Flat roof- preventative maintenance

[truck71]

Hi Folks, decided to clear a load of moss from my extension flat roof yesterday- given nothing has been done to it in 10 years it looks in remarkably good condition. However, there are some very small cracks in the ashfelt (not split, just surface cracks) and some areas of gravel have got swept up with the moss. So, a couple of questions;

a)Is there any preventative maintenance I can do to help prolong the life of the roof?
b)Is it worth sweeping the old gravel off and replacing with new? Or at the very least should I replace the gravel that’s come off?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[truck71]

roofer said:

That's very close to its sell by date. Asphalt loses its oil content over time, along with its ability to expand and contract. Prime it and put a layer of good torch on over it, and you'll see another 10 years easily.

Thanks for that, sounds grand. What will I need for each of those stages, I'm assuming primer is a tar based product and the torch is the gravel? Excuse my ignorance, I'm new to roofs. Cheers.

[truck71]

roofer said:

Torch on is a layer of felt, primer helps it bond.

Ah gotcha. So I've got a mate who runs a builders merchant so I can get the materials at a decent price, will I need some kind of gas torch to apply the felt? Also, what's the purpose of the gravel, is it essential to replace this as well? I'm assuming dry weather is essential, is outside temperature a consideration? Many thanks.

[truck71]

paulwirral said:

Pay a roofer to do it , you'll wish you had when you watch your house burn down ! The gravel is there to
1 keep the surface cool
2 reflect uv rays
3 stop you seeing how bad the workmanship is , roofer will confirm this !

Yep you're probably right. However, I'm about to take a year out of work and fancy expanding my skill set- my labour is free so it's materials and equipment that I'll need. And a not insignificant amount of know how of course.

[truck71]

Wacky Racer said:

Get rid of all the dust, stones etc, and give the felt two liberal coatings of Isoflex black liquid rubber, (leaving 24hrs between coats) best choose a dry spell in spring......

Been using this stuff for 30 years, not cheap but never let me down yet.


Failing that, rip all the old felt off and start again with heavy grade green mineral.

However, I'm sure "Roofer" has far more experience than me in these matters....

That sounds interesting and more in line with my capabilities. The roof looks to be in really good nick, no peel or splits anywhere. I'll take some more comprehensive photos and see what the collective think.

Totally get the fire risk/ insurance thing with laying new felt not to mention a total amateur involved. What could possibly go wrong. .

[truck71]

truck71 said:

Wacky Racer said:

Get rid of all the dust, stones etc, and give the felt two liberal coatings of Isoflex black liquid rubber, (leaving 24hrs between coats) best choose a dry spell in spring......

Been using this stuff for 30 years, not cheap but never let me down yet.


Failing that, rip all the old felt off and start again with heavy grade green mineral.

However, I'm sure "Roofer" has far more experience than me in these matters....

That sounds interesting and more in line with my capabilities. The roof looks to be in really good nick, no peel or splits anywhere. I'll take some more comprehensive photos and see what the collective think.

Totally get the fire risk/ insurance thing with laying new felt not to mention a total amateur involved. What could possibly go wrong. .

Quick update, spent the last couple of days clearing the gravel, hosing down and applying the rubber paint. What a great product, took no time at all to cover a 3.5m x 5.5m area and looks great. Hardest part was getting the gravel down, through the house and off to the dump. Total cost was £160 for the rubber and a tenner for the application tools.