to last longer whilst being more expensive. A major drawback is that it can be very noisy in heavy rain if there is no sound deadening installed. Felt roofing is notoriously prone to deterioration fairly quickly. Another flat roof system is a rubber covering but I do not know what it is liable to cost.

[Togo]

With a bit of luck Builder will spot your post.

[teacake44]

Butyl is exceptional to water/weather resistance, I believe they also use it to line ponds out with, and depending on the thickness you have can last for many years.

[Old_Geezer]

I tend to replace flat rooves with devent sloped ones as they need to be replaced. Flat rooves are a concern one doesn't need.

[The Builder]

Traditional "built-up" felt roofs (installed properly) have been known to last for 25 years. They are torched-on these days. That is to say, pre-tarred felt and a big blowlamp.

I had my garage/workshop finished with just that recently.
But............ the chap I use is kosher. (I worked with his father before him as well.)
I say this because the flat-roofing business is plagued with idiots.

Also, fibreglass is fine IF done properly.

For my balcony, I went for EPDM, and installed it myself. Very easy. All instructions included in the kits.

So, compare prices and choose from any of these, but do choose a reputable installer........... probably NOT the cheapest one.

Your sister's main problem is that she has left it too long. It should have been renewed as soon as damp patches started to show.
By now, the leaks mat well have rotted the timber deck under the felt. That would have to be replaced, if so.

A good installer would be capable of replacing the deck as well.
In short, the installer is way more important than the method used.

Good luck :o)))

[The Builder]

^^^^ leaks MAY well

[catholic]

Hello The Builder. You hit the nail on the head! Sadly my sister, a pensioner living alone used one of those idiots because he was recommended by a neighbour. I'll pass on your advice and have suggested that she stops being so trusting, researches proper roofers and takes the idiot to the small claims court. Thanks

[The Builder]

I am sorry to hear that, Catholic.
Unfortunately, it's like many things in Building. So many people think anyone can do it.

Good luck to her. Do come back if we can help :o)))

[KARL]

I agree with The Builder - good (and I mean good) carefully installed felt can last for quite a while, giving satisfactory service all the while. A way to give it (and other types of flat roofing too) an assured longer life is to apply a coating onto it. For example, felt's life is shortened by sunlight which ultimately hardens it and leads to warping and cracking. Zinc roofs' lives are shortened through corrosion/solution (it thins and at the same time becomes porous). To add a decade or likely quite a bit more in each case you buy and brush on a "liquid rubber" type liquid well before the roofing ages (quite soon after installation for best results) and redo as soon as you see anything to be concerned about. These materials are variously a polyurethane coating or a two-part resin. I used the former some 30 years or so ago on a then 15 year old zinc roof and renewed with the latter two years ago when signs of thinning of the coating came to light. The former lasted well beyond my lowest expectations, I have yet to see how the resin fares but I would expect it to do at least as well. The zinc is now in excess of 50 years old and my assumption is that it is still pretty much as good as when it was laid with decades of life left in it, once the new coating finally gives way (way past being my concern).

One hoof, two hooves. One roof, two roofs.